An Israeli minister has said today that Palestinians who launch kites from Gaza should be assassinated.
צודק ג׳ייסון גרינבלט. משלחי עפיפוני הטרור אינם ילדים אלא מחבלים רצחניים. אני מצפה מצה״ל לסכל את משלחי העפיפונים ואם הם יידעו שדינם כדין כל ״פצצה מתקתקת״ אז אין לי ספק שההרתעה תגדל ומספר פיגועי העפיפונים יפחת. https://t.co/WOulfqU4NO
— גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) June 5, 2018
Israel’s Public Security Minister, Gilad Erdan, made the comments while speaking at an event in the city of Sderot, close to the border with Gaza. Erdan is a member of the ruling Likud party and has previously worked as an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
@cafreeland @JustinTrudeau @CanadaFP Please issue a statement condemning #Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan for his outrageous statement. #Palestinian freedom fighters should be praised, not threatened with assassination. https://t.co/vz2qiSQ6RP
— Douglas Shearer (@dshearer15) June 5, 2018
Erdan told his audience that “kite terror is very serious, and whoever sends them should fear for their life.”
The minister added that “we need to return to preventative assassinations. Those who send the kites and Hamas commanders must be a target for preventative killings,” according to Haaretz.
Le ministre israélien de la Sécurité intérieure, Gilad Erdan, a menacé de revenir à la "politique d'assassinats" pour faire face aux cerf-volants qui s'envolent de la bande de Gaza. https://t.co/JiUzsBwvx7
— Centre Palestinien (@palinfo_fr) June 5, 2018
Israel has accused kites flying from Gaza during the recent ‘Great March of Return’ of sparking wildfires in southern Israel, although there has been no proof that they have been the cause.
Israel Charges 2 Gazans with Terrorism over Great March of Return
On Sunday, Netanyahu demanded that $1.4 million worth of funds be withheld from the Palestinian Authority (PA) as compensation for damage to crops reportedly caused by the kites.
The Israeli government has offered 60 shekels ($17) per dunam (about a quarter acre) in damages to farmers in the region, with anyone whose fields have been damaged are to be considered terrorism victims.
Tensions between Israel and Gaza have been high in recent weeks following the killing of over 120 Palestinians and the injuring of thousands during the Great March of Return.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
