IAF Chief: If we wait – Qassams will keep falling
‘We don’t want to hit civilians,’ Maj. Gen. Eliezer Shkedy tells Ynet, but adds: Our duty is to continue to fight terrorism. Despite civilian deaths in IAF air strike in Khan Younis, Shkedy says air force will continue its anti-terror missions
Israel Air Force Chief Major-General Eliezer Shkedy said that despite the recent botched missile strikes, which resulted in Palestinian civilian deaths, “our duty is to continue to fight terrorism. This is what the state of Israel expects of us.”
Shkedy made the comments a few hours after an air force missile misfired, hitting a residential building instead of a van occupied by terrorists, and adding two more innocents to the list of civilian casualties killed by the air force, which has been growing over the past few weeks.
“Terror organizations hit towns, homes, families. We have a great responsibility to do all we can to minimize these attacks. Of course, with minimal risk to the civilian population, and we are making immense efforts in this,” Shkedy said.
“Lately we can see that the terror cells have changed their operation tactics. They work from the stage of manufacturing the Qassams, through transporting them to firing them in the yards of houses, in crowded places and they are exposed for very short time periods, to keep out of our line of fire. If we wait endlessly for a car full of terrorists to drive out into an open area, we may be waiting a very long time – they won’t come out and will continue to launch rockets at Israel. The air force must adjust to this type of activity. It is very complicated and problematic, and therefore we are working in a complex manner, which obligates us to make immense and supreme efforts so that on the one hand we hit the terror cells and on the their we avoid hittin civilians as much as possible,” Shkedy said.
All air force incidents probed thoroughly
Shkedy said all air force incidents probed thoroughly, regardless of whether they are successful or not.
“Since the IDF retreat from Gaza, the IAF has become more dominant. This year the number of (air force) attacks is five times higher than it was during the same time in 2005. The air force is operating almost exclusively in Gaza, as long as a ground offensive is ruled out – but a ground operation is also a possibility,” he said.
“Our policy is to act with caution; as human beings we do not want to harm civilians. Hurting terrorists also has an operational aspect to it, as each incident increases the pressure on the terror organizations.
Shkedy said an IAF operation aimed at attacking terrorist cells may last for hours, or even a day.
“Those who eventually authorize the aircraft to open fire are very high in ranking. They are part of a very select group in the air force, which includes me. These people have commanded over dozens of similar operations. I trust each and every one of them; they are talented, experienced and rational,” he said.
“The (attacks from the air) are the most accurate alternative we have as long as there is no ground offensive. We will continue with the operations to deal with the Qassam fire. It must be remembered that since May we have carried out 15 such operations – this has brought results. We are a country that must fight terror at all times.”
