Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved on Thursday a list of civilian sanctions against the Gaza Strip as a means to combat the ongoing Kassam rocket barrages that have been fired at southern Israel since the disengagement from Gaza in August 2005.Kassams kill people. The proper response to deadly force is not to "slightly disrupt" "daily lives." One of the reasons that Israel's half-hearted actions are construed as mere oppression is that they do, in fact, lack credibility as self-defense.
The decision was made during a special meeting of security officials in which he discussed the matter with senior military personnel, and it marks the first time Israel has scaled back vital supplies to Gaza since the cabinet defined Gaza as a "hostile entity" last month.
Under the plan, Israel will cut electricity for increasing lengths of time each time a Palestinian rocket is fired into Israel. Officials would not say when Israel plans to begin the cutoffs . . .
Defense officials said the cuts in gasoline supply would be enough to "slightly disrupt" Palestinians' daily lives and cause them to think twice before driving their car.
During Tuesday's meeting, Vilna'i decided to allow the continued supply of diesel fuel, which is used by ambulances and sanitation vehicles.
"We do not want to cause a humanitarian crisis," a defense official said. "But we do want to send a clear message to the Palestinians that the rocket fire will not be tolerated."
Crossposted on Soccer Dad
Tags: Israel, Palestinians
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