Israeli occupation forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi told the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday that "the reality in Gaza could be fragile and explosive."
Israeli occupation forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday that "the reality in Gaza could be fragile and explosive." He spoke several hours after a Qassam rocket exploded near a kindergarten in a western Negev kibbutz, lightly injuring a woman, according to Ynet. The military chief briefed the committee on the security activity following the rocket fire. "We have increased our operations in the south on the backdrop of terrorists' attempts to boost their activity. Most of the IDF's activity in Gaza is directed beyond the fence. We are working some tens and hundreds of meters from the fence, in order to prevent them from reaching communities." In the past few months, Ashkenazi said, the Israeli occupation forces had initiated “112 operations against terrorists, killing 60”. Five of them – allegedly affiliated with the Islamic Jihad – were killed on Saturday. "Yesterday we attacked Hamas targets and posts along the region," he said of the latest strike, which left several Hamas members hurt. The army chief added that the first regiment of the Iron Dome anti-missile system was expected to be operational in the beginning of 2011. "We'll decide how and where to station it." Addressing the situation in Lebanon, Lieutenant-General Ashkenazi said the tensions were high ahead of the publication of indictments in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Moving on to Iran, he said that "the Iranian nuclear project is progressing, despite difficulties from all kinds of directions. They were surprised by the international sanctions, including those imposed by the Chinese and Russians." As for the WikiLeaks publications, Ashkenazi said that "it's a very bad thing, which affects our relations with foreign countries."Ashkenazi: Gaza Reality Fragile, Explosive
