Israel's Netanyahu threatens Hamas with 'very strong blows' Trump wants people to come to US on basis of merit

JERUSALEM: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday threatened to inflict "very strong blows" on Hamas after fresh violence along the border with the Gaza Strip controlled by the Islamist group.

"Hamas has apparently not understood the message -- if these attacks do not stop, they will be stopped in another way, in the form of very, very strong blows", Netanyahu said during the weekly cabinet meeting.

"We are very close to another type of action which would include very strong blows. If Hamas is intelligent, it will cease fire and violence now", he added.

Israel on Friday suspended fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip, after fresh protests along the border that saw seven Palestinians killed by Israeli troops. The suspension came days after fuel supplies had begun running to the enclave, in a fresh bid to ease an Israeli blockade that has lasted more than 10 years.

A Un-brokered deal had seen Qatar, a longtime Hamas backer, pledge to pay USD 60 million (52 million euros) for fuel to be brought into Gaza over six months to supply the strip's sole power plant.

On Saturday, Israel's Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said fuel deliveries would only resume if there was a "total cessation of violence, the launching of incendiary ballons (from Gaza towards Israel) and the use of burning tyres against Israeli towns" near the enclave. WASHINGTON DC: President Donald Trump has said that he wants people with merit to enter the United States, a move that can help technology professionals from countries such as India.

"I'm very tough at the borders. We've been very tough at the borders. People have to come into our country legally, not illegally. Legally. And I want them to come in on merit," Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday.

Responding to a series of question on illegal immigration, the president reiterated that he wants people based on merit, a move that can help technology professionals from countries such as India.

"What I want is merit. I want a lot of people to come in. We have great car companies entering our country again. This hasn't happened for 35 years. We have companies like Foxconn going to Wisconsin with a massive, massive plant," he said.

"We need people coming in, but we want them to come in on merit. We want people that are going to help us. It's very important," Trump said.

Observing that immigration is not tricky to him, he insisted that the administration and the Congress have to do the right thing whether there's an election or not.

He opposed the chain migration policy and said, "If that's a bad policy, then guess what, a lot of bad things are going to happen. But a lot of people agree with me. I would say a vast majority of our country agrees. They don't want criminals coming into our country. They don't want people that they don't want in the country that aren't going to help us as a country. They don't want these people coming in. So we have a very strong policy."

"The one thing that really has changed over the last couple of years since I've been President -- our country is doing so well, even with real interest -- not with false interest rates. Zero interest. Anybody can do well with zero interest. We're the hottest country in the world, economically, by far. You take a look at us compared to China, compared to everybody else, we're the hottest country in the world. A lot of people are trying to come in. Our border security, our ICE, our law enforcement is doing an incredible job," he said.