Scene of bombing in Eilat
Photo: Yaron Brener
How should Israel respond?
Following Eilat suicide bombing, defense establishment deliberates over appropriate response, considers demolishing terrorist's family's home. 'Nothing should be rule out,' military source tells Ynet
Senior officials in the defense establishment considered how to respond to the terror attack in Eilat Monday which killed three people.
Palestinian sources reported that the suicide bomber’s family was already given notice to leave there home on Monday night.
One option that was raised by the defense establishment was to demolish the home of the suicide bomber, 23-year-old Fasial al-Saqsaq from the Gaza Strip. Since the method was adopted in 2001, about 400 homes have been demolished.
In 2005, a committee investigating the method reported that demolishing homes was not an effective tactic. Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, then defense minister, followed their recommendation and ended the demolitions.
The IDF refused to comment on the issue of whether al-Saqsaq’s home would be demolished, but one military source said that “nothing should be ruled out”. According to defense establishment sources, Israel did not desire to take extreme and irreversible measures, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
“We must keep in mind that this policy is part of the desire to stabilize the daily life and economy in Gaza,” the source explained, “That’s why before any military operation is decided on, the short and long term effect on the Strip and Israel must be taken into account.”
Another option raised in the defense establishment’s deliberation was to attack terror cells in Gaza, particularly warehouses used for weapon manufacture and storage. The fear is that innocent civilians may be hurt by such attacks.
Ali Waked contributed to this article
