Post by Tulameen on Jul 10, 2006 9:30:42 GMT -5
BBC NEWS
Israel has rejected criticism that its military offensive in the Gaza Strip is a disproportionate use of force.
PM Ehud Olmert said there was no other way to stop "the fear, the shocks, the lack of security" of Israeli civilians facing daily rocket attacks from Gaza.
At least 42 Palestinians and an Israeli have died in raids launched after militants seized an Israeli soldier.
An exiled militant leader called the Israeli a prisoner of war who must be swapped for Palestinian detainees.
"We are for a peaceful, quiet resolution. The solution is simple: an exchange, but Israel rejects that," Khaled Meshaal, Hamas' political leader, said at a news conference.
It was his first public appearance since Cpl Gilad Shalit's capture on 25 June.
Israeli officials blame the Damascus-based Mr Meshaal for masterminding the abduction and have threatened him with assassination.
"They talk about one soldier, we have 10,000 detainees [in Israeli jails], including 400 children and 120 women... this is why we are seeking a prisoner exchange," Mr Meshaal said.
'No re-occupation'
Israeli aircraft have launched fresh attacks, including strikes on a suspected weapons depot in Gaza city and a car carrying militants in Khan Younis.
Two people - both militants - died in the attack on a car, while an unidentified man was killed in another attack on a car in the Shejaya area of Gaza.
We have no particular desire to topple the Hamas government. We have a desire to stop terrorists from inflicting terror on the Israeli people
Ehud Olmert
Separately, a 15-month-old baby wounded in an Israeli air strike near Khan Younis on 21 June died on Monday of his injuries, medical sources said.
Overnight, Palestinian militants also fired two Qassam rockets at the Israeli town of Sderot near the Gaza border.
"I think that once the Qassam shooting will be stopped and the terrorist actions against innocent civilians will be halted altogether, there will be no need for any Israeli action in Gaza," Mr Olmert told foreign journalists in Jerusalem.
On Sunday, he told ministers the offensive was not a re-occupation of Gaza, but would continue for as long as it took to secure the release of 19-year-old Cpl Gilad Shalit, captured two weeks ago, and stop cross-border rocket attacks.
On Friday the European Union condemned "the loss of lives caused by disproportionate use of force by the Israeli Defence Forces and the humanitarian crisis it has aggravated".
Mr Olmert responded on Monday: "Can one measure the anxiety, the fear, the shocks, the lack of security of tens of thousands of people living day in and day out for almost a year under the constant threat of missiles shot at them?
"When was the last time that the European Union condemned this shooting and suggested effective measures to stop it? We were waiting and waiting and waiting."
Hamas policy
Israeli forces have withdrawn from parts of northern Gaza they seized last week, but they remain east of Gaza City and in the south of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas says Cpl Shalit is alive and being well-treated, and it is demanding Israel release women and children among the 9,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Mr Olmert ruled out any negotiations with the Hamas led-Palestinian government, calling the militant group a "terrorist bloody organisation".
But he also denied trying to topple the democratically elected Palestinian government.
"We have no particular desire to topple the Hamas government as a policy. We have a desire to stop terrorists from inflicting terror on the Israeli people," he said.
Since Cpl Shalit's capture, Israeli forces have re-entered Gaza, bombed its infrastructure and arrested Hamas Cabinet ministers and threatened to assassinate other leaders.
Israel withdrew settlers and the troops who protected them from Gaza last September after a 38-year presence.
Since then Palestinian militants have frequently launched home-made Qassam missiles at Israeli population centres - often without causing injuries. The attacks are usually described as revenge for Israeli military action.
Story from BBC NEWS:
news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/5164258.stm
Published: 2006/07/10 11:15:56 GMT
© BBC MMVI
Israel has rejected criticism that its military offensive in the Gaza Strip is a disproportionate use of force.
PM Ehud Olmert said there was no other way to stop "the fear, the shocks, the lack of security" of Israeli civilians facing daily rocket attacks from Gaza.
At least 42 Palestinians and an Israeli have died in raids launched after militants seized an Israeli soldier.
An exiled militant leader called the Israeli a prisoner of war who must be swapped for Palestinian detainees.
"We are for a peaceful, quiet resolution. The solution is simple: an exchange, but Israel rejects that," Khaled Meshaal, Hamas' political leader, said at a news conference.
It was his first public appearance since Cpl Gilad Shalit's capture on 25 June.
Israeli officials blame the Damascus-based Mr Meshaal for masterminding the abduction and have threatened him with assassination.
"They talk about one soldier, we have 10,000 detainees [in Israeli jails], including 400 children and 120 women... this is why we are seeking a prisoner exchange," Mr Meshaal said.
'No re-occupation'
Israeli aircraft have launched fresh attacks, including strikes on a suspected weapons depot in Gaza city and a car carrying militants in Khan Younis.
Two people - both militants - died in the attack on a car, while an unidentified man was killed in another attack on a car in the Shejaya area of Gaza.
We have no particular desire to topple the Hamas government. We have a desire to stop terrorists from inflicting terror on the Israeli people
Ehud Olmert
Separately, a 15-month-old baby wounded in an Israeli air strike near Khan Younis on 21 June died on Monday of his injuries, medical sources said.
Overnight, Palestinian militants also fired two Qassam rockets at the Israeli town of Sderot near the Gaza border.
"I think that once the Qassam shooting will be stopped and the terrorist actions against innocent civilians will be halted altogether, there will be no need for any Israeli action in Gaza," Mr Olmert told foreign journalists in Jerusalem.
On Sunday, he told ministers the offensive was not a re-occupation of Gaza, but would continue for as long as it took to secure the release of 19-year-old Cpl Gilad Shalit, captured two weeks ago, and stop cross-border rocket attacks.
On Friday the European Union condemned "the loss of lives caused by disproportionate use of force by the Israeli Defence Forces and the humanitarian crisis it has aggravated".
Mr Olmert responded on Monday: "Can one measure the anxiety, the fear, the shocks, the lack of security of tens of thousands of people living day in and day out for almost a year under the constant threat of missiles shot at them?
"When was the last time that the European Union condemned this shooting and suggested effective measures to stop it? We were waiting and waiting and waiting."
Hamas policy
Israeli forces have withdrawn from parts of northern Gaza they seized last week, but they remain east of Gaza City and in the south of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas says Cpl Shalit is alive and being well-treated, and it is demanding Israel release women and children among the 9,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Mr Olmert ruled out any negotiations with the Hamas led-Palestinian government, calling the militant group a "terrorist bloody organisation".
But he also denied trying to topple the democratically elected Palestinian government.
"We have no particular desire to topple the Hamas government as a policy. We have a desire to stop terrorists from inflicting terror on the Israeli people," he said.
Since Cpl Shalit's capture, Israeli forces have re-entered Gaza, bombed its infrastructure and arrested Hamas Cabinet ministers and threatened to assassinate other leaders.
Israel withdrew settlers and the troops who protected them from Gaza last September after a 38-year presence.
Since then Palestinian militants have frequently launched home-made Qassam missiles at Israeli population centres - often without causing injuries. The attacks are usually described as revenge for Israeli military action.
Story from BBC NEWS:
news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/5164258.stm
Published: 2006/07/10 11:15:56 GMT
© BBC MMVI