Dear friends,
We thought it important to update you on the latest tensions in our area, and on our party’s position on this crisis.
As you are probably aware, this latest escalation follows the on-going, constant shelling of southern Israel, specifically of the city of Sderot, as well as the abduction of an Israeli soldier a week ago, while he was on active duty on Israeli sovereign soil.
We would like to remind you that Israel totally and completely withdrew from the Gaza strip some eleven months ago. All settlements and military installations were dismantled, leaving behind no Israeli presence whatsoever. As you no doubt observed, this process led to fractures within Israeli society, the creation a large group that demonstrated in opposition to the process and sometimes violent clashes during the disengagement itself. Ultimately, it brought about a deep political crisis and early elections. But the process did effectively bring the occupation of Gaza to an end.
However, despite the withdrawal from Gaza, Palestinian terrorists, a majority of whom belong to Hamas, have continued to shell southern Israel with Kassam rockets. In fact, hardly a day has gone by without at least 30 rockets being fired towards Israeli towns and Kibbutzim. For the ordinary people living in the area, this has turned their lives into a nightmare of alerts, sirens and explosions that have totally disrupted normal life, traumatized adults and children alike, and even resulted in the bombing of a school. Recently, the people of Sderot went on a huger strike in an effort to draw attention to their plight and there has been mounting public pressure in their support.
The Israeli Labour party believes that these people are entitled to be defended and that it is the duty of the government – any government – to provide it. The Israeli army has been instructed to target military installations such as ammunition depots, rocket assembly workshops and Kassam rocket launching pads. In the course of such action, innocent civilians have been accidentally killed. We deplore such killings. The chairman of the Labour Party, Minister of Defence Amir Peretz , has given clear orders to the IDF to act with the greatest possible caution and has taken measures to treat the wounded in Israeli hospitals.
Defence Minister Peretz is also doing everything in his power to prevent a humanitarian crisis and has ordered officials to allow 50 trucks a day of humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza.
On the issue of the abducted Israeli soldier, Corp. Gilad Shalit, Israel has so far acted with great restraint. The IDF is positioned on the southern border of Israel, but has not entered Gaza in any force. For a week, a whole country has held its breath as diplomatic efforts to liberate him have been allowed. We are aware of Khaled Mashal’s orders and his direct involvement in the abduction, as well as that of Syria, and we hold Syria responsible for his well being.
In this context and relating to the recent arrests of Hamas MP’s and ministers, let me assure you that these have been carried out in a legal fashion: with due legal process and on the basis of existing evidence of their involvement in terrorist activity. All actions are taken in compliance with the instructions of the Attorney General.
We sincerely hope that efforts to free Gilad will be successful, without the need or recourse to further military action and unnecessary bloodshed. We will, of course, keep you posted.
