Bennett says Israel needs tougher policy on Gaza

Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett says Israel must “change direction” and toughen its policy vis-a-vis the Gaza border riots.

“More than half a year ago, our soldiers were confronted by the growing chutzpah of Hamas terrorists on the Gaza border, and six months ago, when I began to say clearly: If a terrorist sends a balloon of terror to the State of Israel, if we don’t fire on one launcher we’ll receive 100 more. Then we did not receive 100, we received thousands,” he says at the weekly Jewish Home faction meeting.

“Hamas terrorists allow themselves to enter the territory of the State of Israel on a daily basis, to dismantle parts of the fence, to leave explosive charges… to burn our positions and to throw explosive devices at our soldiers.”

“It is time to change direction: instead of expanding and reducing the fishing space every day, instead of stopping fuel going into the Gaza Strip, terrorists must be prevented from entering Israel, and a clear rule must be set: A terrorist infiltrating is not returning,” he says. “The time has come to switch to an iron fist, to a real right-wing policy.”

— Raoul Wootliff