|
Israel to declare Gaza 'hostile' | ||
The decision could lead to Israel cutting off vital water, fuel or electricity supplies to the territory. Palestinians say such a move would constitute collective punishment. Public pressure for retaliation has grown since an incident two weeks ago in which a rocket landed in an Israeli army base, injuring some 69 soldiers. Palestinian militant groups say the rocket fire is a response to Israeli military action in Gaza and the West Bank. International law Reports said Israeli officials hoped the new measures would put pressure on the Islamist movement, Hamas, which in June ousted its rivals Fatah to seize control of Gaza, to halt rocket attacks. "The objective is to weaken Hamas," Defence Minister Ehud Barak said at the security cabinet meeting on Wednesday, an Israeli official told the Associated Press. Mr Barak is also reported to have said that Israel was moving closer to a large-scale military incursion into Gaza. "Every day that passes brings us closer to an operation in Gaza," he reportedly said. Correspondents say that by formally declaring Gaza "hostile", Israel could argue that it is no longer bound by international law governing the administration of occupied territory to supply utilities to its 1.5 million inhabitants. But the current position is that, under international law, Israel remains legally responsible for the coastal strip, despite withdrawing two years ago, because it still controls Gaza's borders, air space and territorial waters. | ||
