GOI WARNS ROCKETS ATTACKS FROM GAZA UNACCEPTABLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001039 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2018 TAGS: PREL MOPS PTER MARR MASS IS SUBJECT: GOI WARNS ROCKETS ATTACKS FROM GAZA UNACCEPTABLE AND WILL BE STOPPED Classified By: Luis G. Moreno, Deputy Chief of Mission. Reasons: 1.4 (b, d). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) In the wake of a mid-afternoon rocket strike May 14 on a shopping mall in Ashkelon, ISRAEL that injured 14 persons, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert told the audience and TV viewers of a convention welcoming visiting President Bush that such continued attacks could not be tolerated and that the Israeli Government would be taking action to stop them. Early May 15, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) rocket strike on a Qassam launch site in the Gaza Strip reportedly killed two Hamas terrorists and injured two others. Defense Minister Barak, visiting the shopping mall in Ashkelon within hours of the IAF strike, told those present, "We will not allow this situation to continue. We will do everything needed to make sure it doesn't." The rocket attack -- press reports vary as to whether it was a Qassam or a longer-range "Grad" -- raises the stakes in that it injured a considerable number of people in Askhelon, a city of 120,000 north of the Gaza Strip, and occurred during President Bush's visit. Israelis arguing that terrorist capabilities in the Gaza Strip need to be dramatically reduced will invariably point to it as ample justification for a large-scale ground incursion in the near future. END SUMMARY. -------------- --- ROCKET ATTACK ON ASHKELON MALL RAISES THE STAKES -------------- --- ¶2. (SBU) Shortly before 1800 local time, May 14, a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip slammed into a shopping mall in Ashkelon, injuring 14 civilians. Initial news reports cited Islamic Jihad as claiming responsibility, and noted that three of the victims were in serious condition. Subsequent news reports identified the rocket as a "Grad", Katyusha-style rocket launched by the Salah al-Din Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, a Palestinian terrorist group operating in the Gaza Strip. (COMMENT: Regardless of which group launched the attack, the GOI will assert that Hamas is ultimately responsible as it controls the Gaza Strip. END COMMENT.) ¶3. (SBU) The attack occurred shortly before President Peres, Prime Minister Olmert, and President Bush spoke at a packed convention center in Jerusalem as part of the ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding. Before giving his prepared remarks, Olmert told his listeners -- most of whom appeared already aware of the attack -- that continued such attacks were completely unacceptable, and that the Government was doing everything it could and would take the necessary action to stop the attacks. ¶4. (SBU) Press reports the morning of May 15 reported that earlier in the morning, the IAF carried out a rocket strike against a Qassam launch site in the Gaza Strip. Hamas claimed that two of its "fighters" were killed in the strike, and that two others were wounded. ¶5. (SBU) A few hours later, Defense Minister Barak visited the shopping mall, and told listeners present, "We will not allow this situation to continue. We will do everything needed to make sure that it doesn't." Barak then toured the site with Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai and IDF Home Front Command Chief MGEN Yair Golan. The Vice Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Ashkelon indicated to the press after meeting with DefMin Barak that Ashkelon can hold out "for a little longer" under such attacks, but not much longer, and could not afford an exodus of residents that would be likely if rockets continue to hit the city. -------------- -------------- COMMENT: PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT TO ACT IS MOUNTING -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The May 14 rocket strike in Ashkelon ups the ante in terms of the casualties and because it happened in a shopping mall in Ashkelon, a city of 120,000 and the location of one of Israel's power stations supplying electricity to a third of the country. The attack is being portrayed as a bold challenge by the Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip, coming as it does on the heels of an offer for a truce made by the Egyptians on behalf of Hamas, and also during President Bush's visit. Defense Minister Barak has said on numerous occasions over the last year that it is only a TEL AVIV 00001039 002 OF 002 matter of time before ISRAEL will have to re-enter the Gaza Strip in a large-scale ground incursion in order to destroy the terrorists' growing capabilities there. The May 14 rocket strike -- occurring within five days of a mortar attack that killed a father of three in Kfar Aza, and a Qassam rocket strike that killed a 70-year old woman visiting relatives in the village of Yesha -- is being pointed to by proponents of aggressive action in Gaza as the last straw and ample justification for taking decisive action in the Gaza Strip. While President Bush is in Israel, Israel's leadership will focus on him and work to ensure that the visit ends well. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister and IDF leadership are acutely aware that while Jerusalem is celebrating the U.S. President's visit, there are many in southern ISRAEL who are suffering and who feel there is no end in sight while rockets continue to fall on them. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** JONES