Knesset Speaker supports dialogue with Hamas in Gaza

As the political and security leadership in Tel Aviv continue their assessment of the recent military escalation against the Gaza Strip, the Speaker of the Knesset has said that he supports the concept of dialogue with the Islamic Resistance Movement in Gaza. Seven Palestinians have been killed, and dozens more have been wounded, in Israeli attacks against Gaza over the past few days.

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Reuven Rivlin expressed his support for the concept of negotiations and dialogue with Hamas as part of a bilateral political process in which the Israeli side would be one party. “We have to take Egypt’s reaction into consideration, given that they are an important player in the region,” added Rivlin, “but this doesn’t mean that we can keep 100,000 Israelis in bomb shelters every night.”

Likud politician and cabinet member Benny Begin, meanwhile, called on his government to exercise restraint in dealing with its attack on Gaza. However, he rejected the idea of talking with Hamas, which he described as “a terror organisation that calls for the destruction of Israel”.

Israel’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Labour, Shalom Simhon, said that the country will know how to respond to the Palestinian resistance if attacks from Gaza continue.