Livni: We won't let thugs rule Mideast

Foreign Minister Livni tours southern school hit by missile, slams media for 'aiding Hamas'

Reuters | Published: 12.31.08, 21:10

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni Wednesday toured a Beersheba school hit by a Grad missile earlier in the day, declaring that Israel will not allow thugs to rule the Middle East.

Upon arrival at the school, which sustained extensive damages, Livni was received by screaming locals, who urged her to continue the Gaza operation until captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is released. Another resident asked the minister to prevent the transfer of aid to the Gaza Strip.

"Luckily, the decision was taken not to send students to schools," Livni said. "However, right now we're not dealing with luck, but rather, with a war against a radical Islamic terror organization that only fights due to its unwillingness to recognize the State of Israel."

"Violence and terrorism are part of Hamas' ideology, and therefore Israel is at the front," Livni added. "The recent period had been unbearable, yet they were wrong to think that when Israel shows restraint it means it won't respond."

'More than 19,000 phone calls'

The foreign minister said that while Israel cared about its citizens, Hamas leaders had no regard for Palestinian lives.

"They use their people in order to fire at Israel, and will do everything in order to spread an ideology of terror, hatred, and violence," she said. "We won't allow the Middle East to turn into a neighborhood where thugs of this kind rule."

Livni tours Beersheba (Photo: Yaron Brener)

Addressing international efforts to end the fighting, Livni said: "In the world and in parts of the Arab world there is understanding that Hamas represents things that nobody wishes to see in this region. Therefore, we changed the equation. The days where Hamas thought it could fire rockets whenever it wanted while Israel restrains itself are over. There is no proportionality in this war, and Hamas understands it."

The foreign minister also slammed the media for its live coverage of rocket attack sites, saying that media outlets "aid Hamas."

"We have a complicated battle here, and our ability to manage it better depends on secrecy and on you not detailing our future plans everywhere," Livni told media representatives at the site, while refusing to provide information about her positions regarding a Gaza Strip ground assault.

Following her Beersheba visit, Livni continued to Sderot, where she said that Israel continues to make a distinction between Hamas and Palestinian civilians.

"We need to understand that they produce missiles in homes occupied by civilians who are well aware of this," she said. "Before each attack, we announced it via their media and asked civilians to leave. We also dropped leaflets from the air, and made more than 19,000 phone calls to residents in the area."