(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

The Security Cabinet met this morning (Wednesday), 5 Mach 2008, to discuss policy for action against the firing of projectiles at communities in Israel, including the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip, and against the strengthening of terrorist forces in the Gaza Strip. The following decision was adopted:

A. The State of Israel will act continuously and systematically in order to achieve the following main goals:

* To bring about the cessation of rocket fire and other terrorist actions from Gaza;

* To reduce the strengthening of Hamas, including in coordination with and by Egypt;

* To advance the negotiations process with the Palestinian Authority while maintaining freedom of action in the struggle against terrorism;

* To strike at the Hamas regime in Gaza;

* To avoid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to the extent that the matter depends on Israel;

* To expedite action on the home front, as is being carried out by the Government and as was presented at the 24 February 2008 Cabinet meeting;

* To maintain the legitimacy of, and freedom of action in, continuing to strike at Hamas; to this end, diplomatic and information efforts vis-à-vis the international community will continue.

B. The action policy for achieving the aforementioned goals may include the following actions (inter alia):

* Action against launch areas and striking at projectile weapons' support network of activists and knowledge, and production and storage facilities, and against other military and infrastructure targets.

* Action against Hamas institutions in the Gaza Strip.  The targets will be approved by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.