Arab MKs call on Peretz to resign
Arab Hadash MK Barakeh calls on defense minister to resign over killing of children in IAF strike in Gaza; MK Tibi says Peretz should halt targeted assassinations in Strip
MK Mohammad Barakeh of Hadash on Wednesday called on Defense Minister Amir Peretz to resign in order to "clear himself of the 'child murderer' title."
Addressing the Knesset plenum, Barakeh said: "Today we learnt that the defense minister has announced an intensification of targeted assassinations. Defending Sedrot will not be achieved through killing children but by returning to negotiations. The murder of 800 children in recent years cannot be excused as another mistake or wayward fire."
On Tuesday, two children and one teen were killed when the air force targeted a car in the Gaza Strip.
MK Jamal Zahalka of Balad said: "The defense minister wants to build his political career and his defense profile on the bodies of Palestinian children. Peretz and the Israeli government know it is possible to stop the bloodshed immediately, only if they would declare a cease-fire. A cease-fire can be reached within a couple of days. Israel needs to inform Egypt of its agreement on a cease-fire and Egypt has the power to implement the agreement."
MK Ahmed Tibi of the United Arab List-Ta'al said the killing of children has become part of each IDF air strike in the Gaza Strip and the army can no longer claim the killings result from mistakes.
"He who bombs civilian areas harms children and it is a crime that has to be stopped. I expected and continue to expect that Defense Minister Amir Peretz will stop targeted assassinations, but at the moment he is very disappointing."
Palestinians fired anti-tank rockets at Israel Defense Forces positions near the Karni crossing Wednesday morning and Palestinian sources reported that three Qassam rockets were fired at Israel hours earlier.
No one was injured in the attacks.
Sderot: Protest against rockets
On Tuesday evening the Sderot Municipality blacked out the lighting system in the southern town's streets and commercial centers as part of the protest against the ongoing Qassam fire. The streets were lit up an hour later.
On Tuesday morning, entrances to the city were closed and were only reopened in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, a Qassam rocket was fired from the northern Gaza Strip, landing in the Kibbutz Nahal Oz area. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
Shmulik Hadad contributed to the report
