unleashing the devil or saviour

Israel gives military free rein
02 March 2006

Israel says it has lifted all restrictions on its military and that it is intensifying its war against alleged terrorists, including al-Qaida.

Ehud Olmert, the acting Israeli prime minister, made the statement on Thursday, saying he would use an "iron fist" against Palestinian resistance fighters and al-Qaida.

"I have issued an order to all the security forces of Israel to use special means to confront the buds of terrorist action," Olmert told a news conference in Jerusalem.

"We are systematically intensifying our war.

"No one who fires off a Qassam rocket will have a moment's rest, because we shall seek him out everywhere, track him everywhere, reach him and make sure he is not able to do it."

Qassam rockets are homemade and rarely cause casualties.

"We will use an iron first against any attempt to renew terror activity anywhere," he said. "There are no restraints on security forces to use any means necessary to stop terror attacks."

A day earlier, at a campaign stop in advance of Israeli elections on 28 March, Olmert said Israel would pursue all opportunities for peace. ...

"We have signs of an al-Qaida presence in the West Bank and Gaza.

"The infiltration of al-Qaida can ruin the whole region." ...

Also on Thursday, Israel continued to keep the main cargo crossing in the Gaza Strip closed.

The Karni passage has been closed since an explosion there on 21 February. Extended closures are seen by Palestinians as a collective punishment. ...

Salim Abu Safiya, director-general of the Palestinian Border Authority, said: "The continued closure is causing humanitarian and economic harm to the Palestinian people, and threatening a real shortage in food supplies." ...
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