Following the Monday suicide bombing in Eilat, Israeli Defense Minister, Amir Peretz instructed the army to step up operations against Palestinian armed groups and said that Israel has decided to act immediately, the Israeli Radio reported.Following the Monday suicide bombing in Eilat, Israeli Defense Minister, Amir Peretz instructed the army to step up operations against Palestinian armed groups and said that Israel has decided to act immediately, the Israeli Radio reported.
The statements of Peretz came after a meeting with senior military officials, including the Israeli Chief of Staff, Dan Halutz and several intelligence officials.
Peretz said that Israel will act against Palestinian groups that are carrying out attacks against Israeli targets, and considered the Eilat bombing as a very serious attack and an escalation of the situation.
Peretz added that he spoke with Israel’s Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and decided to act immediately.
Moreover, Peretz ruled out earlier Israeli reports that stated that Al Qaida is involved in the bombing.
Olmert also stated that Israel will continue its attacks against “the bombers and those who send them”.
Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, said that Israel decided to carry out all of the “needed acts to provide the Israeli citizens with security”.
She claimed that Israeli was showing a great deal of self-restraint, “but the Palestinian groups continued their attacks”.
She also called on the international community to impose more strict measures and siege on the Hamas-led Palestinian government.
Israeli security sources said that the bomber apparently entered Eilat through the Egyptian borders, but the report contradicts with a statement by the Islamic Jihad that said that the bomber infiltrated into Israel through Jordan.
Jordan denied the report and said that the bomber was never in Jordan.
Three Israelis were killed in the Monday morning suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
