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IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi. (Jini Archives)
Last update - 03:46 12/02/2008
Ashkenazi: IDF ready to widen Gaza actions as much as needed
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: IDF, Ehud Barak 

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said Monday that the army is ready to expand its operations against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, but is waiting on orders from the political echelon.

"The IDF is prepared and ready to deepen and expand the operations in Gaza as much as necessary, in accordance with [the political echelon's] decisions," said Ashkenazi during a conference of top military officers at the IAF base in Hatzor.

"The coming year will be full of security challenges, and IDF must be prepared to meet them," he added.
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During the conference, IDF officers presented the army's goals and working plans for the coming year, at times touching on the lessons learned from the Second Lebanon War as well as the Winograd Committee's final report on the war.

'We are still examining the report in order to determine whether there is something that we have not shown the spotlight on in the past year and a half and demands attention," said a senior officer. "It isn't clear that there is such a thing."

Barak: Israel won't be deterred from acting against Qassams

Defense Minister Ehud Barak also attended the conference, hours after vowing that Israel would not be deterred from taking the necessary military action to restore security to the residents of the Qassam rocket-bombarded south.

"The IDF will act in any way necessary in order to restore security and quiet to Sderot and the Gaza border area," Barak told the Labor Party Knesset faction on Monday. "The primary objective - halting Qassam rocket fire and significantly reducing the strengthening [of terror organizations] through weapons smuggling."

The defense minister said Sderot residents have a right to be angry. "The fury and pain are natural, human, and justified," he said. "The government has the responsibility to ensure their security, to help in any way possible, and to embrace them warmly."

"We are open to any idea," Barak continued. "There are a lot of people who have come to me with various ideas. It is important that we listen but keep them to ourselves. When concrete modes of operation are discusses on the radio, they are liable to serve our enemies."

"You don't need to be a military expert in order to understand that if you identify a concrete goal - it won't happen," he said. "If we identify the structures that we are going to strike, they won't be there. I recommend that all of us avoid detailed public discussion on technical operational aspects."

Earlier Monday, Barak said that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for a possible wide-scale operation in the Gaza Strip in response to the ongoing Qassam rocket attacks from the coastal territory.

Barak told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Israel would not rule out any possible course of action to bring quiet back to the western Negev and security to the residents of Sderot and nearby communities.

"IDF operations are continuing day and night and will even be expanded," hen told committee members.

The defense minister said that in recent days, the IDF has killed 61 Palestinian militants. He added that over the last four months, 200 militants have been killed by Israeli fire.

Qassam fire "will not stop in two days or even in two weeks, but the army will stop the phenomenon," said Barak.

During a meeting on security developments Sunday, and at the weekly cabinet meeting, Barak and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel needs to continue its preparations for a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip, but that there is no point in rushing into one.

Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi recently gave orders for such preparations, but army sources insist that they have not received any order to initiate an operation. Military sources said that such operation is not likely to begin for several more weeks.

Barak has reiterated that Israel will not embark on a military operation unless Israel defines its goals, "has a [political] exit plan" and prepares the ground for broad international support for its action.

