JERUSALEM – The Israeli Defense Forces has been instructed by the government here not to open fire or take any action against militants who are discovered launching rockets into the Jewish state, senior military officials told WND today.
The officials said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's security cabinet changed the IDF's rules of engagement after a cease-fire went into effect Nov. 26. Now, if Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are caught launching rockets at Jewish cities, the Israeli military is forbidden to respond, the military officials said.
Previously, the IDF used artillery units and aerial strikes against militants discovered in the process of launching rockets.
Since the truce was agreed to last week, about 20 rockets have been launched from Gaza into Jewish cities nearby.
IDF sources told WND the Israeli army several times the past few days identified militants about to launch rockets into Israel, but due to changed rules of engagement in response to the cease-fire, IDF forces were prohibited from taking out the rocket crews. For example, hours after the cease-fire was imposed, IDF units spotted seven Palestinians in Gaza setting up rocket launchers. Three rockets were then fired into Israel.
"There is nothing we can do about the rocket attacks. It's only a matter of time before an Israeli is killed," said an IDF official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to media.
Olmert today told the Knesset his government would react with restraint to continuing Qassam attacks, saying Israel was hoping to give the cease-fire a chance to develop into further steps toward what he called a "peace process."
"We will fully explore every possibility that can lead to momentum to begin a diplomatic process, and so we are now giving the truce a chance," Olmert told the Knesset parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.