by Mati Tuchfeld, Lilach Shoval, Nikki Guttman, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff
Israel warns measures against Gaza will escalate unless kite terrorism is curbed
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Measure to exclude
humanitarian aid, Israel says
Photo: Yehuda Peretz
Israel
imposed sanctions on the Gaza Strip Monday over Hamas-backed arson
terrorism and ongoing border riots, announcing the immediate closure
of the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Kerem Shalom is Gaza's only cargo crossing.
The coastal enclave has been under a maritime blockade since 2007,
when Hamas ousted the Fatah government from Gaza in a military coup.
Israel maintains that the blockade is vital to prevent Hamas from
smuggling terrorists and weapons into Gaza.
Israeli officials stressed Monday that the measure excludes humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza.
Hamas has been orchestrating violent border
demonstrations since March 30. The subsequent kite terrorism campaign
was launched in late April and has so far sparked nearly 1,000 fires
that have decimated over 8,000 acres of forest and agricultural
land on the Israeli side of the border, causing millions of
dollars in damage.
Speaking at a Likud faction meeting on
Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the
closure of Kerem Shalom after consultations with Defense Minister
Avigdor Lieberman and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot.
Netanyahu vowed to use a "heavy hand" against Hamas and said more steps would be taken. He did not elaborate.
"In light of escalating arson terrorism
and other terrorist attempts by Hamas, which exploits and endangers
the residents of the Gaza Strip, the prime minister and defense
minister have accepted the chief of staff's recommendation to close the
Kerem Shalom crossing," a statement by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit
said.
"This measure excludes the delivery of
humanitarian supplies, such as food and medicine, and cases evaluated
on an individual basis by the Office of the Coordinator of Government
Activities. Any and all other commercial activity in the crossing will
cease."
Israel, the military said, "Wants and works
to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza in many ways. This step
has been ordered in light of the fact that Hamas exploits the
residents of the Gaza Strip to launch incendiary kites and firebombs
balloons at the Israeli communities near the border, thereby denying
them their normal routine.
"If this phenomenon persists, these measures will continue and even intensify," the IDF warned.
Speaking at a Yisrael Beytenu faction
meeting, Lieberman said, "Let me make it clear to Hamas leadership
that we are not wary of escalation or a wide-scale conflict. We are not
looking for military adventures but the way Hamas is behaving – it
could end up paying a heavy price. Much heavier than in Operation
Protective Edge [in 2014].
"We have no intention of living in a
reality where our fields are being burned on a daily basis," he
continued. "I have instructed the IDF and the coordinator of
government activities in the territories to take several steps over the
next few days. … We have a significant humanitarian aid package in
place that could dramatically alleviate the situation [in Gaza]. We are
willing to make humanitarian gestures, but only if they [Hamas] do
the same, meaning resolve the issue of the captives."
Hamas is holding two Israelis captive, as well as the remains of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.
Defense officials said Monday that closing
Kerem Shalom, through which hundreds of trucks travel daily, seeks to
send a message to Gaza's rulers, by which while Israel would prefer to
avoid a military conflict it will not abide an escalation in
Palestinian violence.
The officials explained that Israel hopes
Hamas will take the hint and begin curbing border riots and kite
terrorism, but warned that if it does not do so, Israel is likely to
exacerbate its sanctions on Gaza.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad threatened retaliation over the move.
"Netanyahu's decision to aggravate the
siege and prevent goods from entering Gaza is a crime against
humanity. Israel will be held accountable for the consequences," Hamas
spokesman Fawzi Barhum said Monday.
He further accused the international
community of "remaining silent opposite the criminal siege
suffocating Gaza" and urged "immediate international action" against
Israel.
Islamic Jihad warned the Israeli sanctions were "a declaration of war" and would meet a forceful response.
"Tightening the siege will only exacerbate
the conflict with Israel and it only proves the occupation's failure
in dealing with the March of Return," the group said.
Mati Tuchfeld, Lilach Shoval, Nikki Guttman, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/07/10/cracking-down-on-arson-terrorism-israel-shutters-gazas-main-cargo-crossing/
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