'All Israel will be attacked by Kassams'

Netanyahu warns of the repercussions of Olmert's realignment plan.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Bibi speaking 298.88 (photo credit: sasson tiram)
Bibi speaking 298.88
(photo credit: sasson tiram)
Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu warned on Thursday that if Prime Minister Ehud Olmert executed his realignment plan "the whole of Israel will be (attacked by) Kassams." "The launching of Kassam rockets is an international crime," said Netanyahu at the 35th Zionist Congress in Jerusalem, adding that unilateral withdrawals would not bring international recognition. "The terror will not stop because of it, what we will get is something different - a Hamas victory," he said. Netahyahu added that the Hamas leadership needed to know that Israel's retaliation would bring an end to its rule. He said that not enough had been done to prevent Kassam rocket attacks. "When I was prime minister there weren't any Kassam or missile attacks. When Katyusha's were fired in the north, we turned out the lights on Beirut," said Netanyahu. The former prime minister continued by claiming that the IDF had the capability to destroy Gaza. "The difference between democratic countries which fight terror, and terrorists who attack them is the endeavor to limit civilian casualties. The firepower that the IDF possesses could wipe out an entire population. "We could wipe out Gaza in its entirety, but we don't want to do that," said Netanyahu, adding that if the terrorists had the same capability they would use it. Meanwhile, for the first time since forming his government, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced his intention to convene the security cabinet in order to discuss the barrage of Kassam rocket attacks on Sderot and the subsequent IDF retaliations. The decision was made in the wake of criticism from several MKs who said that the steps the IDF was taking were ineffective. UN envoy Alvaro de Soto said that the IDF needed to reconsider its course of action when attempting to deter rocket attacks. "Israel has the right to defend itself but this is not the (correct) way," said De Soto, referring to the recent botched IAF missile strikes which have killed several Palestinian civilians.