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A home-made Qassam rocket launched from the Gaza Strip. (David Buimovitch/Jini)
Last update - 12:47 13/06/2008
Mofaz: Hamas should be asking Israel for calm, not vice versa
By Amos Harel, Yuval Azoulay and Fadi Eyadat, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies
Tags: Hamas, gaza, IDF, qassams

Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz on Friday characterized the cabinet's decision to continue indirect cease-fire talks with Gaza as problematic, adding that Hamas should be asking Israel for calm rather than the other way around.

"We must act against terror through deterrence," Mofaz told Army Radio. "The Gaza regime is in the hands of terrorists who want to destroy us, and we want to ask them for calm? It should be the opposite."

The political-security cabinet decided earlier this week against launching a much-touted invasion of the Gaza Strip, in order to give Egyptian-brokered truce efforts more time to succeed. Still, the government said the Israel Defense Forces would continue its preparations in case the truce talks fail.
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After a day of heavy shelling from Gaza on Thursday, defense officials said Israel would perservere with talks, but said the IDF may step up operations in response to the attacks.

The IDF has contingency plans to occupy large areas of the Gaza Strip, but the chances it would do so seem remote for now.

An Israeli woman was moderately wounded Thursday, when a barrage of some 50 Qassam rockets and mortar shells struck communities in the northern and western Negev. Ten Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip during the worst day of fighting in the region in over a month.

The intense shelling was assumed to be in reaction to an explosion in an apartment building in the town Beit Lahiya in the northern Strip on Thursday afternoon, which killed seven Palestinians and wounded dozens. Most of those killed were Hamas activists, and the two-story building and several other homes in the town were destroyed.

Hamas, which initially accused Israel of causing the explosion in the home of a bombmaker affiliated with the group, later toned down its accusations after Israel firmly denied any involvement in the incident. Israeli sources said the incident was probably caused by Palestinians preparing explosives. On Friday, Hamas admitted responsibility for the blast.

Shortly after the explosion on Thursday, dozens of mortar shells were fired toward Israel, particularly at the Erez crossing area and Moshav Netiv Haasara. A woman, 59, of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, was moderately wounded.

Most of the rockets, however, fell in open fields near Kibbutz Nahal Oz, the greenhouses of Moshav Netiv Haasara and the Kibbutz Zikim area.

At the same time, Qassam rockets were fired toward Western Negev communities, and Grad rockets were fired at Ashkelon. One of the rockets landed near the city.

Despite a fire caused by the rockets, the alarm siren in Ashkelon was not activated. Sources in the Home Front Command said there was no need to operate the alarm because the rockets were not likely to reach the city.

The IDF retaliated with air strikes targeting rocket and mortar operating units in Gaza.

IDF foils major attack

Also Thursday, the IDF foiled a large-scale terror attack when Palestinian militants attempted to bring an apparently booby-trapped bulldozer close to the border fence.



Israeli soldiers fired anti-tank missiles at the bulldozer and stopped it. The militants jumped off and fled back to the Strip.

The IDF said that Gaza militants had been planning to use the heavy rocket and mortar barrage as a diversion while carrying out the attack with the bulldozer near the fence.

The IDF added that the Israel Air Force bombed the Palestinian mortar squad that fired on Kibbutz Nir Oz minutes earlier; they reported a direct hit.

Truce talks continue

Meanwhile, the Israeli envoy to the the indirect cease-fire talks - Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad - met Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman in Cairo on Thursday to discuss the truce initiative.

At the cabinet's request, Gilad asked the Egyptians to clarify the link between the cease-fire and the deal to release abducted soldier Gilad Shalit being con, and the Egyptians' own efforts to stop the arms smuggling from Sinai into the Gaza Strip.

The Egyptians said they were to hold talks with Hamas leaders before giving their answer, probably in the middle of next week.

Gilad told the Egyptians that the situation along the Gazan border was volatile and that Israel needed a quick answer on the agreement.

"The last round of fire on the communities demonstrates the gravity of the situation," a defense source told Haaretz. "Next week we'll get answers from Cairo and see if we are indeed heading toward a cease-fire."

