Israel warns of Gaza assault after rocket attack

By Jean-Luc Renaudie AFP - Thursday, May 15 07:09 pm

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel warned on Thursday that its forces were prepared to launch a major military assault on Gaza after a rocket attack wounded at least 14 people while US President George W. Bush was in Israel.

"The Israeli army has never been this ready to launch a large-scale operation in Gaza," said Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, a member of Israel's security cabinet.

"It may be that we have no choice but to destroy all the nests of terror. Apparently we'll have no choice," he told public radio.

Hamas, the Islamist group that runs the impoverished territory, is preparing defensive positions in anticipation of a possible military incursion, Israeli's military intelligence chief, Major General Amos Yadlin, told the Haaretz newspaper.

Bush, on a five-day trip in the Middle East, told Israel it could rely on continued US backing.

"America stands with you in breaking up terrorist networks and denying the extremists sanctuary," Bush said in remarks prepared for delivery to Israel's parliament.

"Israel's population may be just over seven million. But when you confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because America stands with you."

Two small Palestinian militant groups claimed responsibility for Wednesday's rocket attack on a shopping mall in southern Israel, which came as Bush held talks in Jerusalem.

Israel says Hamas bears ultimate responsibility for such attacks because the Islamist movement has been in control of Gaza since ousting forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in June.

Gaza militants regularly fire rockets at southern Israel, but their artillery has a limited range. Yadlin warned, however, that Hamas could have rockets with a 40-kilometre (25-mile) range within two years.

"Hamas already has several hundred rockets with a range of 20 kilometres," he told Haaretz.

"We must put an end to Hamas power in Gaza," said Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon. "Under no circumstances should we allow the creation of a Hamastan on Israel's southern border."

He also spoke out against negotiating a truce with Hamas, which Israel and the West consider a terror outfit.

Israel and Palestinian militants have talked separately to Egyptian mediators about a possible truce, but Hamas rejected Israel's demand that it first free an Israeli soldier captured by the Islamists almost two years ago.

Army radio quoted military officials as saying that if Hamas rejects the Israeli conditions, military operations would be launched some time after Bush concludes his three-day trip on Friday.

Israel launches frequent military operations in Gaza and imposes a crippling blockade on the coastal strip which it says aims to force militants to halt their rocket and mortar attacks.

Late Wednesday, an Israeli air strike on Gaza killed two Hamas militants and wounded four, Palestinian medical sources said.

Ben-Eliezer called for even tougher measures against the Islamist movement, saying what is needed is "targeted killings, including of Hamas political leaders."

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