Barak: Hamas will pay for shaking equilibrium on Gaza border
Defense minister visits IDF troops who fought in Friday's Gaza gunbattle in which two soldiers were killed.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Hamas Israel news Israel war crimes IDFDefense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday warned that Hamas that Israel would react harshly to any escalation along its border with the Gaza Strip.
"The enemy in the Gaza Strip has paid and will continue to pay a heavy price if it tries to shake the equilibrium along the border," Barak said.
His comments as he visited troops from the Israel Defense Forces' Golani Brigade who took part in an exchange of fire that killed two of their comrades at the border this weekend.
Likud minister Gilad Erdan Also called for Israel to react strongly to the incident.
"There must be a clear and decisive response, although at this stage there is not a need for a wide-ranging operation on the scale of Cast Lead," Erdan told Israel radio on Monday, refering to Israel's three-week offensive in Gaza last year, in which some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued his own warning on Sunday, saying Israel would retaliate against any attack on its citizens or soldiers and that Hamas would be made to be held accountable for actions.
The two deaths in Gaza clashes on Friday have increased concern in the IDF that Hamas is trying to alter the situation along the Gaza Strip border fence, possibly by targeting of Israeli patrols.
"Israel's policy of retaliation is forceful and decisive," Netanyahu said during the weekly government meeting in Jerusalem, asserting that Israel would "retaliate decisively against any attack on our citizens and soldiers."
"This policy is well-known and will continue. Hamas and the other terror organizations need to know that they are the ones that are responsible for their own actions," Netanyahu said.
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If you don't want Israel to cross the border, then tell Hamas to stop firing those damn rockets over the border You can't hid behind a border which your side refused to abide by
No one is letting them off the hook either. NO ONE....Dutch
Do you expect no resistance?
I wish there were no victims of this senseless ongoing aggressive warmaking by Israel. Sad that Israelis occasionally become victims, but if that's what it takes to make Israel stop killing Palestinians, so be it. All the deaths are on Israel's head.
Barak, lots of talk and no action.
If it was the arab saying stuff like this then Israle would be banging on the UN door demanding action. Since we have 2 soldiers killed because they entered gaza (where they shouldn't have been btw) their deaths appear to be the fault of their commanders agreeing to allow such provacative action. Now we have avenge this, pay for that etc....from the democratic side of the fence.
It seems the politicians need a new war to distract people from the sudden risk of good faith peace efforts. A new Gaza war seems to be the trick. The temerity of Hamas thinking that they had any say so other than as an IDF surrogate in Gaza. What chutzpah!
Colin Wright, and Israel managed to also piss of US, England, Australia, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Norway and is still annoying Syria. That in individual approaches of this government. This could be an example when ideology turns to madness.
"...Turkey has traditionally had close ties to Israel, but relations have soured in the past few months. The Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was a guest of the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, at the summit meeting. Colonel Qaddafi, who is taking over the Arab League?s rotating presidency, used his speech at the gathering to offer a rebuke over what he said was years of failure by Arab states to take strong collective action in standing up to Israel..." That loud noise up ahead is a waterfall. You should quit rowing and make for shore. Half your people don't even WANT the West Bank. Are you out of your minds?
they kill one you kill hundreds ..do you think that will make israel safer ?
Do not forget that these two troops that were killed by Hamas, previously entered the Gaza strip before being ambushed by Hamas. If the Israelis are serious about holding their end of the "equilibrium" then maybe they shouldn't cross the fence into Gaza or even into Lebanon as they did a week ago (in the Wazzani).
Barak has specialized eroding Israel's deterrence - from Lebanon to Gaza, this guy just doesn't get it. Hey - how about warning them for the 54,056th time: "just one more rocket, and we're REALLY going to get mad!!" Lol.
Israel keeps its borders closed to make sure that young mothers with their baby carriages in ice cream parlors do not become victims of suicide bombers who think murdering Jews is their ticket to heaven.
gaza is no go area for idf troops. when they do it they should know they will do it at their own risk. they will be responsible for their own actions. they have no business inside gaza. gaza off limits.