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IDF military vehicles inside the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. (AP)
Last update - 07:46 05/09/2007
Cabinet likely to back 'punishing' Gaza civilians over Qassams
By Amos Harel, Aluf Benn and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Ehud Olmert, Israel, Sderot 

Government sources believe most Security Cabinet members will support increasing financial pressure on the Gaza Strip during the cabinet's meeting in Jerusalem on Wednesday, in response to the ongoing rocket fire at Israel.

Sderot parents, meanwhile, intend to demonstrate outside the Knesset building. Sources in the defense ministry said that Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday to examine the implications of temporarily cutting off the Strip from Israeli infrastructure, including electricity, fuel and the supply of basic commodities.

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arak ordered the defense establishment to examine "the operational and legal aspects of steps designed to limit Hamas' rule in the Gaza Strip." Barak told the IDF he wanted to determine the degree to which Israel was obligated to provide services for the Strip.

The call to cut off water, electricity, gas and fuel to the Strip is seen as an alternative - or, if unsuccessful, a prelude - to a broad IDF incursion into northern Gaza. Government sources, however, said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was unlikely to authorize an escalation in Israel's military actions in the region.

Sources close to Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said that the minister had told Olmert of his plan to broaden the IDF's military activity in the Strip during a private meeting the two held on Sunday. According to the sources, Dichter's plan does not involve retaking the Strip, but employs a combination of air raids and concentrated ground offensives in various sectors of the Strip.

"Each attack will focus on a different part, but in no point will the IDF forces be required to hold territory inside the Strip," sources said of Dichter's plan. Dichter has reportedly sent copies of his proposal to Barak and to several IDF generals.

Dichter reportedly told Olmert that the cabinet needed to change its reliance on countering rocket fire by tactical attacks, and switch to a broader view concerned only with putting a total end to the firing of Qassam rockets at Israel.

However, government sources told Haaretz that given the current circumstance, Olmert is likely to conclude that the scale of the IDF's military activity in the Strip is at a maximum right now. "Going in any deeper would require very large forces indeed, which would have to stay in the area for a long time," the sources said.

Earlier Tuesday, Vice Premier Haim Ramon - one of a growing number of cabinet ministers in favor of cutting off utilities to Gaza - said that Israel should attach a "price tag" to every rocket launched at Israel.

"We will set a price tag for every Qassam, in terms of cutting off infrastructures," Ramon told Army Radio. "Hamas will ... know this in advance. We will not continue to supply 'oxygen' in the form of electricity, fuel, and water while they are trying to murder our children."

As senior politicians debated what action to take, one Qassam rocket struck an open area in the western Negev Tuesday, causing no damage or injuries, and the Knesset convened for a special discussion on negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu accused Olmert and Barak of "creating the problems with which Israel is now forced to contend through a succession of reckless decisions and moves."

On Monday, Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for launching seven rockets at the western Negev, one of which struck near a day-care center in Sderot. There were no injuries, but 12 children were treated for shock.

Following the attack, the Sderot Parents Committee decided to keep children home from all of the city's schools until further notice. The committee announced it intended to appeal Wednesday to the High Court of Justice to receive permission for parents to enroll their children in schools outside the city, until the completion of reinforcements for all municipal schools.

People from Sderot are scheduled to arrive Wednesday at the Wohl Rose Park in Jerusalem to protest what they call the government's ineptitude at providing security for the northern Negev. The event's organizers intend to bus in the school students to participate in the demonstration.

According to Barak's office, the defense minister also decided to extend an order issued by his predecessor Amir Peretz, declaring a "special situation" along the border with Gaza. Barak decided the time is not yet ripe to revoke the order, which will be in effect for the coming 48 hours, and gives the Israel Defense Forces wide authority to run civilian affairs based on security concerns.

After 48 hours, a further extension of the order will be brought before the government for approval, and then to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as well as the Knesset plenum for approval.

In addition to granting the IDF the power to issue instructions to the education and health system as well as other essential services, the order also allows for special compensation to be paid to victims of Qassam fire.

The order entitles the security establishment to issue any order necessary for protecting lives and property.

