Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz says Israel’s response to rocket fire from Gaza must lead to diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions between Israel and the Hamas terror group, which controls the coastal territory.
Blue and White chief Benny Gantz, during a campaign event on March 18, 2019. (Courtesy: Blue and White)
“On the basis of tough and uncompromising deterrence, we must then work with the Egyptians and other international players to help improve the situation,” he tells Channel 12, in an interview from Washington, where he delivered a speech to the AIPAC conference earlier today.
“Now is of course the time to attack and to attack hard… No Hamas leader should feel safe now. They are all in our sights,” he says, but adds that the “three and a half years of quiet” since the 2014 Gaza War were “wasted” by the government.
“We should have done something with it. We should have acted differently,” he says, citing humanitarian aide to Gaza and “other possible agreements” as paths not sufficiently explored.
“After putting on pressure, the State of Israel needs to act like a state,” he adds.
— Raoul Wootliff
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 25, 2019
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