Israel’s strategic affairs minister called for cutting power supplies to the Gaza Strip.
Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday he was preparing a proposal for the Olmert government to declare Gaza, from which cross-border rocket salvoes have surged this month, an independent and hostile political entity. That, he said, would empower Israel to suspend electricity to the Palestinian Authority.
“This absurd situation, in which the Rotenberg power station supplies electricity to the foundries in Gaza that manufacture Kassam rockets which are then fired at us, has got to stop,” Lieberman told Army Radio.
“Since we talked about disengagement and implemented disengagement, we have to disengage totally from Gaza, to cut off Gaza from Israel, to cut off Gaza from Judea and Samaria, and to find someone willing to take the responsibility,” Lieberman said, referring to Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said Israel will press its fight against Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza but will make efforts not to antagonize Palestinian civilians.
