Despite the new government promising to respond aggressively towards Palestinian terrorist attacks, for the second time in as many months Israel did not respond to a rocket launch from the Gaza Strip. Last night, there was no response from the Israel Defense Forces after a rocket launched from Gaza fell in an open area in the Shaar HaNegev Regional Council area.
According to the estimates, it is possible that the Israeli avoidance comes against the background of the planned summit in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh taking place today (Sunday), with the aim of calming the tensions ahead of the month of Ramadan.
A new branch of the Lions' Den terror group claims responsibility for a rocket fired from Gaza on Saturday night
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) March 19, 2023
Dr. Jacques Neriah says Israel's lack of retaliation ahead of a crucial security summit is meant to ensure the PA representatives have no reason to refuse to attend pic.twitter.com/UDK2mkOfCa
Despite this, the opposition was quick to attack the government for the lack of response to the shooting from the Gaza Strip. "The government's policy of lack of reaction in the south and the north radiates weakness," said a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Gideon Sa'ar. "The containment of terrorist attacks and rocket fire will not bring peace but a security deterioration."
The chairman of the Israel Beiteinu faction, Oded Forer, said that "by bowing and lowering its gaze in the face of terrorism, the Netanyahu-Ben Gvir government changed the policy of the previous government, from attack to retreat. The transition from an aggressive and proactive policy that responded to every shooting, to a containment and restrainment policy happened faster than everyone expected. A rocket and another rocket and the drippings are back. We will all pay dearly for the weakness of this bad government."
The Gaza based Lion's Den claiming responsibility for the one rocket fired into southern Israel on Saturday.
— Hamdah Salhut (@hamdahsalhut) March 19, 2023
No reports of injuries or damage.
This is the second consecutive time Israel has not responded to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/1VSgZr6taP
MK Debbie Bitan From Yish Atid said: "Another restless night accompanied by anxiety and vigilance for the launch of the next rocket. Since the beginning of the year, 36 rockets have been launched toward Sderot and the surrounding area. Last night, a rocket was launched towards the Shaar HaNegev Council a few minutes before the protest to preserve democracy, miraculously no disaster occurred."
Debbie added that "unfortunately, the Israeli government has yet to fully respond and it did the same when a rocket was fired about ten days ago. It is not for nothing that the polls show that the previous government, the Lapid-Bennett coalition, was better and safer," she added and claimed.
Since the beginning of the year, including today, I've observed claims of rocket fire by the Lions' Den in Gaza. It's time to put this nonsense to rest. There is no formally established Lions' Den in Gaza. It's a front org. for several established groups such as Hamas & Islamic… https://t.co/3P07Eyu3YZ pic.twitter.com/u1uxsWhjOX
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) March 19, 2023
"Today we have a policy of containment that allows rockets to be launched at us, which continues to damage the personal and security resilience of the citizens. Oh, I remembered; there are more important things than our lives: a governmental coup to allow corruption and personal favors. Shame!"
