"If they fire on us, we have to fight back"

From the PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL SPOKESPERSON'S OFFICE, Jerusalem, February 12th, 2008:

The President of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres: "If they fire on us, we have to fight back without hesitation; Haniyah is hiding because he knows clearly that he has perpetrated serious crimes against his people and against Israel"


The President of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres, was the guest of honour of over a thousand youth of the Kibbutz Movement who volunteered a year's national service and who are about to enlist in the IDF. In his address to the youth the President referred to the political-security situation and said:

"Three things must be done in view of the situation in Sderot and Gaza.

The first, there must be complete solidarity among the society in Israel. All the people must be united with and must strengthen the citizens of Sderot – not only Tel Aviv but all the cities in Israel must identify with Sderot. When the leg of the small boy, Osher Tawito, was amputated, it was as if the leg of an entire generation was amputated. Everyone must be part of the pain of the family and the suffering of the inhabitants of Sderot." ....

...The second thing that needs to be done – If they fire on us, we must fight back without hesitation and without compromise. The people of Israel are a people, which defends itself and does not want war... .... Words are not sufficient. I rely on the IDF and also if definite solutions to the firing of Kassam missiles take time, there is no doubt that the IDF will come out with the upper hand.

The third step which the President noted was: "Worldwide public opinion must be recruited – both in the political and diplomatic track and in widespread international information, as despicable crimes are being perpetrated against Sderot, crimes which are against international law. The moment the firing of missiles on Israel stops – quiet will reign in Gaza. The world must understand this. The Head of the Hamas in Gaza must know that those who are harmed, eventually will be those who break the law itself." ...