Netanyahu: Israel will hurt those who try to harm us

“Attempts to attack us have not ceased, but our policy is clear – whoever tries to hurt us, we will hurt them,” Netanyahu said of the recent attacks on Israel.

 By: World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended his security policy vis-à-vis the rocket attacks originating in the Gaza Strip, saying that this security policy has resulted in several years of quiet in Israel’s south.

Speaking at the beginning of the cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu stated that “Israel views Hamas as responsible for any firing at us from the Gaza Strip.”

The past month has seen a significant spike in rocket attacks launched by Gaza-based terror organizations at Israel. Over 30 rockets were fired over the past month, close to the total of rockets launched since the summer of 2014.

The latest attack occurred on Friday, when several rockets were launched at Israel’s south. Israel’s Air Force (IAF) responded by bombing Hamas targets in Gaza.

Netanyahu noted that since the IDF destroyed a terrorist tunnel that penetrated Israeli territory several weeks ago, the IDF has targeted approximately 40 Hamas positions, including the latest operation on Saturday night.

Netanyahu has faced criticism from the media and several politicians who have demanded a more harsh response to the terror attacks.

“To all those who are carping in the media, people who never held security responsibility for even a minute and never made even one security decision, I suggest that they calm down,” Netanyahu stated.

“The Defense Minister and I, along with the Chief-of-Staff, the head of the ISA (Shin Bet security services) and the heads of the security services are leading a vigorous and responsible policy that is backed by this government, a policy that has – in recent years – made Israel quieter and more secure than it has been in decades,” Netanyahu declared.

“Attempts to attack us have not ceased, but our policy is clear – whoever tries to hurt us, we will hurt them,” he concluded.

On Saturday, the IDF blamed Iran for being behind the recent attacks.

“This is a severe incident that proves once more how much these terror organizations despise the residents of Gaza and are willing to put them at risk of escalation over Iranian interests,” the IDF charged. “The Iranian regime continues to risk the safety of the residents of the Gaza Strip and puts them in grave danger. Wherever the Iranian regime operates or is involved, it only wreaks havoc and destruction.”

The IDF believes that Hamas is enabling the rocket fire, launched by small terror groups, on orders from Tehran, which is seeking to create friction in the area.