Netanyahu: Strike in Gaza possible regardless of Northern Shield

We have no interest in an escalation with the Palestinians at the moment.

By HERB KEINON
Updated: DECEMBER 10, 2018 06:11
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a cabinet meeting, December 9th, 2018 (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a cabinet meeting, December 9th, 2018
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
With Israel focusing on decreasing Iran’s presence in Syria and neutralizing Hezbollah’s precision-guided missiles and terrorism tunnels from Lebanon, it has no interest in an escalation now with the Palestinians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
At the same time, Netanyahu said at the regular meeting of Likud minister that precedes the weekly cabinet meeting, “If there is no choice, we are today in a situation to do much more in a military campaign in Gaza if needed, because we are taking advantage of the time to prepare. The security cabinet has already received an initial briefing.”
Netanyahu on Operation Northern Shield, December 9, 2018 (GPO)
At the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that in parallel with the IDF’s “determined and systematic effort” to uncover and neutralize the tunnels in the North, Israel is also working on the diplomatic track to condemn Iran and Hezbollah and increase sanctions against them.
Netanyahu, who spoke on Saturday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that IDF and Russian Army coordinating teams will meet in the coming days, apparently in Moscow. He also said that he and Putin, who met last month in Paris, will meet again at a later date.
Israel is pushing Iran out of Syria with “great success, though the work is not done,” Netanyahu said, adding that he also discussed this with Putin.