Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Ashkenazi tells FADC: The situation in Gaza is volatile


JPOST.COM STAFF AND YAAKOV KATZ
21/12/2010
IDF chief says army has increased its efforts in Gaza in order to prevent Kassam rocket fire; IDF Southern Command says Hamas not interested in escalating to an extensive conflict.

The situation in Gaza is "frail and volatile," IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday. "We have no guarantee the situation won't deteriorate."

Speaking hours after an Israeli girl was injured by Kassam fire near Ashkelon, Ashkenazi said that the IDF has increased its efforts in Gaza in order to prevent rocket fire. "In the South this morning there was an increase in activity because of the terrorist's desire to increase their activities. In Gaza the majority of the IDF operations are aimed across the fence. We are acting at a distance of tens or hundreds of meters from the fence, in order to prevent them from reaching the inhabitants." he said.

The IDF chief also revealed that in the past few months IDF led 112 activities against insurgents, in which 60 terrorists were killed.

"Yesterday we attacked Hamas targets and positions in the area." he said.

Added Ashkenazi that in the coming new year the Iron Dome system will become operational, "we will decide how and where to set it up."

In his remarks to the committee, Ashkenazi also addressed other security issues facing Israel including the rising tensions in Lebanon in the wake of the International Tribunal verdict on the murder of Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri and the issue of infiltrators on the Egyptian border which he estimated was 13,350 in the past year.

On the issue of Iran he said that "the Iranian nuclear program is advancing, despite difficulties from many directions. They were surprised by the global sanctions, including the Chinese and Russian sanctions."

Earlier on Tuesday, IDF Southern Command said that Hamas is not interested in escalating to an extensive conflict.

The IDF estimates that Hamas will refrain from rocket attacks deep into the Israeli home-front, but due to internal pressure from the military and political wings, organizations such as Islamic Jihad and Popular Resistance Committee were allowed to increase their attacks on Israel.

The IDF Southern Command's assessment is that organizations will increase attacks against IDF troops along the Gaza border, particularly focusing on mortar fire.

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