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IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi. (Archives)
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Last update - 20:51 29/04/2007
IDF chief: Ground offensive only way to halt Qassam rocket fire
By Haaretz Service and Agencies

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, warned on Sunday that if Palestinian attacks continue Israel will have no alternative but to "take action," adding that a major ground operation in the Gaza Strip would be necessary to effectively halt the ongoing rocket fire.

Ashkenazi told the weekly cabinet meeting that a number of alternatives would also be presented to the government.

Meanwhile, a Qassam rocket was fired at the Western Negev on Sunday, Israel Radio reported. There were no reports of injuries.
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Since the Gaza truce came into effect some five months ago, roughly 250 rockets and mortar shells have been fired at Israel, the IDF chief said. He added that the rocket barrage on Israel's Independence Day last week was an exception to the norm.

On the subject of Israel's northern border with Lebanon, Ashkenazi said Hezbollah is trying to reestablish its presence south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese army in the area seem incapable of preventing Shiite militants from accessing the area, he said.

In addition, Ashkenazi said Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has taken only limited action to stop rearmament of Hezbollah through Syria, which is continuing unchecked.

The IDF chief dispelled rumors Syria is planning to attack Israel in the summer and said that according to existing information their forces are deployed in a defensive formation.

Earlier in the meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the cabinet that although Israel is does not seek an escalation in the Gaza Strip, it "cannot ignore" attempted infiltrations and attacks.

He said that a message to that effect had been passed to the Palestinians.

"We are not interested in an escalation but will by no means refrain from taking the necessary steps to stop those who try to harm Israeli residents in the south," Olmert said.

He did not spell out which measures he would take.

Israel decided last week to step up pinpointed strikes against Palestinian militants in Gaza, while ruling out a major incursion.

The past week has seen an increase in violence at the Israeli-Gaza border. Militants of the ruling Hamas faction broke a five-month Gaza cease-fire last Tuesday, calling the barrage of Qassam rockets and mortar fire revenge for the deaths of nine Palestinians in the West Bank.

