On 25-26 August, a number of northern borders settlements including the city of Kiryat Shmona came under Katyusha rocket attacks with loss of life and property. The Cabinet met and issued the following statement:
The Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs convened today (Wednesday), 26.8.98, following the events of the past 24 hours on the northern border, and resolved the following:
1. The Government of Israel expresses its appreciation to the IDF soldiers and their commanders facing terrorism in Lebanon, and solidarity with the Israeli citizens living in the north of the country.
2. Israel considers the Katyusha attack on its population centers to be a severe violation of the understandings achieved following Operation Grapes of Wrath.
3. Israel will continue to fight terrorist organizations and act to protect its citizens in the north of the country and to restore security on its border with Lebanon.
4. The Prime Minister has instructed a team - comprised of the Defense Minister, the Finance Minister, the Interior Minister and the Education Minister - to meet this week with the Confrontation Line Communities Forum, in order to solve the problem of shelters and their maintenance in the northern border communities.