The source said that the IDF has been instructed to prepare for intensified fighting. But other defense officials said Israel planned to make every effort to reach a cease-fire first, and is in no hurry to launch a large offensive in the Gaza Strip.


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      1.   Peace NOT IN OUR TIME. These Current Talks between Israel-PA..... 01:19  |  MOE 13/06/08
      2.   naivety and ignorance 01:29  |  annoyed 13/06/08
      3.   OK. Now I am really, really, really, really, really angry. 01:43  |  Ehud Olmert 13/06/08
      4.   Olmert fiddles while southern Israel burns? Just like me! 01:45  |  Nero 13/06/08
      5.   peace 01:47  |  azad 13/06/08
      6.   Appeasing satanists will never render peace 02:03  |  Johnny 13/06/08
      7.   ceasefire rap 02:09  |  grandmaster K 13/06/08
      8.   get rid of Olmert 02:16  |  Phil 13/06/08
      9.   Maybe if Israel doesn`t kill any children in the next few days... 02:38  |  POP 13/06/08
      10.   Its a pitty to see Pop alive 03:41  |  JP 13/06/08
      11.   POP If Hamas does not use child human shields in next few days 03:55  |  PETER SM 13/06/08
      12.   This govt needs to resign, I am shocked more Israelis are not out 03:56  |  r 13/06/08
      13.   Hamas Wanted To Carry A Mega Attack Right Before Truce. 04:17  |  Joseph.E 13/06/08
      14.   Are you kidding me? 04:19  |  Stop the insanity 13/06/08
      15.   Peter SM; Why does Israel leave it`s citizens in harms way? 04:30  |  POP 13/06/08
      16.   Jihad Gazan Style 04:44  |  Jeff Northridge 13/06/08
      17.   re #6 `Appeasing satanists will never render peace` 04:44  |  Colin Wright 13/06/08
      18.   #11 04:53  |  Yasir 13/06/08
      19.   IT`S TIME TO SPEAK TO GAYDAMAK ABOUT MORE TENTS!CEASE FIRE MEANS 04:56  |  glenna 13/06/08
      20.   Congratulations to Hamas! 05:06  |  Murray the Mongoose 13/06/08
      21.   annoyed @#2 05:13  |  Akiva P 13/06/08
      22.   # 9 POP: Do You Advocate For the Exploitation of Kids as Shields 05:18  |  Joseph.E 13/06/08
      23.   Hamas and the Pallywood thing, AGAIN. 05:21  |  Doc Holliday 13/06/08
      24.   50 rockets!! 50 ROCKETS?????? 05:34  |  The Gentile 13/06/08
      25.   Olmert, Barak & Livni Need To Go ASAP, This Is Nuts 05:37  |  Shepherd 13/06/08
      26.   Analysis: How Arab rivalries are delaying cease-fire process 06:07  |  Joseph.E Part 1 13/06/08
      27.   slightly misleading 06:09  |  rm 13/06/08
      28.   Analysis: How Arab rivalries are delaying cease-fire process 06:09  |  Joseph.E Part 2 13/06/08
      29.   POP # 15 That Has Been Tried Before Several Times 06:45  |  Jeff Northridge 13/06/08
      30.   Only One Road to Victory 07:05  |  Shimon Cleopas 13/06/08
      31.   On the ground... 07:12  |  Esther 13/06/08
      32.   POP it doesn`t,nor do Israelis fire from civillian areas like you 07:28  |  PETER SM 13/06/08
      33.   The time for military action against Gaza is long overdue. 07:43  |  Jean Van Daem 13/06/08
      34.   #18 Yasir 08:21  |  geoff 13/06/08
      35.   To POOP, #15 08:24  |  Iron Fist 13/06/08
      36.   #10 JP 08:25  |  geoff 13/06/08
      37.   Now We Know WHY THE ARAB LEAGUE DISMISSED THEIR REFUGEES! 08:27  |  Dagma 13/06/08
      38.   Chances of a Re-Occupation of Gaza REMOTE! 08:46  |  Dolly 13/06/08
      39.   Are Israelis getting to be like their neighbours 08:58  |  charlie 13/06/08
      40.   Please Hamas, will you stop?? 08:59  |  Ehud Olmert 13/06/08
