Jerusalem, 7 April 2002
Cabinet Communique
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), April 7, 2002:
1. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon conveyed his congratulations and
appreciation to the soldiers of the IDF, the Israel Police, the
Border Police, the Mossad, the Israel Security Agency, Magen David
Adom, and all the volunteers who are today standing - and
are ready
to stand - in the face of the dangers before the State of Israel.
Prime Minister Sharon said the campaign now being waged is a
difficult one, but one that it has recorded many accomplishments. The
Prime Minister remarked that this is a very serious campaign. Israel
is adhering to a policy of avoiding attacks on civilians, thus
prolonging the actions and making them more difficult.
Prime Minister Sharon emphasized that this is a fateful fight for our
homeland in which Israel has suffered many casualties. The Prime
Minister conveyed both his and the government's participation in the
sorrow of the bereaved families, and his best wishes for a recovery
to the wounded. The Prime Minister reiterated that we all stand
together in this campaign which is decisive for the continued
existence of a secure Israel, which is a condition for attaining
peace - the vision and desire of us all.
2. Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer reviewed the IDF actions and
said that the security forces are operating simultaneously in most of
the main cities in Judea and Samaria, which have become hothouses for
terror. The IDF is also operating in the rural areas to which several
wanted fugitives have fled.
During the weekend, the IDF almost completed its takeover of Jenin
and Nablus, despite having encountered very harsh resistance by armed
men who barricaded themselves, engaging in the preparation of
hundreds of bombs, car-bombs and suicide-attackers.
The most important achievements of the IDF's actions to date are the
arrest of or attacks on dozens of wanted, very senior terrorists from
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Tanzim and the PFLP; striking an especially
severe blow at the leaders of Hamas' military wing in Judea and
Samaria; and the discovery of several laboratories for preparing
bombs and varied war materiel. The IDF has also found considerable
quantities of important documents, including those which attest to
the active sponsorship of terror by Arafat and the Palestinian
Authority.
Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer noted that the IDF needs time in order
to complete this action and to eradicate as much of the terrorist
infrastructure as possible.
3. Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz briefed the Cabinet on the
developments in the military campaign to date. The Cabinet held a
discussion based on the briefing, and authorized the following
statement:
"The Government of Israel shares the grief of the bereaved families
of IDF fallen who were killed in the course of the battles and the
victims of the murderous terror attacks, and wishes a speedy recovery
to all the wounded. The Government congratulates the IDF, its
soldiers and commanders in the regular service and in the reserves,
for their fighting spirit, courage, perseverance, and their
accomplishments in Operation Defensive Shield.
Congratulations are conveyed to the ISA, Mossad and Israel Police as
well for their dedicated work to assure the security of the citizens
of Israel.
Israel, like any country in the world, has the right to defend itself
against the cruel terror perpetrated against it from centers of
terror located only several kilometers from its population centers.
Israel is exercising this right in an unparalleled manner as regards
the moral code and the care being taken to avoid inflicting damage on
the civilian population.
The campaign against terror is necessary for the protection of
Israeli citizens, and essential in order to pave the way to peace.
The world must support Israel in this difficult and moral struggle
against cruel terror, while exercising the right to defend itself."
4. The Cabinet decided to amend the National Insurance Law so as to
deny the payment of benefits to the heirs or next-of-kin of those who
are killed or disabled while carrying out terror attacks.