Gaza clashes cannot continue, says Israeli Minister

Reim, Israel - Israel’s Defence Minister said on Tuesday that months of violent Palestinian protests on the Gaza border cannot be allowed to go on, urging Cabinet colleagues to back tougher measures.

“The situation as it is today cannot continue,” Avigdor Lieberman told troops and commanders at an army base, near southern Israel’s border with Hamas-ruled Gaza. “We are not prepared to accept the level of violence we see week after week.”

The Hamas has organised months of often violent border protests, with at least 205 Palestinians and one Israeli killed since March 30. The protesters are de-

manding to be allowed to return to land now inside Israel, from which their families fled or were displaced during the 1948 war

surrounding the creation of the Jewish state. “We must strike Hamas a hard blow, this is the only way to bring the situation

back to what is was before and to reduce the level of violence,” Lieberman said.

(AFP) Palestinian protesters run away from tear gas fired by Israeli security forces during a demonstration on the beach near the maritime border with Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday