Tension increases on Gaza border as rockets fired from Gaza towards communities in the south; Iron Dome activated

A local mayor calls on the government to exert its jurisdiction over the Gaza border communities before talking about extending it to the West Bank; 'I demand they take responsibility for our safety,' he says

Matan Zuri, Yoav Zitun|Updated:01.31.20 | 21:49

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Sirens blared for a second time Friday evening as rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at border communities in southern Israel.

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Earlier the Iron Dome intercepted one of the rockets and shrapnel caused some damage to homes in the town of Sderot.
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Iron Dome intercepting rocket from Gaza 
(Photo: Anton Lavrushko)
This is the third time in one day that projectiles were fired from Gaza.
A cluster of balloons carrying an explosive device detonated over Sderot in the early evening hours. 
Ofir Libstein, mayor of the Sha'ar Negev regional council said the silence of the Israeli government in the face of rocket fire on the citizens in the area is immoral and unacceptable. "While everyone is talking about the annexation of the West Bank I suggest the government first extend its authority over our communities," Libstein said. "I demand they take responsibility for our security."
Visitors were expected in the area as a local flower and music festival that sees thousands of visitors every year, opened Friday. The military positioned warning systems in case of attacks though organizers say nothing can alert them to incendiary or explosive devices that are dispatched from the Strip carried by balloons.
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Flowers in  bloom at Flower Festival in the south of Israel 
(Photo:  Roi Idan)
IDF officials say that the military holds Hamas responsible for what is happening in the Gaza Strip and it will carry the consequences for any action against Israeli citizens. 
Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have rejected the Trump peace plan revealed Tuesday, which would allow Israel to annex all of its Jewish settlements, along with the Jordan Valley, in the West Bank. 
Hamas has vowed that "all options are open" in responding to the proposal, but is not believed to be seeking another war with Israel.
 

First published: 22:15, 01.31.20

3Comments

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Bibi, Lieberman, Bennett major disappointments.

Is there no one in Israel able to run the military?

Sam| 02.02.20

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slow reactions to gaza rockets

though Bennett is far better than weak netanyahu as defense minister, Israel has to take the next step and fire land rockets into gaza to put the terror equation on the heads of the adversary. airplane reactions are insufficient. comments from amir peretz are worthless as he buggered up the hezbollah war along with incompetent olmert. other than concessions, he has nothing to offer. he is on a par with gantz who is rushing to bring trump's plan to the knesset without fully assessing it.also gantz's performance in gaza was poor. Lieberman has the right idea about hamas but acted like bibi #2 as defense minister. bibi is mostly bluster. he is a man beset by fears. he was a lousy defense minister. he adopts whatever plan is pushed on him whether obama's general allen stupid sensor plan on the jordan valley with a 3 year lease to now ownership of the valley which he will not now declare because kirchner said don't do it yet. bibi lacks guts period other than a big mouth. he is a press spokesman or tourism minister no more. he should not be anywhere near a security portfolio.

arieh| 02.01.20

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If hamas is not seeking war?

If hamas is not seeking war, then what are they seeking? It ain't peace. Somewhat laughable. There is nothing short of surrender that would make hamas happy. They might not want a war now, but they do want war.

lee| 01.31.20

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