Liberman: We don’t war with Hamas, but we’ll answer every rocket

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman stresses that while Israel does not want to spark a war with Hamas, it will answer every rocket attack with a “forceful response.”

Liberman was speaking specifically about rocket attacks that struck Israeli territory, to which Israel responded by striking Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

“We are not looking for adventures and no one wants to push for escalation with Hamas in the Gaza Strip — however, we are determined to protect the safety of the citizens of the State of Israel, and on that point there will be no compromise,” Liberman says at a Tel Aviv event honoring outstanding officers and NCOs.

“All [rocket] fire from Gaza into the sovereign land of the State of Israel will get a forceful response. Hamas rules the Strip with a firm hand and when it wants to get something or prevent something, it knows how to do that,” he says.

— Judah Ari Gross