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Last update - 15:01 10/04/2008
Israel plans int'l campaign to show Hamas behind Wed. attack
By Barak Ravid, Amos Harel, Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Hamas, UN, Israel, Gaza

Israel will launch a diplomatic offensive with the United Nations and international aid organizations to emphasize that Hamas is responsible for the cross-border raid which killed two Israeli civilians on Wednesday and the consequent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The civilians were shot dead and two others were wounded Wednesday afternoon at a filling depot close to the Karni border terminal, when four Palestinian terrorists infiltrated from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel.

Officials admit that with Libya on the Security Council it will be difficult to achieve anything.
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Israel sent letters of complaint to the UN secretary general, Security Council and international aid organizations, accusing Palestinian terror organizations of attacking a humanitarian crossing, which is a lifeline for the Gaza Strip's population.

The activity at the fuel terminal was halted after the attack, but security sources said Israel had not decided to stop fuel shipments to Gaza completely and would probably resume the supply in a few days. "We have an obligation to prevent a humanitarian disaster in Gaza," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told Army Radio on Thursday.

On Israel's future response to the attack, Vilnai said, "We will chose the time and the place to respond. The blame lies on Hamas as the responsible authority there."

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, along with a group linked to the Al-Aqsa Brigades. A spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees said that members of three groups, not including Hamas, infiltrated the crossing.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak also blamed Hamas for the attack. "Hamas took part in planning and approving the attack and will pay dearly for it," he said. "Hamas is the ruling force in Gaza and, as far as Israel is concerned, it is responsible for the attack," he said in a conversation with visiting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who met Tusk in Jerusalem, briefed him on the attack and said "the Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip is a problem for the whole area."

She said "Hamas rules Gaza and can prevent every terror act from it. Israel sees it as being responsible for every terror attack, with all that this implies."

Israel also complained that in contrast to the UN and aid organizations, "Hamas does not care about Gaza's population." The attack proves that the terror organizations do not hesitate to attack the crossings "cynically and deliberately," Israel complained.

"Anyone with eyes in his head can see that the terrorists' aim is to kill as many Israelis as possible and undermine any display of coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians," an official Israeli statement said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said the raid would not affect peace talks, which resumed in earnest this week with a summit between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The two sides hope to reach a final peace deal by the end of the year.

"We decided that we will continue to talk and will not let terrorists have a veto voice on the talks with the pragmatic forces," Mekel said. Following the infiltration, IDF tanks and soldiers rushed to the scene, and killed two of the terrorists with tank fire. Two others managed to escape to the other side of the Gaza border, where a getaway car was waiting for them.

Wednesday's attack upset more than a month of calm following a broad IDF military offensive that killed more than 120 Gazans, including dozens of civilians. Since the offensive ended in early March, Egypt has been trying to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

Israel sealed its borders with Gaza after the Islamic militant group seized control of the territory last June, and has reduced the flow of fuel, electricity and basic goods. The sanctions have hit the area hard, and on Tuesday, Hamas threatened to blow up Gaza's borders with Israel and Egypt to relieve the strain.

Israel has taken the threat seriously because Hamas breached the Egyptian border in January, allowing tens of thousands of people to pour into Egypt for more than a week before the border was resealed.


