Ministers call for cautious Gaza operation

At the end of the cabinet meeting, which was held at the Menahem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, the political-security cabinet ministers were expected to return with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to his office in order to discuss the Gaza issue.

Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) said during the meeting that he supported an operation in Gaza, but added that "there is no need for a deep operation, but for a concrete surgical operation.

"We must impose a closure there through targeted assassinations, destruction of infrastructures and military headquarters. We must enter and exit in a gradual and coordinated manner, but only after receiving information on the IDF's preparations and abilities. Entering Gaza for a year is completely unnecessary."

Immigrant Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim said that the restraint policy should be changed.

"I think we need to consider expanding out operations in Gaza, but I would not suggest occupying all of Gaza, as I heard in suggestions about a wide-scale operation like Defensive Shield. That would be a honey trap.

"However, between Defensive Shield and doing nothing, there is a lot to do. We must eventually reach an understanding with the Egyptians and Americans on how to deal with the Philadelphi route, in order not to leave a freeway for smuggling weapons from Sinai to Gaza. in any case, we must be careful and exercise judgment," he added.

'We must carefully calculate the risks'

Environment Minister Gideo Ezra said that "Gaza is a very crowded land. We cannot reach every place without claiming the lives of civilians. Therefore we must choose alternatives, if and when Israel is required to launch an operation in Gaza.

"In Gaza there are 1,000 organizations. Even if we neutralize two or three of them, the others will still remain. Therefore, we must carefully calculate the risks," he added.

Ezra said he was not afraid that an Israeli operation in Gaza would hurt kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, who is being held by Hamas for almost a year.

"It's not serious and not right to address the fear that the soldier Shalit may be hurt," he said. "The Palestinians know that the kidnapped soldier is a serious bargaining chip, as they have their prisoners' families who will not concede it. Therefore they will not hurt him."

Minister for Pensioner Affairs Rafi Eitan took a more diplomatic approach.

"We have been putting up with the increase in rocket fire for six years, but the problem in Gaza has been going on for more than sixty years. Anyone who thinks there is a quick fix for this problem is simply wrong. At the end of the day, the solution will be reached through international bodies, headed by Egypt. I do not wish to elaborate on the tactical steps which should be taken," he said.

During the cabinet meeting, Minister Yishai also slammed Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who told an Egyptian newspaper that "the evacuation of Gaza is not the last move" and that additional withdrawals were expected.

"This is insane, it's suicide," Yishai said. "We've seen what the withdrawal from Gaza did, bringing on more Qassam rockets. This move might be the end of Israel. We simply won't have it. This government will never have our support for such a thing."