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'A large outcry would arise here.' Diskin
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Olmert. Criticizes those against gov't policy
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Chief of Staff Dan Halutz. Points finger at political echelons
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Minister Avi Dichter. Gov't must take care of Qassams
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Diskin: Egypt allowing arms smuggling

Shin Bet chief tells cabinet some 19 tons of standard explosives, hundreds of rifles smuggled from Egypt to Gaza Strip since disengagement; ‘Egyptians know who smugglers are but aren't dealing with them,’ he says

Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin reported Wednesday to the cabinet meeting that since the disengagement, some 19 tons of standard explosives have been smuggled from Egypt to the Gaza Strip. "What the Egyptians are doing isn't even a drop in the sea on the issue of smuggling," said Diskin.

 

According to the Shin Bet chief, "The Egyptians know who the smugglers are and aren't taking care of them. They even received intelligence from us on the matter. Since last August, four tons of standard explosives, hundreds of rifles, thousand of bullets and other kinds of weaponry and munitions that I don't want to detail have been smuggled from Egypt."


Cabinet meeting Wednesday morning (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

 

Diskin elaborated, "From August 2005 to August 2006, another 15 tons of standard explosives have been smuggled. If the chief of staff would report to the government similar amounts being smuggled from Syria to Hizbullah, a large outcry would arise here."

 

No opposing the party line

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rebuked Education Minister Yuli Tamir and other ministers who had expressed their support of negotiations with Syria. Olmert said in the cabinet meeting, "The government has its own policy and it is unacceptable that ministers will express their personal stances that don't coordinate with government policy. I ask the ministers not to cause me to take steps I don't want to take."

 

Olmert continued, "There is no negotiation with Syria. This is the government line. There is collective responsibility. Any minister that wants to argue this policy should do it outside the government."

 

Olmert also responded to the statements made by Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal about the government's powerlessness facing the Qassams. Olmert said, "I expect from a local leader that his responsibility will drive him, and not only criticism of the government, that he should lead the residents. The time has come to say this to public leaders who think that they can build a political career on the coattails of the government. There is no city and no mayor that has received aid like Sderot."

 

Dichter: We don't have answer for Sderot residents

Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, a resident of Ashkelon, said Wednesday morning during the cabinet meeting that "the State of Israel has woken up every day for nearly two months with a 'Good morning, Qassam,' in the Negev. We aren't providing a proper answer to the residents of Sderot and the communities surrounding Gaza."

 

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."

 

Defense Minister Amir Peretz responded to Dichter's claims in the cabinet meeting, saying, "It doesn't matter how many Qassam rockets are fired and what organization is firing them; one Qassam is the same as 10 Qassams. Our response to each firing will be unequivocal and harsh."

 

Peretz added that the IDF is planning a series of operations in the Gaza Strip against the Qassam firings, including targeting warehouses storing weaponry.

 

Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said following Minister Dichter's statements, "Even the firing of one Qassam is unacceptable to us."

 

Halutz pointed an implied finger at the political echelons as someone who can "made decisions of a different kind." According to him, there is an assessment in the defense establishment as to the preferable paths of action.

 

During the meeting Halutz mentioned that there has been a certain increase in the high trajectory fire in the past weeks.

 

According to him, Hamas efforts to amass power and obtain advanced antitank missiles, explosives and other weaponry continue. The IDF, along with the Shin Bet, said Halutz, are focusing on targeting the tunnel openings in buildings used for smuggling.

 

In regards to the Palestinian national unity government, the chief of staff said that the Hamas contingent in Damascus holds steadfastly to the Prisoners' Document, which doesn't directly recognize Israel, as a foundation document. The chief of staff reported on worsening friction between Fatah and Hamas.

 

An example of this, according to him, is the assassination of the intelligence and external relations chief, apparently by the hands of Hamas.

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.27.06, 13:25
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