WIKILEAKS: Zio-Nazi War in Gaza

Viewing cable 09TELAVIV273, ISRAEL’S REACTION TO MORTAR AND ROCKET FIRE

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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000273 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS LE KWBG IS SUBJECT: ISRAEL’S REACTION TO MORTAR AND ROCKET FIRE FOLLOWING UNILATERAL CEASE-FIRE ¶1. (SBU) Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have exchanged numerous salvos over the past week, but the unilateral cease-fires that brought an end to major hostilities in the Gaza Strip on January 18 have not fully unraveled. Tensions flared on January 27 when a roadside bomb struck an Israeli patrol along the border with Gaza, killing one IDF soldier and injuring three others. Israel retaliated the same day with at least three airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. Cross-border exchanges continued with Palestinians firing a rocket the next day and Israel responding by striking what officials called a weapons manufacturing facility.

On January 29, another rocket landed in Israel (no casualties or damage), with the Israeli retaliation against a Hamas activist causing collateral injuries to Palestinian civilians. On February 1, Palestinian militants (according to Israel Defense Forces sources they probably were not from Hamas) staged their heaviest barrage since the cease-fire, with close to 20 mortars and rockets striking the western Negev, causing light injuries to five Israelis. Israel responded late in the evening of February 1 by bombing a Hamas security building in Gaza City, along with six smuggling tunnels in the southern part of the strip, according to the IDF.

ISRAELI POLITICIANS REACT TO ROCKETS ¶2. (SBU) Prime Minister Olmert told his cabinet on February 1 that he had instructed all the security services to “act determinedly against any violation of the quiet by Hamas… The response to a violation of the quiet will be vigorous and painful, and will come at a time and place that Hamas does not expect.” Despite this declaration, there appears to be disagreement among the Olmert-Barak-Livni troika involved in security decisions. Olmert and Livni are prepared to order what Olmert has called a “disproportionate” response to the rocket and mortar fire, while Barak prefers to test whether Hamas will accept and adhere to an Egyptian-mediated truce that could begin as early as February 5. Livni is reportedly pushing for a decision to hit Hamas hard and she remains against an agreement with Hamas. ¶3. (SBU) Barak told Israeli radio February 2 that the IDF has hit Hamas “very seriously,” but he noted that most of the Gazan terror organizations violating the cease-fire were small splinter groups (not the Hamas organization itself).

Barak underscored his view that there is an Israeli interest in maintaining the cease-fire — despite the recent firings – and lambasted his political rivals for their escalatory rhetoric. Barak commented that “those who need to plan operations are the best people in the country, who understand better than a large number of ministers — the members of the defense establishment and the IDF General Staff,” according to press reports. Barak reportedly infuriated Livni and her supporters at the February 1 cabinet meeting when he asserted that people who have never carried a gun are second-guessing his security decisions.

SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT CONCERNED ABOUT HIZBALLAH ¶4. (SBU) Israel meantime is keeping an eye on Hizballah activities in Lebanon and beyond. The first anniversary of the assassination of senior Hizballah official Imad Mughniya (February 12, 2008) is approaching, and Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah has blamed Israel for the killing and has threatened retaliation. Israeli leaders have publicly warned Hizballah against targeting Israel or Israeli or Jewish interests abroad. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv’s Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv ********************************************* ******************** CUNNINGHAM