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Israeli air force strikes Gaza; Lieberman Calls for “Reoccupying” Gaza

06:00 Jun 24 2013 Gaza

Israeli air force strikes Gaza; Lieberman Calls for “Reoccupying” Gaza
Description
Palestinians inspect a window of a house which witnesses said was damaged in an Israeli air strike on a neighboring site in the central Gaza Strip June 24, 2013. Photo by Reuters

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli aircraft shelled several Islamic Jihad sites in Gaza on Monday morning in response to rocket fire.

A Ma'an reporter said several F16 aircraft shelled four sites belonging to the military wing of Islamic Jihad, Saraya al-Quds, in Rafah.

Shelling was also reported in empty areas near the Asda city in Khan Younis and in the Deir al-Balah district, including the al-Zawayda village.

Tunnels were also targeted along the Rafah border, with no injuries reported.

Israel also shut down all crossings into Gaza, Palestinian Authority liaison official Raed Fattouh said.

Fattouh said he was told the closure was for "security reasons."

A source said Israel would only be allowing humanitarian cases through the passenger crossing Erez in northern Gaza.

The Israeli army said it targeted two weapon storage facilities and a rocket launch site and that Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system had intercepted two rockets.

In a statement, Lt. Col. Peter Lerner described the rocket fire as "an intolerable act of aggression against Israel and its civilians. Hamas is held accountable for all acts of terrorism deriving from the Gaza Strip," and the Israeli army is "determined to safeguard" Israel.

The army also said Israel's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories would be closing Kerem Shalom cargo crossing "until further notice," but did not provide further details on the passenger crossing.

Speaking to public radio on Monday morning, head of the parliamentary foreign and defense committee Avigdor Lieberman said Israel should consider reoccupying the Gaza Strip and "cleansing" it.

"It's not simple, but on the long run there will be no choice if we want to see a different reality there," Lieberman said of Gaza.

The rocket fire followed the announcement Sunday that Islamic Jihad was temporarily suspending ties with Hamas, accusing Gaza authorities of being responsible for the death of one of the group's members.

Raed Qassim Jundeyeih, a member of Islamic Jihad's militant wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, died on Sunday after being shot a day earlier by Hamas police officers.

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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli Member of Knesset, head of the Foreign and Security Committee, Avigdor Lieberman, stated Monday [June 24 2013] that Israel should seriously consider “reoccupying and imposing fill Israeli military and security control over the Gaza Strip”.

His statements came during an interview with the Israeli Radio. He said that “should Israel fail to respond for shells fired from Gaza, Hamas will own planes and hundreds of missiles that can strike Tel Aviv and Netanya”.

Lieberman added that Hamas “is not interested in living next to the Jews in Israel”, and added that Tel Aviv needs to “return to the Gaza Strip, and perform a root cleanup”.

He told the Radio that he does not know what Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Defense Minister, Moshe Ya’alon, think about his “proposal”, but added that they should consider it.

Responding to his comments, head of the Meretz Israeli Movement, Member of Knesset, Zahava Gal-On, stated that Lieberman is trying to wage war by his irresponsible behaviors and statements.

Gal-On added that Netanyahu needs to act on easing tension, and to stop “the winds of war blowing in his coalition”.


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