      41.   POP 09:00  |  Aby 13/06/08
      42.   charlie 09:32  |  Akiva P 13/06/08
      43.   Not right Moe 09:34  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/06/08
      44.   to Peter SM stop using same words 09:47  |  Mimmi 13/06/08
      45.   IDF Generals who lead from the rear, should take it in the rear. 10:04  |  Uzi Hirschberg 13/06/08
      46.   Reply to #2 Annoyed 10:06  |  Proud Israeli 13/06/08
      47.   DO YOU KNOW WHY? 10:09  |  indrajaya 13/06/08
      48.   The other side from mitnight 10:12  |  Dav 13/06/08
      49.   .. and carry on killing at the same time...! 10:13  |  ravi 13/06/08
      50.   # 43 No, Margie, I`m afraid you are dead wrong..... 10:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/06/08
      51.   Mimmi why are there more than a million arabs in Israel? 10:21  |  Iz Ray Leigh 13/06/08
      52.   What exactly is "homemade" about these rockets? 10:21  |  IW 13/06/08
      53.   peace 10:22  |  fritz 13/06/08
      54.   Jeff Northridge 10:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/06/08
      55.   #45, Uzi, you are right 10:48  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/06/08
      56.   HAMAS has to be confronted withForce. 11:10  |  The Threadmill 13/06/08
      57.   IKF Terror 11:13  |  Dav 13/06/08
      58.   50, Dino, the electoral process IS the democratic process 11:32  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/06/08
      59.   OLMERT IS WAITING.......for some achievement 11:32  |  Natasha 13/06/08
      60.   Israel to persevere with truce talks despite heavy shelling from 11:48  |  Natallie Durson 13/06/08
      61.   Cipora Julianna Kohn re: JN 12:42  |  TonyL 13/06/08
      62.   Israel: Without peace IDF would not be able... 12:52  |  The Archives 13/06/08
      63.   FOR MIMMI IN SWEDEN 13:01  |  Brant 13/06/08
      64.   DAV AND STRESS 13:04  |  Brant 13/06/08
      65.   # 18 Yasir 13:05  |  ChanahS 13/06/08
      66.   durson recommends all out israeli attack on gaza 13:15  |  odles 13/06/08
      67.   #60.Natallie. Quite true. Also tricky. 13:18  |  Stephen. 13/06/08
      68.   Dino 13:22  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/06/08
      69.   #64 blind deaf brant 13:31  |  odles 13/06/08
      70.   #52 .IW. They are homemade & militants. Ok. 13:35  |  Stephen. 13/06/08
      71.   Dav 57 - thanks for the report 13:40  |  ChanahS 13/06/08
      72.   Considerations for a cease fire 13:50  |  Tosefta 13/06/08
      73.   Things move very,very,very slowly in the mideast 13:54  |  Sam 13/06/08
      74.   Terrible impression - who is in chatge of our politics? 14:20  |  Vital 13/06/08
      75.   POP - Get it through your pea brain already. Israel always 14:24  |  a 13/06/08
      76.   # 58 Cipora Democrats, "Democrats" and hares...... 14:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/06/08
      77.   Why not try the Mofaz technique again? 14:30  |  Tosefta 13/06/08
      78.   Israel kneeling to terror 14:31  |  Jonathan S 13/06/08
      79.   # 68 Margie 14:32  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/06/08
      80.   Hamas did offer a hudna aain 2006, it was rejected by Israel 14:37  |  American in NY 13/06/08
      81.   Hamass trying to commits death by cop! 15:17  |  Neil Golan 13/06/08
      82.   Mofaz is insane 15:19  |  Colin Wright 13/06/08
      83.   A clear example of how the "peace process" degraded Israel. 15:33  |  Chaim 13/06/08