Related articles:
  • 2 Israeli civilians killed in attack by Gaza infiltrators
  • Israel: Hamas responsible for Gaza attack, will pay the price
  • Local security officer: Palestinians warned of infiltration
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      1.   Libya on the Security Council 04:12  |  Akiva P 10/04/08
      2.   Nonsense! israel is trying to sabotage the recent efforts by 04:17  |  lakshmi 10/04/08
      3.   I am impressed 04:23  |  Frank 10/04/08
      4.   The headline says it all 04:37  |  Mark Lincoln 10/04/08
      5.   Barak is blaming the wrong person for the attack 04:47  |  Shepherd 10/04/08
      6.   Barak is blaming the wrong person for the attack 04:47  |  Shepherd 10/04/08
      7.   you reap what you sow 05:12  |  sam i am 10/04/08
      8.   It would be better not to use lies 06:17  |  Rowan Berkeley 10/04/08
      9.   Libya is not a super power 06:20  |  Atoo 10/04/08
      10.   You want to get the UN`s attention..... 07:19  |  R 10/04/08
      11.   Don`t print this Haaretz 07:25  |  The Archives 10/04/08
      12.   Forget the diplomatic offensive. Israel is outgunned 07:37  |  Natallie Durson 10/04/08
      13.   Kill Hamas` Leadership: Killing Yassin Brought Peace 07:40  |  Yishai Kohen 10/04/08
      14.   More innocent terrorists killing guilty civilians 07:52  |  Dan 10/04/08
      15.   Why not a diplomatic offensive with Hamas ? 08:06  |  thinker 10/04/08
      16.   Complicity. 08:24  |  Jean Van Daem 10/04/08
      17.   Neither gov. (esp. Barak) wants peace!! 08:28  |  herv 10/04/08
      18.   stupid Israeli policy 09:15  |  Gazan observer 10/04/08
      19.   Nothing to do with israel`s policy of starving gaza then? 09:17  |  Jebediah Springfield 10/04/08
      20.   Lakshmi - report the whole story, please 09:25  |  Elihu 10/04/08
      21.   A Butcher of Civilians Complains 09:36  |  Clickfool 10/04/08
      22.   There`s nothing `Secure` about Libya 09:38  |  Eli 10/04/08
      23.   Strange how when Israel is on the backfoot 09:49  |  Jebediah Springfield 10/04/08
      24.   #13 Elihu 09:56  |  Jebediah Springfield 10/04/08
      25.   Eli 09:57  |  So must I 10/04/08
      26.   FOR FUN AND SURVIVAL 10:11  |  indrajaya 10/04/08
      27.   19 Elihu,today`s Maan news reports that 7 were killed,confirming 10:37  |  lakshmi 10/04/08
      28.   Hamas apologists 11:09  |  Gregor 10/04/08
      29.   A "kindergarten" called Middle East.......... 11:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/04/08
      30.   indarajaya and durson 11:24  |  mike 10/04/08
      31.   Use Colin Powell to give the presentation to the UN 11:38  |  Johnboy 10/04/08
      32.   THE track record of Islamic terrorists including Hamas is clear. 11:38  |  PETER SM 10/04/08
      33.   hat about the other side, Mr. Van Daem? 11:50  |  Murray 10/04/08
      34.   hat about the other side, Mr. Van Daem? 11:50  |  Murray 10/04/08
      35.   Indrajaya, Mark Lincoln and others 11:50  |  ChanahS 10/04/08
      36.   Indrajaya, Mark Lincoln and others 11:51  |  ChanahS 10/04/08
      37.   Israel has to respect UN first 11:52  |  Palestinian 10/04/08
      38.   #11 Natallie Durson - You are correct. Diplomacy is a bad idea 12:11  |  Moti 10/04/08
      39.   Natallie Durson in TEL AVIV 12:30  |  Michael 10/04/08
      40.   Yesterday the "BLEEDING HEARTS" complained..... 12:40  |  Ari ben Yisrael 10/04/08
      41.   #32 Murray`s "critical" support 12:43  |  Hastaroth 10/04/08
      42.   vi oifen toiten bahnkes 12:55  |  Yonatan 10/04/08
      43.   # 35, CHANAHS 13:17  |  indrajaya 10/04/08
      44.   What is the difference? Both the same. 13:35  |  Becky 10/04/08
      45.   Yes, Mr. Hastaroth 14:11  |  Murray 10/04/08
      46.   and UN sent a man to tear down the west bank buffer wall..... 14:20  |  King of Truth 10/04/08
      47.   and UN sent a man to tear down the west bank buffer wall..... 14:20  |  King of Truth 10/04/08
      48.   CFOOL The targets of Brit. Moslem terrorists were civillians 14:22  |  PETER SM 10/04/08
      49.   More of Israel`s Blame Game 14:26  |  Yaakov Sullivan 10/04/08
      50.   The Truck Drivers Should STOP Giving Services to GAZA 14:30  |  Gil 10/04/08
      51.   DURSON.When Hamas boasts of their children in the front line 14:31  |  PETER SM 10/04/08
      52.   TO NO 4 MARK LINCOLN. THE HARA PANIM. 14:34  |  DANNY. 10/04/08
      53.   ChanahS #36 14:43  |  examiner 10/04/08
      54.   15 thinker,good thinking! Time to bring Rousseau et al back! 15:05  |  lakshmi 10/04/08
      55.   Dear, dear Yonatan from Kfar Saba: It`s Failing 15:10  |  Yaakov Sullivan 10/04/08
      56.   how to reinforce a blockade in easy 15:22  |  v hardman 10/04/08
      57.   The UN is supported by MUSLIM COUNTRIES..... 15:30  |  Dagma 10/04/08
      58.   I hope the UN spits in Israel`s face 16:00  |  Dutch 10/04/08
      59.   This little PR campaign may even hurt 16:08  |  Tosefta 10/04/08
      60.   war on terror - of course (Dagma) 16:10  |  Imad 10/04/08
      61.   war on terror - of course (Dagma) 16:10  |  Imad 10/04/08
      62.   Michael from London on Natalie Durson 16:17  |  Yaakov Sullivan 10/04/08
      63.   int`l campaign 16:21  |  sirius 10/04/08
      64.   #50 Gil The Truck Drivers Should STOP Giving Services to GAZA And 16:26  |  KATHY 10/04/08
      65.   THE US BLOCKED SCORES OF RESOLUTIONS CONDEMING ISRAEL 16:27  |  TripleJump 10/04/08
      66.   #49 - Sullivan`s Upset Someone`s Moving in on His Territory 16:27  |  JP 10/04/08
      67.   Mark Lincoln lies again 16:28  |  peter 10/04/08
      68.   #58 doris approves of spittle trickling down ones chin! 16:55  |  v hardman 10/04/08
      69.   Gay Yaakov strikes again!!! 17:00  |  Michael