Member of Knesset Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the extreme right wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, called on Monday for a massive military invasion into the Gaza Strip and for the abduction of the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya in retaliation for Sunday’s attack at the Kerem Shalom Israeli crossing.
Talking to the Army Radio, Lieberman also called for the dismissal of Israel’s Defense Minister Amir Peretz and described his conducts as “spineless course of action”.
Lieberman stated that Israel needs to tell Haniyya and all leaders of Hamas that it will turn their homes into “soccer fields”.
Lieberman statements came after resistance fighters fired several homemade shells at the Israeli Negev town of Sderot and Sunday’s attack carried by resistance fighters at the Kerem Shalom crossing in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Two Israeli soldiers and three Palestinian fighters were killed in the attack after fighters came through a secretly built tunnel and opened fire at an Israel tank at the post. One soldiers was abducted by the fighters.
Israeli Security cabinet member Meir Sheetrit described Lieberman’s comments as irresponsible.
“Lieberman is living in a different planet, a soldier’s life is now hanging on the balance”, Sheetrit said, “Does he think that if we abduct Haniyeh, the soldier will be freed tomorrow?"
Knesset member Effi Eitam of the National Union-National Religious Party charged that the Palestinian government has officially chosen war against Israel.
