PM: No immunity for those firing rockets from Gaza
Netanyahu meets Blair, vows retaliation to Gaza aggression as IAF strikes cells targeting South; Palestinians say 2 killed.
By HERB KEINON, YAAKOV LAPPIN, JPOST.COM STAFF
There will be no immunity for those firing rockets on Israel from Gaza, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday morning.Netanyahu's comments, before meeting Quartet envoy Tony Blair, came amid the latest round of missile and rocket fire from Gaza, and the IDF actions to combat it. The IAF struck two Gaza terrorist cells attempting to launch mortar shells into southern Israel on Monday. Palestinian sources said two terrorists were killed in the the first strike on Monday morning."We will not allow anyone to arm themselves and fire rockets on us, and think they can do this with impunity," Netanyahu said, explaining the IDF's retaliatory policy. "They are not going to get away with it.""We attacked them before, we attacked them after and we're going to prevent them from arming themselves," he said. "This is our policy. This is a very different policy that I put in. You don’t let them get away with it. And they know that's what we're doing."Since coming into power, Netanyahu's policy has been to respond immediately to all rocket attacks from Gaza.On Monday, the Israel Air Force bombed two Palestinian terrorist cells in northern Gaza about to carry out mortar attacks on southern Israel.The air strikes accurately struck the cells, the IDF said. Palestinian sources said that two terrorists were killed in the IAF strike on Monday morning and two more were injured.Earlier in the morning, terrorists fired mortar shells at an IDF force carrying out a routine patrol along northern Gaza. Soldiers returned fire.In addition, four rockets fired from the coastal territory landed in open areas in the Sha'ar Hanegev and Ashkelon Coast Regional Council areas. No injuries or damage were reported in the attacks.
Last week saw an escalation in hostilities on the Gaza front, with dozens of rockets falling on southern Israel and the IAF striking centers of terror activity in response.