Barak warns Hamas will pay a "heavy price"

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-25 20:01

JERUSALEM -- Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned on Thursday that militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza would pay a "heavy price" if they continued to target Israel, as the Israeli military finalized preparations for a possible large-scale assault on the coastal territory.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, right, greets Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2008. Their talks focused on the Middle East peace process and the Israeli major military operation in Gaza. [Agencies]

A day earlier, militants had pummeled southern Israel with more than 80 rockets and mortars, causing no injuries but generating widespread panic. Israeli Cabinet ministers huddled for hours discussing Israel's response to the barrage, and defense officials later told The Associated Press that ministers had approved a broad invasion of Gaza that would be launched after winter rains subsided.

On Thursday, Barak insisted that "we will not accept this situation."

"Whoever harms the citizens and soldiers of Israel will pay a heavy price," he warned.

He did not elaborate. But defense officials, speaking on condition on anonymity because they were not permitted to discuss the plans, said the Israeli operation would likely begin with surgical airstrikes against rocket launchers and continue with a land incursion. Current weather conditions are hampering visibility and complicating air force missions, so the operation won't be launched until the skies clear, they added.

Israel has thus far been reluctant to press ahead with a campaign liable to exact heavy casualties on both sides. Past incursions have not halted the barrages, and officials fear anything short of a reoccupation of Gaza would fail to achieve the desired result of halting the rocket fire.

Israel left Gaza in 2005 after a 38-year occupation, but still controls its border crossings. The Islamic Hamas militants seized control of Gaza in June 2007.

A Dialog survey published in the Haaretz daily on Thursday indicated Israelis were slightly more opposed to an incursion that would put Israeli soldiers' lives at risk. The poll, which surveyed 475 people and had a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points, found 40 percent of Israelis in favor of an operation and 46 percent opposed to it.

The barrage Wednesday came days after a six-month truce expired, and a day after Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants along the Gaza-Israel border fence.

The military said four mortars were fired early Thursday, causing no injuries. According to Israel's Army Radio, a fifth mortar landed at Israel's passenger crossing with Gaza as Gaza Christians were crossing, en route to the West Bank town of Bethlehem for Christmas Day celebrations.

Israeli security officials had no immediate information on that report.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was in Cairo on Thursday to update Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Israel's objectives. The meeting was originally planned to attempt to renew the Egyptian-mediated truce. But after Wednesday's bombardment, Livni, who is running for prime minister in Israel's February elections, dismissed that option.

"There is a point where every country and every leadership says, and this is what we say tonight as well, enough is enough," she told a campaign rally.

The front pages of all Israeli newspapers on Thursday were splashed with photos of panicked children running for cover. TV broadcasts showed buildings with gaping holes and traumatized people being removed from their demolished homes.

The military announced Wednesday night that it has hooked up an improved warning system against missiles, an indication of mounting concern that Gaza militants have expanded their range.

On Wednesday, Palestinian rockets reached as far as 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Gaza City.