“We cannot allow Gaza to remain under Hamas control.”

(Israeli Foreign Minister Tzpi Livni) [2]


“This operation will be extended and deepened as we find necessary… [E]liminating the threat of rocket attacks from Gaza will entail toppling the Hamas rule over the Strip and uprooting the Iranian base there.”

(Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak) [3]


“The goal of the operation is to topple Hamas… We will stop fire immediately if someone takes the responsibility of this government, anyone but Hamas.”

(Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon) [4]


“We are hitting not only terrorists and launchers, but also the whole Hamas government and all its wings… After this operation there will not be one Hamas building left standing in Gaza.”

(Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Brigadier-General Dan Harel) [5]

———————

NOTES

1) Why Israel prefers the cease-fire in Gaza

by Yaakov Katz, Jerusalem Post, 14 December 2008

 http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1228728196517


2) Livni: Gaza cannot remain under Hamas control

by Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz, 15 December 2008

 http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1046182.html


3) Barak: This is ‘all out war’ on Hamas

by Gil Hoffman, Jerusalem Post, 29 December 2008

 http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230456512919&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull


4) Israel concedes attacks aim to topple Hamas

Press TV, 29 December 2008

 http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=79863&sectionid=351020202


5) Deputy chief of staff: Worst still ahead

by Tova Dadon, Ynetnews, 29 December 2008

 http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3646462,00.html

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