On Saturday, IDF troops killed three Hamas militants as they attempted to place explosive devices along the Gaza border fence
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  1.   and on the same note 14:18  |  Avi 29/04/07
  2.   ABOUT TIME,TOO 14:34  |  Ian 29/04/07
  3.   Tactics 15:00  |  Brod 29/04/07
  4.   Sign in a store window 15:22  |  Yonatan 29/04/07
  5.   Simple answer, Olmert 15:27  |  Clickfool 29/04/07
  6.   DUMBASS OLMERT AT IT AGAIN 15:47  |  JERRY 29/04/07
  7.   Still talking....energizer bunny olmert just wont quit 15:48  |  bernard ross 29/04/07
  8.   PALS & LEBS: Be careful and peaceful. Gabi Ashkenazi doesn`t joke 16:18  |  Vittorio 29/04/07
  9.   without fixed military zone of influence 16:31  |  Paul Freedman 29/04/07
  10.   ASHKENAZI=LION/HALUTZ=LITTLE BIRD 16:36  |  THE LIBRARIAN 29/04/07
  11.   Israel has become another China,but without Chinese potential 16:41  |  Absolute Sweden 29/04/07
  12.   What is does this Gov`t think it`s accomplishing? 17:03  |  Paul 29/04/07
  13.   Like China.. "last warning N..." 17:07  |  Mac 29/04/07
  14.   or... 17:17  |  Ernie 29/04/07
  15.   Difference Mr. Sweden #11 17:22  |  Alfred Brodner 29/04/07
  16.   Crush the Head and the Snake Will Wither 17:28  |  Solon 29/04/07
  17.   I like #7 17:43  |  Observer 29/04/07
  18.   #16 Solon 17:57  |  Boycott 29/04/07
  19.   Time to act 18:21  |  Danite 29/04/07
  20.   Olmert`s is thick skulled 18:35  |  * BEN JABO 29/04/07
  21.   At what price? 18:42  |  lennybruce 29/04/07
  22.   Creating a closed military zone solves problem 18:49  |  Dr. L. Brnd 29/04/07
  23.   Why invade that Garbage dump 18:54  |  ottomatik 29/04/07
  24.   To Clickfool # 5 19:51  |  Fortuna Benmayor 29/04/07
  25.   the only way to stop the fire 20:09  |  ravi 29/04/07
  26.   We were there 20:19  |  Gazan 29/04/07
  27.   The opportunity was lost Danite 20:21  |  Mark Lincoln 29/04/07
  28.   I Agree With Ottomatik 20:25  |  Mario Sparaguchi 29/04/07
  29.   Why IDF boss Ashkenazi is an obvious idiot 20:42  |  Clickfool 29/04/07
  30.   16SOLON,don`t you read the news man? 20:45  |  Ralph 29/04/07
  31.   ISRAEL has no alternative except to make nice 20:50  |  sara 29/04/07
  32.   #31 Sara - don`t get too hopeful 21:03  |  * BEN JABO 29/04/07
  33.   #5 Dear Mr. Fool 21:05  |  Reb Bahir 29/04/07
  34.   The IDF seem fairer game to me than civilians # 22 21:06  |  Clickfool 29/04/07
  35.   #31 Dear Sara 21:08  |  Reb Bahir 29/04/07
  36.   This is a BIG BIG lie 21:10  |  mehmet 29/04/07
  37.   Sara (#31) 21:16  |  N/A 29/04/07
  38.   Improved Range makes problems 21:41  |  Mark Lincoln 29/04/07
  39.   For Reb Bahir # 33 21:47  |  Clickfool 29/04/07
  40.   Ashkenazi 21:52  |  Avi Yerushalmi 29/04/07
  41.   For Reb Bahir again # 35 21:52  |  Clickfool 29/04/07
  42.   A just peace only way to halt Qassams 21:59  |  John 29/04/07
  43.   WHY INVADE THAT HELL HOLE 22:14  |  DANNY 29/04/07
  44.   TO 25 THE ONLY WAY TO 22:16  |  DANNY 29/04/07
  45.   Clickfool, your sophistry will not work 22:17  |  Theodor 29/04/07
  46.   We seem to agree on something, #34 Mr. Clickfool 22:26  |  Dr. L. Brnd 29/04/07
  47.   THIS IS A BIG BIG LIE. 22:37  |  DANNY 29/04/07
  48.   5 DEAR MR FOOL. 22:39  |  DANNY 29/04/07
  49.   WE WERE THERE 22:43  |  DANNY 29/04/07
  50.   Laying the trap. 22:48  |  Colin. 29/04/07
  51.   Peace is the only way to halt Qassam rocket fire 23:11  |  Pablo B 29/04/07
  52.   WHAT A DEAL! 23:16  |  lakshmi 29/04/07
  53.   What are qassams? 23:18  |  Gaza boy 29/04/07
  54.   John #42 23:23  |  Brod 29/04/07
  55.   two options: TWO CONSEQUENCES 00:00  |  Joe 30/04/07
  56.   More possibilities 01:06  |  KUTW 30/04/07
  57.   israeli military not prepared to 21 century war 01:22  |  paulo2005 30/04/07
  58.   32 BEN JABO,afraid to check out my sources? 01:45  |  sara 30/04/07
  59.   #38 Mark Lincoln - "Improved range" of kassams is a fantasy 01:52  |  Dr. L. Brnd 30/04/07
  60.   the only way ? 01:52  |  Andy 30/04/07
  61.   Since Clickfool preceives himself such a military genius: 02:55  |  Claudia 30/04/07
  62.   Here`s a thought, Ashkenazi.... 03:23  |  Johnboy 30/04/07
  63.   Please pass the word around... 04:20  |  DRS 30/04/07
  64.   Stopping the Quassams 04:30  |  Nechama 30/04/07
  65.   Ashkenazi want WAR 04:48  |  Ah 30/04/07
  66.   NEVER Underestimate your enemy says Confucius onwards 05:05  |  Alan 30/04/07
  67.   38. Mark Lincoln: Improved Range makes problems 05:12  |  Ah 30/04/07
  68.   #55 They did, Necama, they did 06:47  |  Johnboy 30/04/07
  69.   #62 Johnboy - tell us again how the 19:12  |  * BEN JABO 30/04/07
  70.   IDF now fourth division 22:43  |  David 30/04/07
  71.   #58 Sara - what sources, your usual 02:37  |  * BEN JABO 01/05/07
  72.   #31-2 Sara - what are your SOURCES 03:17  |  * BEN JABO 01/05/07
  73.   #53 Gaza boy 03:24  |  * BEN JABO 01/05/07
  74.   #69 Do I hear the sound of a tin can rattling??? 06:30  |  Johnboy 01/05/07
  75.   "Eagles don`t capture flies" 07:34  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/05/07
  76.   #74 Johnboy - you hear the sound of your empty drum 08:47  |  * BEN JABO 01/05/07
  77.   #76 *BEN JABO does love to see things that aren`t there 18:48  |  Johnboy 01/05/07
  78.   #77 Johnboys semantics 19:23  |  * BEN JABO 01/05/07
  79.   #78 *BEN JABO, the old joke still applies to you 02:34  |  Johnboy 02/05/07
  80.   To Brod #54 23:42  |  John 02/05/07
  81.   Clickfool is a member or supporter of Hamas 22:20  |  Gary 08/12/07
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