OPINION:
An Israeli bus in Jerusalem was blown up by an explosive device Monday, injuring 21, two of them seriously. Officials confirmed it was a terrorist attack. Hamas, which governs the Palestinian territory in the Gaza strip, praised the blast, but did not accept responsibility.
“Hamas blesses the Jerusalem operation, and considers it a natural reaction to Israeli crimes, especially field executions and the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the terror group said, reported the Times of Israel.
In addition, a new tunnel was discovered leading from Gaza into the Jewish State; officials said it was most likely dug since the Israeli/Gaza conflict in 2014. The tunnel was thirty meters deep but was discovered by Israeli security services in an undisclosed fashion. It was concrete lined and similar to the multiple tunnels destroyed by the IDF in 2014.
“In recent days, the State of Israel has achieved a world breakthrough in its efforts to locate tunnels,” said Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. “That doesn’t exist anywhere else. We checked the entire world. The government is investing a fortune in thwarting the threat of tunnels. This is an ongoing effort; it does not end overnight; we are investing in it and will continue to invest steadily and firmly. Israel will respond forcefully to any attempt by Hamas to attack its soldiers and attack its citizens,” he continued. “I’m sure that Hamas understands this very well.”
Israeli residents near Gaza had complained of hearing digging under their homes in recent months, setting off searches for the tunnels. Netanyahu ruled out pulling Israeli troops out of the West Bank with the discovery of the new secret passageways.
“Why are there no tunnels in Judea and Samaria [biblical names for the West Bank], in Qalqilya and Tulkarem? It’s not because it’s difficult to dig tunnels there, but because we’re there, and that is one of our considerations when we say that in every agreement, or even without an agreement,” that Israeli troops would have to reserve full freedom of action in the West Bank.
The IDF has no interest in entering Palestinian areas with large forces, “but our principle is and will always remain to maintain the right to act according to necessity,” Netanyahu said. “Under no circumstances will we give up on our right to enter any place west of the Jordan River,” if the operational reality requires such incursions, he added.
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