Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told senior advisers to US President Joe Biden that an operation in Gaza might be on the agenda in their meeting the day before launching Operation Shield and Arrow on Tuesday.
In his meeting with White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk and Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security Amos Hochstein on Monday, Netanyahu made vague reference to a planned response to recent rockets from Gaza, but did not tell them when it would happen, a diplomatic source said, confirming a report by KAN News.
McGurk and Hocstein responded supportively, the source said.
Netanyahu also spoke with US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides on Monday, ahead of the operation, but did not tell him about it.
Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant decided on the operation soon after Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched 102 rockets at Israel last week. They originally planned to target the terrorists on Friday but waited for technical reasons.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks with an IDF official at the start of Operation Shield and Arrow, May 9, 2023. (credit: ARIEL HERMONI/DEFENSE MINISTRY)A senior diplomatic source permitted to speak for the government said that the senior Islamic Jihad terrorists were planning additional terrorist attacks against Israel.
“Israel clarified in the past and clarifies again that whoever initiates terrorist attacks against us will not be forgiven. We will protect the citizens of Israel everywhere and with full force,” he said.
Israeli statements about such operations usually say that Jerusalem views Hamas as responsible for what happens in Gaza, but this time, the senior diplomatic source only mentioned Islamic Jihad, a possible attempt to avoid an escalation.
Netanyahu and Gallant did not convene the Security Cabinet to authorize the operation, receiving permission from Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Meara to do so. A diplomatic source said they did not call the cabinet in part out of a concern that the decision would be leaked to the media.
The small forum that decided to launch the operation did not include National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who boycotted this week’s cabinet meeting and whose faction members did not take part in Knesset meetings and votes in protest of the lack of a response to the rockets from Gaza.
On Tuesday, Ben-Gvir tweeted: “It’s about time!”Foreign Minister Eli Cohen learned of the operation after landing in India for diplomatic meetings on Tuesday morning. He decided to shorten his visit to Delhi and return to Israel after his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
UN Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland said he was “deeply alarmed” by the military operation in Gaza, condemning the death of civilians in the strike, which he said killed five women, four children and a doctor.
A fire is seen following an explosion in Gaza May 9, 2023. (credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS)“I urge all concerned to exercise maximum restraint and avoid an escalation,” he said. “I remain fully engaged with all sides in an attempt to avoid a broader conflict with devastating consequences for all.”
Russian citizen killed in strikes
Among the civilians killed in the strike were Dzhamal Khasvan, a Russian citizen, and his wife and son. He left behind two more children, who recently received Russian citizenship.
Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov expressed regret and sent condolences to the victims.
“We call to stop all unilateral violent actions, including the creation of irreversible realities on the ground and disproportionate use of force by anyone, which causes casualties among innocent Palestinians and Israelis. There can be no justification for such actions, no matter what goals they are motivated by,” Viktorov said.
“Only a return to direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations on all final status issues will be able to break the vicious circle of violence and radicalization as well as to restore mutual trust.”
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