Col. (res.) Moshe Givati, former Hevron Brigade Commander and former settlement affairs advisor to the Defense Minister, was asked by Arutz-7 what else Israel can do to fight terrorism. He said that an offensive along the lines of last April's Operation Defensive Shield may be necessary, including house to house searches, etc. "We can always do more," he said, "but as a democratic country we want to maintain some sort of moral image; we don't want to hurt the population and disrupt their lives - most are not guilty. By going into a city - Beit Hanoun or Hevron, for example - for a week, we will have to make them suffer for a week, but there simply may be no choice, since they're suffering in any event. So they'll suffer a bit more, and at the end one city will be totally clean, and the residents will be able to return to their normal lives."



When asked why Israel has not opted to expel Arafat, Givati replied, "I don't have all the information, but I can say that although he causes damage in the Mukata, he can do more [damage] while touring the capitals of Europe. At least here, we neutralize him." Asked about the option of assassinating Arafat, the former Defense Ministry advisor said that he "wouldn't go so far so as to kill a PA leader, even if he's not accepted by us." Givati added, "In my opinion, the genuine Zionist answer to terrorism is not only to kill terrorists - in place of one, another two will arise - but to build new communities in the Land of Israel. This is the 'true Zionist response'."