Israeli ministers call for invasion of Gaza: "Destroy a village or two"

"Destroy a village or two, cut off their power"
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Ministers to demand wider operation in Gaza

National security cabinet to convene Wednesday morning to discuss further steps against Hamas, Islamic Jihad. Prime minister believes airstrikes in northern Strip are working, but most ministers to demand IDF enter with additional units, take over key routes and increase pressure on Palestinian organizations

Ronny Sofer

The pressure on the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror organizations in Gaza must be increased, but we cannot launch another Operation Defensive Shield, Transportation Minister and former IDF Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz is expected to tell the national security cabinet on Wednesday.

"Gaza is not the West Bank and it will be very difficult to boost the forces if they remain there for a long time," Mofaz is set to say during a meeting which will deal with the further steps Israel should take in order to prevent the launching of Qassam rockets from the northern Gaza Strip, Hamas' strengthening and the weapon smuggling on the Philadelphi route.

Mofaz will be joined by many other ministers, who are not ready to settle for the steps taken in the past two weeks since the escalation. The ministers who support a wider operation in Gaza include Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman and Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, however, believes that the current policy of targeted airstrikes against Hamas and the Islamic Jihad should be continued, while taking advantage of the entire "target bank" provided to the IDF and the Shin Bet in last Sunday's cabinet meeting.

An aide to Olmert said Tuesday evening that the actions taken by Israel so far were beginning to work. The proof, the aide added, is the fact that only three Qassam rockets were fired from Gaza on Tuesday compared to dozens of rockets fired a day last week.

The Israeli activity in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the prime minister believes, is working and achieving three goals: Causing damage to Hamas and Jihad's terror infrastructure, reducing the number of rockets fired and neutralizing international pressure in the event that Palestinian civilians are hurt.

"The prime minister, like the defense minister and the defense establishment, believes that the policy implemented in the past 10 days is yielding results," a source in the Prime Minister's Office said.

Destroy a village or two, cut off their power

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