Statement from the Embassy of Israel in Australia
On July 15th at 9am [Israel time], Israel accepted the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire. Israel stopped its military action in the Gaza Strip in order to restore routine life to Israeli citizens having been subjected to constant rocket attacks by Hamas.
Hamas bluntly rejected the ceasefire, both in word and deed. This terror group continued to launch rockets incessantly at Israel, thereby increasing the total number of casualties among Israeli civilians. The government of Israel has not only the right to defend itself, but also the right to protect its civilians from such attacks.
No country can sit idly by while its civilians are subject to constant terrorist rocket fire.
The human suffering experienced during this period of unrest, including that of the Gazan people, is the result of Hamas’ brutal intransigence.
Israel continues to do its utmost to prevent harm to uninvolved civilians in Gaza. However, responsibility for casualties lies squarely on Hamas which used its own population as human shields.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently observed that while “we’re using anti-missile systems to protect our civilians, and they’re using their civilians to protect their missiles – that’s the difference.” This is our predicament.
Hamas’ use of Palestinian civilians as human shields and its targeting of Israeli civilians is a double war crime and they should be held accountable.
The State of Israel humbly welcomes the ongoing support from the Australian government at this time and hopes for a swift conclusion to the bombardment that we are experiencing.
I believe that’s an unfair comment.
Listening to all the broadcast’s, local and overseas one certainly does not come to that conclusion.
And instead of making such a divisive comment one Jew to another publicly, wouldn’t you be better sending an email to the Israeli Embassy
This time the rockets from the Gaza Strip reach much further than last time only a relatively short while ago.
If there is a next time, heaven forbid, they will reach everywhere, be larger and be more accurate.
Netanyahu and his government have an obligation to remove this danger by destroying Hamas totally – even if this means retaking Gaza and running the place until a new generation of Palestinians are prepared to abandon the ways of these terrorists and make a genuine peace with Israel.
Given the hatred indoctrinated into those under Hamas rule, this will take considerable time – but a start must be made.
Gill says it all and I totally agree.
So “Israel stopped its military action in the Gaza Strip in order to restore routine life to Israeli citizens having been subjected to constant rocket attacks by Hamas”. Who in their right mind believes that stopping Israeli military action in Gaza will restore routine life to Israeli citizens? If anyone believes that, they might as well believe in the good tooth fairy.
Of course Israel has the right to defend itself and its civilians from attacks but it seems that Netanyahu has no longer the will to do so. There is no point in endlessly babbling on about the right to defend yourself if you are not prepared to do so convincingly.
The most nauseating statement from the Embassy is the last sentence: “The State of Israel humbly welcomes the ongoing support from the Australian government at this time and hopes for a swift conclusion to the bombardment that we are experiencing.”
There is only one way to end “the bombardment they are experiencing” and that is for the Jewish nation to go on the offensive and utterly eradicate Hamas. The constant mumblings and hand wringing about enemy civilian casualties is a recipe for paralysis and will lead to another more deadly round in a few years time. This current war must not end inconclusively or prematurely like all others.
Israel now has the opportunity to destroy Hamas once and for all and should prosecute this war with ferocity.
The Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire was something forced on them by the US. The Egyptians have made it abundantly clear they want Hamas destroyed as it is part of the Muslim Brotherhood.
What a great pity that at this time in its history, Israel has as its leader Netanyahu, a man who does not have the fortitude to see this war through to total victory but will settle for a ceasefire, which is nothing but a victory for Hamas.