The mayor of Sderot, near the occupied Gaza Strip, has urged the government to back a ground invasion of the blockaded territory.
According to far-right news outlet Arutz Sheva, Mayor Alon Davidi criticized the ceasefire agreement reached with Palestinian factions, in remarks to Israeli television’s Channel 13 this morning.
Sderot mayor urges invasion of Gaza Strip – Middle East Monitor Read more https://t.co/bCKclxuks1 pic.twitter.com/KHCbrcqqUq
— RTNews24 (@rtnews24en) May 7, 2019
Claiming that “[Operation] Protective Edge’s achievements were exhausted” – a reference to the 2014 assault on the Gaza Strip – Davidi said the goal is not short-term quiet.
He said:
“Our goal is to achieve quiet for a long time, and only an operation like Protective Edge will achieve it.”
Settlers in Sderot settlement demonstrate against their government for "accepting" a ceasefire with Gaza. pic.twitter.com/4wSNTgyvDo
— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) March 26, 2019
The Sderot mayor bemoaned the fact that, in his words,
“This entire round was created in the wake of terrorist fire at the IDF [Israel army] and not because we said that we would hit the terrorists.”
Davidi added:
“Let us hit them, because they bring evil to the world and violate the peace of our residents … The situation that has been created came as a response, and we don’t need to respond – but to initiate.”
Prime Minister's Office Director General Yoav Horowitz toured Sderot and the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council area, and met with the commander of the IDF Gaza Division, Brig.-Gen. Eliezer Toledano, Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi and Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council Chairman Ofir Libstein pic.twitter.com/XVbwZKyoaM
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 6, 2019
Davidi told the media that “he is talking to the prime minister and the various relevant authorities, giving voice to the position of the residents of his city.”
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
