(Communicated by the Foreign Minister’s Bureau)
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman today (Wednesday, 9 July 2014) dispatched a letter to foreign ministers of countries with which Israel has diplomatic relations in which he detailed the background and events leading to Operation Protective Edge:
Dear Colleague,
As you are probably aware, Israel this week began a military operation in Gaza, in response to ongoing Hamas rocket fire. The latest round of rocket fire began June 12th, the day that three Israeli teenagers were abducted and murdered. The Hamas shooting escalated significantly June 30th, even before the bodies of the teens were found and before the murder of a Palestinian youth, which was condemned sharply by the entire Israeli leadership, and whose murderers are already held in custody.
Over the past three weeks, the Hamas terror organization has escalated its attack on Israeli civilians, launching nearly 300 rockets at our cities – including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and other major metropolitan areas -- putting millions of Israeli lives at risk. Families have been forced into shelters, summer camps for children closed, and all normal daily activities have been impacted. This is unacceptable.
Israel had shown great restraint prior to this operation. Our intention was to restore the calm without a major military operation. However, Israel's repeated efforts to achieve calm were met with increased rocket fire by what is becoming a Hamas terrorist state. Therefore, Israel launched an operation of self-defense, "Protective Edge," on July 7th, to counter these attacks, to defend our citizens, and secure for them a life without constant threat. Although we are not interested in escalation, we will do whatever is necessary to defend our citizens.
Hamas is a recognized terror organization, motivated by the most radical ideology, including a charter that calls for the murder of all Jews. Hamas is responsible for 80 suicide bombers that have killed nearly 1000 Israeli civilians. Hamas has been labeled a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Japan and Egypt. This group seeks to establish an Islamist state characterized by human rights violations, violent repression of minorities, women, and non-Muslims.
By deploying weapons and command centers in densely populated areas and operating from residential areas, thus turning Palestinian civilians into human shields, while deliberately targeting Israeli civilians, Hamas has been committing war crimes for over a decade. Hamas terrorists launch rockets indiscriminately at civilians from civilian areas, and hide in civilian infrastructures including mosques, schools and hospitals. Hamas, therefore, bears full responsibility for any harm that comes to Israeli and Palestinian civilians alike.
Israel is operating with utmost care to avoid civilian casualties. We are focusing on targeting Hamas and other terrorist organizations, their operatives and infrastructure. Israel is giving repeated warnings to civilians to vacate areas they are about to target, using pinpoint technologies to hit only the targeted infrastructure.
May I remind you that Israel left the Gaza Strip completely in the August 2005 Disengagement. Since then, there has been no Israeli presence, civilian or military, in the Gaza Strip.
It is clear that the Palestinian government must dissolve immediately its partnership with Hamas. Furthermore, it is important that world leaders condemn the ongoing rocket fire by Hamas and other terror groups towards Israeli population centers, and take action to dismantle the Hamas terrorist infrastructure. Finally, the international community should continue to demonstrate understanding for Israel to exercise its legitimate right to self-defense.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Avigdor Liberman