Netanyahu Boasts: ‘Terror Towers in Gaza Fell’
August 28, 2014Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with regional council heads from the south in Be’er Sheva on Thursday afternoon, two days after he sealed a ceasefire with Hamas that Gaza Belt regional heads slammed as being a form of surrender.
Attempting to respond to the criticism of abandoning the security in the south, Netanyahu stated “my obligation to the south is very deep, you know and see it. …The region we live in is a raging and stormy one, and we are here in one boat with many others in the region and from the world.”
Reiterating his message of a “great diplomatic and military blow” to Hamas from the night before, Netanyahu said “Hamas was dealt a very serious blow, and there is a military achievement of the highest order here, and well as a diplomatic achievement, because in the end they came and removed all their conditions.”
According to Netanyahu “they acceded to the same Egyptian ceasefire proposal that we were ready to accept directly at the outset without time constraints and without any of the conditions that they set. They got to this point the hard way. They kept testing us and every time we struck them but the last time, given this accumulation of blows, they were persuaded.”
The ceasefire deal had goods immediately begin to re-enter Gaza, although construction materials which are a security risk reportedly have yet to be brought in, despite Netanyahu agreeing to letting them in. An extension of Gaza’s fishing zone back to its pre-war size was also granted, with larger demands such as a swap of terrorists for the bodies of two soldiers, as well as a sea and airport, to be held in a month.
Speaking about the breach of the last ceasefire by Hamas last Tuesday, Netanyahu said “they thought they could wear us down, and I told them they’ll get a pummeling, and they got a pummeling and also the towers of terror fell, and also their senior commanders fell.”
A poll held Wednesday for Channel 2 found that the majority of Israelis did not share Netanyahu’s rosy appraisal of the operation; the poll found a full 59% of Israelis felt Israel did not win in Operation Protective Edge, and 54% opposed the ceasefire.
Netanyahu’s approval rating also tanked according to the poll, which found his support to be at a mere 32%, with a full 59% saying they were not satisfied with him. A similar poll two days earlier found that only 38% of Israelis were satisfied with Netanyahu, as opposed to 55% four days prior to that point. At the start of the operation with the ground entry to Gaza, that figure was a whopping 82%.
Aid package for Gaza Belt residents
Turning to the local regional council heads, Netanyahu added “we stood together through all the days of the campaign and I very much appreciate your firmness and support,” calling to continue “standing together” in rebuilding after the damage inflicted by Hamas’s rocket war.
“On Sunday we will bring a very large aid package to Gaza Belt residents, and afterwards a general aid package for the whole south,” said Netanyahu.
There has been talk of the aid package, which apparently is in addition to the 13.5 million shekel aid plan that was already approved for the long-term reconstruction of the Gaza Belt, as well as Tourism Minister Uzi Landau’s request that the region be made VAT-free (an 18% discount on sales tax) for one year.
Netanyahu’s “terror tower” remark referred to Gaza high-rises that the IAF brought down in the final week of the Gaza campaign.
Similar posts
-
Israel Is Held To A Higher Standard Than Any Country
April 25, 2024In the intricate tapestry of global affairs, one nation stands out for enduring scrutiny and condem...
-
Israel Has The Most Moral Military In The World
April 10, 2024In the heart of a region often riddled with conflict, Israel stands out not only for its technologi...
-
The Resilience of the Israeli People
April 2, 2024Visitors from around the world have seen Hamas's October 7th Massacre's destruction in southern Isr...
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...