      84.   Margie #43 15:35  |  Guido 13/06/08
      85.   Don`t worry Hamas 15:46  |  Marwan 13/06/08
      86.   #45 Uzi Hirschberg. 15:58  |  Stephen. 13/06/08
      87.   Operations & Extensive IDF Gaza Raids 16:08  |  The Archives 13/06/08
      88.   Here Goes Mofaz...Frustrated... 16:19  |  olaf 13/06/08
      89.   Mofaz, vote with your boots not with your lips 16:25  |  Proud Israeli 13/06/08
      90.   Mofaz you left the IDF in total degradation for six years 16:43  |  Simon 13/06/08
      91.   Mofaz Olmert U R politic prostitutes, not defenders of Israel 16:50  |  Simon 13/06/08
      92.   You know, your headline`s a little weird 17:15  |  Colin Wright 13/06/08
      93.   Hamas 17:40  |  Allan Leibler 13/06/08
      94.   #87 colin - a martian`s response 17:47  |  odles 13/06/08
      95.   Mofaz, you should be dealing with transportation issues 17:53  |  Ronen 13/06/08
      96.   Someone smack Mofaz for me 17:54  |  Awake 13/06/08
      97.   Mofaz again... 18:10  |  Esther 13/06/08
      98.   Wars has to be won before peace take place. 20:54  |  TOMY 13/06/08
      99.   Jonathan S 21:00  |  TonyL 13/06/08
      100.   Unamerican in NY- Bill Clinton offered lasting Peace 22:39  |  David Israel 13/06/08
      101.   Hamas - Desperate to prevent Truce 22:53  |  Reid 13/06/08
      102.   A truthful Hamas is more dangerous 00:00  |  Tosefta 14/06/08
      103.   #98 Tomy. Exactly right. Peace depends on Israeli victory. 01:23  |  Chaim 14/06/08
      104.   Tosefta 01:32  |  TonyL 14/06/08
      105.   Why Hamas took responsiblity 01:48  |  Benny 14/06/08
      106.   How can anyone in Israel fall for Mofaz`s fear mongering? 01:58  |  Dutch 14/06/08
      107.   LEFTIST SECULAR HUMANISTIC MADNESS ?? 02:11  |  Bill 14/06/08
      108.   bulldozer 03:05  |  Harry 14/06/08
      109.   Johnny 03:48  |  Anthony 14/06/08
      110.   May I change the subject for a few moments? 04:12  |  Rozz 14/06/08
      111.   Jewish Turk hiding in America # 100 04:26  |  American in NY 14/06/08
      112.   Yakity yak 04:28  |  Sabra 14/06/08
      113.   POP 9 04:30  |  sabra 14/06/08
      114.   Nataalie Durson I cant wait 04:33  |  sabra 14/06/08
      115.   I`m on a Roll now! Just breaking the ice. 04:44  |  Rozz 14/06/08
      116.   Nutty Durson 05:58  |  Rambo 14/06/08
      117.   Unamerican in NY 06:13  |  David Isarel 14/06/08
      118.   Imagine, this small device (above) is a national security risk... 13:16  |  Dutch 14/06/08
      119.   #79 Dino 15:32  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/06/08
      120.   Cant use text...can only post one line at time... 23:32  |  POP 14/06/08
      121.   #84 Guido re Margie 00:50  |  Labhras 15/06/08
      122.   #117 David Israel re peaceful Israel 01:04  |  Labhras 15/06/08
      123.   Turkish Jew that does not understaand who Americas allies are 01:28  |  American in NY 15/06/08
      124.   Unamerican and Labhras 04:01  |  David Israel 15/06/08
      125.   #118, Douche 16:03  |  Alex 15/06/08
      126.   david Israel # 124 the Pollard replacement 01:03  |  American in NY 16/06/08
      127.   Unamerican in NY 03:20  |  David Israel 16/06/08
      128.   125 Alex, How you and Israel exaggerate a threat... 03:26  |  Dutch 16/06/08
      129.   The Douche strikes again! 10:39  |  Alex 16/06/08
      130.   david Israel #127 Unable to suppportwith facts what you fantasize 23:38  |  American in NY 16/06/08
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