OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (PIC)– The Israeli minister of trade and leader of Shas party Eli Yishai has called for targeting the Hamas Movement’s leaders in the Gaza Strip and what he called “terrorist activists” in retaliation to the firing of locally made rockets from Gaza on Israeli targets.
Yishai addressing the Israeli mini cabinet meeting on Wednesday also advocated tightening the economic siege on the Strip.
The minister’s call coincides with he Israeli leadership’s threats to launch a large-scale military offensive against Gaza.
Israeli resigning premier Ehud Olmert said during a tour of Sderot settlement adjacent to the Gaza Strip that Hamas should know that Israel is capable of attacking and not only defending itself.
Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni voiced similar threats on Tuesday during a visit to Askalan located north of the Gaza Strip saying that Israel should respond to the firing of missiles from Gaza.
Livni in an earlier statement said that eliminating the Hamas Movement is a strategic goal for Israel.
Deputy war minister Matan Vilnai who accompanied Olmert on his Sderot visit said that Israel would retaliate to the missile attacks adding that it was only a matter of time.
