Chairman Shaul Mofaz of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee said Monday that, "Israe must use its long arm and act against terror leaders in Gaza. Addressing a scholarship-award ceremony at the Netanya Academic College, the former defense minister said that if the Israel Defense Forces have to enter the Hamas-controlled area again, it should be with the goal of destroying the terror group's government.
The former chief of staff said, "Events in Arab countries have created an interim situation exploited by Gaza terror organizations. Israel must maintain its defensive deterrent, on the one hand, and act, on the other hand, to widen the circle of peace, first with the Palestinians, then with Syria." He said Israel must make an effort to maintain its peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, without which, the Jewish state would have to add ten billion shekels to the defense budget.