Liberman: Humanitarian aid to Gaza won’t stop terrorism

“Enough with all sorts of illusions and delusions that improving the economy will end terror,” the defense minister stated. 

By: World Israel News Staff

The improvement of Gaza’s economic situation will not put an end to Palestinian terrorism, Israel’s minister of defense stated, calling for an end to “delusions.”

“This conflict will take time,” Minister Avigdor Liberman told IDF Radio on Sunday. “Enough with all sorts of illusions and delusions that improving the economy will end terror.”

Liberman was speaking ahead of a cabinet meeting slated for later in the day to discuss the boosting of Israel’s aid to Gaza, which some believe could lessen Palestinian attacks on Israel.

Liberman noted that the main obstacle for Israel’s provision of further aid to Gaza is Hamas’ refusal to return Israeli captives and the bodies of IDF soldiers held by the terror group.

“Hamas can win a generous monetary package when it returns prisoners and missing persons,” he said.

Hamas is believed to be holding the remains of two IDF soldiers, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, killed during the 2014 war.

In addition, the terror group is holding two Israeli civilians who had scaled a border fence and entered Gaza. Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu and Bedouin Hisham al-Sayed, both said to be suffering from mental health issues, crossed into Gaza willingly in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and were captured by Hamas.

Liberman further noted that Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas was acting to block the provision of international aid to Gaza as part of the ongoing feud between the two Palestinian factions.

Remarking on the fire kite terrorism launched from Gaza, the defense minister said that “there are kites, there are fires – it’s unpleasant, but at the end of the day people carry on with their routine.”

Speaking of Iran’s nuclear aspirations, Liberman said that he hopes the framework for North Korea’s denuclearization set by President Donald Trump will also be applied to Iran’s nuclear program, while stressing that Iran is currently boosting its nuclear program.

On the threat to Israel’s northern border, he said that Israel is “determined to prevent an Iranian presence in Syria, and we will do everything so that doesn’t happen. The danger on the northern border is serious and real.”