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    <
      1.   Barak - all mouth and trousers 11:51  |  Clickfool 11/02/08
      2.   A radical idea 12:02  |  Natallie Durson 11/02/08
      3.   The offensive will come soon 12:10  |  dovale 11/02/08
      4.   #1 Clickfool - Nasser declared his intentions in 1967 12:13  |  * BEN JABO 11/02/08
      5.   gaza and lebanon 12:19  |  Michael Domb 11/02/08
      6.   Barak orders IDF to prepare for offensive 12:22  |  A. J. Myers 11/02/08
      7.   Barak`s numbers are insignificant and show that this policy has n 12:33  |  ROBERT TANNER 11/02/08
      8.   # 1. Meanwhile Hamas leaders are scuttling. 12:41  |  Stephen. 11/02/08
      9.   Here we go, here we go, here we go...... 12:46  |  Palestinian Brit 11/02/08
      10.   Barak merely pandering to public opinion 12:48  |  False PETER SM 11/02/08
      11.   Clickfool/Misinformation 12:51  |  Ari 11/02/08
      12.   Clickfool...how is it you are ALWAYS first to post? 12:57  |  SLAVO 11/02/08
      13.   Clickfool - all mouth and trousers 13:11  |  Nik Miller 11/02/08
      14.   Statement of Barak 13:14  |  leib 11/02/08
      15.   In other words, don`t hold your breath. 13:18  |  Jew 11/02/08
      16.   Not going to happen 13:35  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/02/08
      17.   Obama has more momentum than the Israeli government 13:39  |  Nechama 11/02/08
      18.   Soon we will learn who has learned 13:40  |  Mark Lincoln 11/02/08
      19.   Premeditated War Crimes - Attacking a civilian area 13:44  |  POP 11/02/08
      20.   Obviously it was said a lot but ... 13:46  |  Vital 11/02/08
      21.   TIT FOR TAT 13:50  |  fardeen 11/02/08
      22.   For Ari # 11 14:02  |  Clickfool 11/02/08
      23.   For Podge Miller # 13 14:04  |  Clickfool 11/02/08
      24.   End the vile siege & the Occupation,you war criminals! 14:07  |  lakshmi 11/02/08
      25.   both sides 14:40  |  rm 11/02/08
      26.   Smart Israelis/ Did you try talking? duh 14:48  |  Fed up American 11/02/08
      27.   Clickfool screams and yells 14:52  |  Ricardo 11/02/08
      28.   Pls don`t STOP making a fool of yourselves, Israelies 14:58  |  Fed up American 11/02/08
      29.   Nothing to do with 15:01  |  Matthew Kretzmer 11/02/08
      30.   #2 Duh!!rson`s Daily Dumb Drivel 15:06  |  Bill Foonman 11/02/08
      31.   Chris Linthwaite Stop Lying Through Your Teeth 15:35  |  Free Gilad Shalit 11/02/08
      32.   Clickfool - Identify Yourself 15:39  |  Phil 11/02/08
      33.   More Clickfool hypocrisy 15:53  |  Nik Miller 11/02/08
      34.   Talk but NO action 15:54  |  Brod 11/02/08
      35.   Clickfool Blog Started 15:58  |  Phil 11/02/08
      36.   #31 Free Gilad Shalit 16:00  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/02/08
      37.   #19 pop 17:04  |  Robert 11/02/08
      38.   annihilation of israel follows 17:07  |  1st=truth2nd=justice 11/02/08
      39.   hey #24Lakshimi 17:08  |  ROBERT 11/02/08
      40.   #28 Fed up american 17:12  |  ROBERT 11/02/08
      41.   36 Chris Linthwaite 17:15  |  Free Gilad Shalit 11/02/08
      42.   GAZA is strong 17:31  |  Najour 11/02/08
      43.   Barak in retalliation for Qassams. 17:40  |  David Gershon 11/02/08
      44.   You would think Barak the Liar would be more then open to ideas 17:47  |  Dish It Out 11/02/08
      45.   Chris Linthwaite - some other thoughts... 17:47  |  Free Gilad Shalit 11/02/08
      46.   weak IDF, weak leaders 17:52  |  eddie 11/02/08
      47.   #9 Palestinian Brit - Here we go, is what you will be saying 17:56  |  * BEN JABO 11/02/08
      48.   #41 Free Gilad Shalit 18:01  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/02/08
      49.   Trigger Happy = Path of Self Destruction 18:12  |  Stephen 11/02/08
      50.   Chris Linthwaite #48 18:26  |  Free Gilad Shalit 11/02/08
      51.   #49 Steven what a good Idea Let Jordan and Egypt take over 19:00  |  Robert 11/02/08
      52.   Barak will evacuate Shderot, Ahkelon , etc --nothing will deter 19:04  |  Sal 11/02/08
      53.   Chris Wrong interpretation 19:14  |  Aby 11/02/08
      54.   #51 - Robert - You Still Don`t Get It 19:15  |  Stephen 11/02/08
      55.   #54 Steven Israel is tired of being the scapegoat 19:34  |  Robert 11/02/08
      56.   #36 Chris Linthwaite 19:39  |  You must be joking 11/02/08
      57.   #21 fardeen - nobody tried to cut off Gaza except Hamas 19:44  |  * BEN JABO 11/02/08
      58.   ISRAEL WANTS WAR 19:57  |  JH 11/02/08
      59.   200 killed 19:58  |  marv 11/02/08
      60.   #55 - Robert - I`m Not a "Bleeding Heart- Gazan Body" 20:01  |  Stephen 11/02/08
      61.   Israel won`t be deterred from action??????? 20:05  |  Avi 11/02/08
      62.   Force and boycott feeds anger,increases Hamas popularity, 1 20:31  |  David Turner 11/02/08
      63.   Force and boycott feeds anger,increases Hamas popularity, 2 20:32  |  David Turner 11/02/08
      64.   will not stop in two days or even in two weeks??? 21:06  |  Rick 11/02/08
      65.   For Phil the Blogster # 35 21:11  |  Clickfool 11/02/08
      66.   Premeditated War Crimes - Attacking a civilian area 21:53  |  Adrian de Klerk 11/02/08
      67.   Shut up Barak! You are nothing but talk. 21:55  |  Claudia 11/02/08
      68.   Talk, talk, talk 21:59  |  Jim 11/02/08
      69.   Clickfool 22:22  |  Oleg 11/02/08
      70.   Clickfool 22:27  |