In addition, Barak also instructed his deputy Matan Vilnai and Defense Minister Director General Pinchas Buchris to accelerate production of reinforcement methods in order to better protect buildings near the Gaza Strip from rocket fire.
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  1.   Olmert talks tough 03:18  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 04/09/07
  2.   Farcial Leadership 03:29  |  Yoram 04/09/07
  3.   The Unholy Trinity 03:37  |  Lolek 04/09/07
  4.   Gaza 03:46  |  Mark 04/09/07
  5.   Unfortunate 03:57  |  Ron 04/09/07
  6.   Please Protect The Children of Sderot 04:16  |  J of Hollywood 04/09/07
  7.   War War War 04:27  |  Don 04/09/07
  8.   Means of ending the threat are clear, Olmert only offers hot air. 04:38  |  Dr. L. Brnd 04/09/07
  9.   let olmert send his grand kids to sderot 04:49  |  joe 04/09/07
  10.   Once Again 05:01  |  Ricardo 04/09/07
  11.   What are you waiting for? Cut off Electricity, Fuel, Supplies! 05:01  |  Vittorio 04/09/07
  12.   Reply to J of Hollywood (Post No. 6) 05:02  |  Johnny Weintraub 04/09/07
  13.   No change in policy...status quoe...brain damage 05:08  |  Avi 04/09/07
  14.   They might as well of kept Peretz 05:21  |  Nemesis 04/09/07
  15.   Israel will act when told only 05:49  |  Midle Eastern 04/09/07
  16.   Sderot 05:54  |  Marty E. 04/09/07
  17.   Child killing by IDF has resulted in guilty consciences 05:57  |  Natallie Durson 04/09/07
  18.   Response 06:01  |  Al 04/09/07
  19.   Knesset and the Leaders Must Move to Sderot 06:45  |  * BEN JABO 04/09/07
  20.   Pipsqueak PM leads pipsqueak `country` with pipsqueak IDF 06:53  |  Hannah 04/09/07
  21.   #8 06:58  |  B 04/09/07
  22.   Israel won`t remain quiet? Yawn, oh boy, what a threat.. 07:06  |  David 04/09/07
  23.   Hannah begs your forgiveness; she jilted by jewish lover 07:10  |  Hannah 04/09/07
  24.   IDF 07:29  |  LARRY 04/09/07
  25.   Crazy Hannah burbling 07:29  |  Hannah 04/09/07
  26.   Olmert`s Call to Violence is Atrocious .... 07:31  |  Dutch 04/09/07
  27.   #18 Hannah -The Arab One 07:42  |  * BEN JABO 04/09/07
  28.   Of Course 07:43  |  Danite 04/09/07
  29.   to #18 Whine, Whine, Whine 07:45  |  In Your Face Zionist 04/09/07
  30.   PIpsqueak Hannah 07:48  |  Marty E. 04/09/07
  31.   Israel won`t remain quiet in face of Qassams 08:11  |  Born In The USA 04/09/07
  32.   Natalie -- Guilty consciences of Palestinian parents? 08:50  |  Gina 04/09/07
  33.   Instead of talking do. With each Qassam, stop the flow of petrol 08:53  |  Uri Harel 04/09/07
  34.   Divide and conquor - pals plan 09:08  |  lilly 04/09/07
  35.   FAKE HANNAH (aka Ms Kohn) ALERT! #23, 25 09:27  |  Hannah 04/09/07
  36.   Are you the most vicious poster on Talkback, L.Brnd? 09:32  |  Clickfool 04/09/07
  37.   # 32 Gina 09:35  |  Natallie Durson 04/09/07
  38.   A correction for Natallie Durson # 17 09:35  |  Clickfool 04/09/07
  39.   #30, Marty E. 09:38  |  Hannah 04/09/07
  40.   Pitiful emollient propaganda from Olmert 09:39  |  Clickfool 04/09/07
  41.   are Olmert`s words a casus belli? 09:45  |  observer 04/09/07
  42.   MORE FEEBLE TALK FROM THE "IDIOT". 09:56  |  Robert 04/09/07
  43.   The rules of warfare have changed 09:59  |  Yonatan 04/09/07
  44.   The rules of warfare have changed (part 2) 10:07  |  Yinatan 04/09/07
  45.   I am not a voicw crying in the wilderness 10:10  |  Yonatan 04/09/07
  46.   Ramon: Cut Gaza water, power as `price tag` for Qassams 10:13  |  J levi 04/09/07
  47.   Born In The USA; is that good or bad? 10:13  |  observer 04/09/07
  48.   Israeli Vice Premier recommends a war crime 10:14  |  Clickfool 04/09/07
  49.   Lack of knoweledge of current events 10:16  |  J levi 04/09/07
  50.   This is illegal and ineffective. Other means should be used. 10:20  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 04/09/07
  51.   Our gift to back to you, dear Gazans 10:21  |  MarkC 04/09/07
  52.   PALESTINIAN CHILDRE 10:23  |  indrajaya 04/09/07
  53.   #5 A thought 10:27  |  Outsider 04/09/07
  54.   Seeking to understand.. 10:40  |  The Northern Wind 04/09/07
  55.   Here Too, Yes! 10:43  |  Avi 04/09/07
  56.   How come it has taken this long to react???? 10:44  |  Simon Jenkins 04/09/07
  57.   How about a tongue-kiss ???? Kadima !!! 11:00  |  Moshe 04/09/07
  58.   A situation of your own making 11:01  |  Ben Alofs 04/09/07
  59.   Gaza`s own water 11:02  |  H50 04/09/07
  60.   Finally 11:03  |  Adrian de KLerk 04/09/07
  61.   One kassam = 4 hours without electricity .. 11:09  |  redmike 04/09/07
  62.   clickfool 11:11  |  james 04/09/07
  63.   Exactly 11:14  |  Hannah 04/09/07
  64.   National socialist Clikfool thiirsted for Iranian blood when his 11:15  |  Absolute Sweden 04/09/07
  65.   reduction of utilities 11:19  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 04/09/07
  66.   Cutting off electricity, water and fuel supply is not enough 11:19  |  Rafi 04/09/07
  67.   Quasam 11:24  |  ari 04/09/07
  68.   Response to #35 Clickfool 11:25  |  Mike 04/09/07
  69.   #17,Durson, "If Jews have guilty conscienced...." 11:25  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 04/09/07