Barak's threats of military action in Gaza
are foolish, says Hamas spokesperson Barhoum
Hamas: Barak's threats of military action in Gaza
are foolish
Date: 05 / 08 / 2008 Time: 13:44
Gaza – Ma'an –
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak's comments on conducting a
large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip were foolish, Hamas
said on Monday.
"Barak's declarations show that the Israeli government failed to cope
with Hamas and the Palestinian resistance's steadfastness, and they also
failed because the Palestinian people supports the resistance." said
Hamas Spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum.
Barhoum said that Barak's comments were nothing more than election-year
propaganda, in light of disagreement and rivalry amongst Israeli
political and military organizations.
"Barak and his fruitless government do not know that if they commit such
follies, they will pay a heavy price. Violence, cruelty and terrorism
can't provide occupation with safety and security," Barhoum added.
Abu Salim, the official spokesperson of National Resistance Brigades,
the military wing of the leftist Democratic Front for the Liberation of
Palestine (DFLP), said that Barak is still seeking to recover the image
of the Israeli military, which was tarnished in the 2006 war in Lebanon.
“We confirm our readiness along with other factions’ readiness to
respond to any attack against our people,” Abu Salim.
Abu Salim accused Barak of attempting to exploit the current internal
divisions among Palestinians in order to carry out an aggressive
strategy against the Palestinians.
Speaking at an Israeli Labor Party event in Jerusalem on Monday evening,
Barak said "anyone who misses the military operations in Gaza mustn't
worry, they will come."
Following Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's announcement that he will
resign, Barak is vying against Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu and
Kadima-affiliated Foreign Minister Tzip Livni to become Prime Minister.
A ceasefire went into effect in the Gaza Strip on 19 June. The six-month
Egyptian-brokered truce was negotiated indirectly between Hamas and
Israel.
Settler groups awaiting Gaza invasion
Separately Israeli settler groups are expected to announce on Tuesday
their intention to re-occupy settlements in the Gaza Strip that Israel
unilaterally evacuated in 2005.
Boaz Haetzni, one of the leaders of the Homesh First Movement, a settler
group, told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the settlers plan to
follow the Israeli military into Gaza during the next major invasion.
Haetzni told Haaretz that as soon as the Israel Defense Forces reenters
the Gaza Strip, "and in our estimation the 'big operation' is only a
matter of time, we will follow them in. We will not ask for permission
from anyone. The [settlement] groups will be ready, and this evening we
will start an organized sign-up for them."
***Updated at 18:02 Bethlehem time
Barak: "If you miss Gaza raids, don't worry - they'll come"
Tuesday August 05, 2008 11:45 by Rula Shahwan - IMEMC News
Defense Minister and Labor Party leader Ehud Barak criticized his
political rivals on Monday, equating them with hosts of reality
television shows, and told his constituents that a military operation in
the Gaza Strip was still very much on the agenda.
Speaking at a Labor Party event in Jerusalem on Monday evening, Barak
said "anyone who misses the military operations in Gaza mustn't worry,
they will come."
Addressing Israel's current restraint in the Gaza Strip, Barak said
"we've never had cause to regret wars or a military operation that we
didn't undertake from a position of strength and self assurance."
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