By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israel’s right-wing parties on Tuesday called for harsh response to the rocket attacks against Israel from Palestinian Gaza Strip, local daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
The call came as a Qassam rocket hit a training base of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in southern Israel and wounded 69 soldiers there.
Salah a-Din Brigades, the military arm of the Popular Resistance Committees, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In the wake of the attack, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert plans to meet with Defense Minister Ehud Barak to discuss the recent developments.
Several of his cabinet ministers, however, have already publicly called on Olmert to launch a military operation in Gaza.
“The hourglass has long since run out, a red line has been crossed,” said Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai, a staunch believer in the theory that Qassams attacks are result of the Israeli disengagement.
He deemed that a military operation in Gaza was inevitable.
Furthermore, he proposed that Israel should refrain from participating in the upcoming U.S.-led international conference, saying “this is not the time for empty gestures and this is not the time to attend an international conference.”
Gideon Sa’ar, Knesset (parliament) member (MK) from right-wing Likud faction, slammed Olmert’s recent reaction in regard to the Palestinians.
“Olmert’s government, which continues to release terrorists from prison and promise Abbas new concessions and withdrawals, refuses to face reality and deal with a Hamas nation in Gaza,” he said.
He also favors military option in dealing with the rocket attacks, saying “The longer we wait for such an operation, the higher the price we will have to pay to complete it.”
The National Union-NRP chairman and MK Zevulun Orlev also criticized Olmert for his intimacy with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, saying “Instead of embracing Abbas and freeing murderers, the government should be fulfilling its duty to defend the citizens of the State of Israel and ordering a ground operation in Gaza.”
Israel freed more than 250 Palestinian prisoners in July as a gesture to the Palestinian National Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in an effort to embolden him following Hamas’ violent takeover of the Gaza Strip.
On his meeting with Abbas on Monday, Olmert agreed to recommend to his cabinet the release of additional Palestinian prisoners for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. However, it drew immediate criticism from several cabinet ministers.