Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, a resident of Ashkelon, said Wednesday morning during a cabinet meeting that "the State of Israel has woken up every day for nearly two months with a 'Good morning, Qassam,' in the Negev."
In response to a question from one of the ministers on Dichter's recommendation on the issue, the internal security minister answered, "We don't need to conquer Gaza, but operations that will create deterrence against the Palestinian Authority and Hamas are required. We must hit where is needed and to charge a price. The government needs to reconsider all of its policies toward Gaza following the continuation of the Qassam attacks."
Qassam hits courtyard Tuesday in Sderot (Photo: Tsafrir Abayov)
Dicter made these statements a day after Sderot woke up to the sound of the Red Dawn alarm following two explosions that were heard loud and clear in the center of the city and in the entire area. It was the sound of two Qassam rockets fired from the northern Gaza Strip. As as result of the firing, a woman soldier was lightly to moderately injured in her legs by shrapnel. Others suffered from shock.
Another explosion occurred Tuesday in a private courtyard, from which, luckily, no one was hurt even though many people were in a house only a short distance from the explosion. The explosion caused a power outage to a significant part of the city.
Apart from the continued firing of Qassams at towns in the western Negev, Dichter referred to the issue of smuggling between Sinai and the Gaza Strip. "The continued rise in smuggling from Egypt to Gaza is worrisome. We must operate with the Egyptians on the most senior level. We must do this in a comprehensive manner by way of the US and Europe, and, if there is a need to do so, through the UN Security Council," said Dichter
In regards to the situation in the north, Dichter responded to what is occurring in the village of Rajar, on the Lebanese border: "This is an opening that hasn't been closed. The capacity to kidnap an Israeli to Lebanon and the continuation of smuggling from Lebanon to Israel needs to worry all of us."