Yaakov Perry
Yaakov PerryFlash 90

Minister of Science and Technology Ya'akov Perry (Yesh Atid) offered a dissenting voice to calls to retake Gaza and launch a full-scale operation against Hamas on Sunday, admitting that such an operation is highly likely but expressing his own disapproval of the initiative.

"The ability to bring down an organization or government like Hamas almost does not exist," Perry stated. "You cannot destroy an ideology and you cannot destroy fanaticism." 

Despite this, Perry admitted that another operation could bring a solution to Hamas's constant rocket fire on Israel - if only a temporary one.

"Operation Cast Lead and Pillar of Defense led Israel to periods of peace," he acquiesced. "If there is no other way, we will have to take such action - even through measures I do not support in the first place." 

Perry also blamed the current situation on existing political policy - not for a lack of deterrence, but for too much of it. 

"Knesset members and ministers are rushing to [implement] the result of a 'they hit us, we hit them' mindset - eventually we will have to hit the general population [in Gaza]," Perry lamented. "We have come to a point were the relationship  towards the result of it hit us, hit them, and eventually hit the general population."

"We have come to the line where the relationship between the system and coexistence within Israel has reached a boiling point and no government - no army and no police force - is able to handle it," he added. 

Several ministers and MKs have called for Israel to retake or attack Gaza and institute a "zero tolerance" policy against terrorism over the weekend, after Hamas rocket fire on Israel and violence against Jewish Israelis has increased dramatically.

At least fifteen rockets were fired on Israel in a 12-hour period on Saturday. The IAF retaliated with targeted airstrikes

Hamas has been ignoring the IDF's ultimatum, which on Thursday called to stop the rocket fire within 48 hours or face war.