Ayelet Shaked
Ayelet ShakedMeir Elipur

Arutz Sheva Staff reported that former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (of Yamina) rejected criticism from the left against Defense Minister Naftali Bennett's decision to retrieve the body of a Gaza terrorist following an attempt to plant an explosive device near the perimeter fence.

The move is viewed as an attempt to gain bargaining chips [in a potential deal to obtain the bodies of IDF soldiers Hadar Shaul and Oren Goldin, killed during Operation Protective Edge. Hamas has been holding their bodies as a way of pressuring Israel into making political concessions. The move comes at an especially opportune moment for pressuring Hamas into releasing the soldiers' bodies with Israeli security brass recently visiting Qatar to discuss the Gulf kingdom's financial aid to Gaza and Hamas representatives holding negotiations with Egypt regarding potential policy changes.

"We are fighting a terrorist organization that is holding the bodies of our soldiers and civilians, and we will do everything we can to obtain a bargaining edge. If it involves [terrorists' bodies], we will do it as well. We will do whatever we can to exert pressure on them," Shaked said.

Regarding the Defense Minister's security policy in Gaza, Shaked said: "It is impossible to change the reality of 15 years in two and a half months. There will be no escape from widespread action when it suits us and in a way that suits us."