Bennett: We should not apologize for assassinating terrorists

The IDF performed a calculated explosion on a Hamas tunnel in Gaza reaching into Israel on Monday, killing seven people.

By YOCHEVED LAUREN LAUFER
Updated: OCTOBER 31, 2017 11:06
Education and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Education and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Education and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett condemned on Tuesday morning the IDF Spokesperson's Unit's response to the IDF's calculated explosion of a Hamas tunnel in Gaza reaching into Israel, saying that "we should not apologize for assassinating terrorists."
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit came out with a statement on Monday saying that the IDF had no intention to kill any terrorists or cause any damage to senior Hamas officials and Islamic Jihad, after Palestinian reports said that seven people were killed and nine were wounded in the explosion.
View from Gaza as IDF blows up Hamas tunnel reaching into Israeli territory, October 30, 2017. (Courtesy)
Bennett also stated that "he is not promoting escalation," but fully supports the operation because he has been working to destroy the threat of the terror tunnels in his duties as a member of the security cabinet since 2014's Operation Protective Edge.
Likud MK Oren Hazan also condemned the IDF's statement on Twitter, sarcastically saying that if the IDF did not intend to kill senior Hamas officers, then the IDF should build Hamas a new terror tunnel as compensation.
In response to the Bennett's condemnations, Yesh Atid MK Elazar Stern said on Tuesday morning that "officers in the government are making a political spin at the IDF's expense, and it is not the first time." The MK added that he supports the IDF and noted that is amazing that "seven terrorists were killed yesterday and it was a quiet night for Israeli citizens on border cities with Gaza."
Zionist Union MK and member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Ben-Reuven also condemned the Education Minister suggesting that "Bennett lower the flames of war." He also added that the operation was justified and that Israel should use force to fight any terror threats, but at the same time, not to create "fury" using words irresponsibly.