“Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Calls for Government of National Unity Amidst War with Hamas”

In view of the war with the radical Islamic Hamas movement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the opposition to jointly form a “government of national unity”. “We are engaged in a mission for the homeland, a war to secure our existence, a war that we will win,” he said in a televised address.

Netanyahu declared the divisions among Israelis to be over. “We are all united.” The leadership should now also come together and form an emergency government with the opposition.

“This war was forced on us by a despicable enemy – by beasts who celebrate the murder of women, children and the elderly.” The images of destruction in Gaza were “just the beginning,” threatened Netanyahu. Hundreds of terrorists have already been “wiped out”.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been massive protests in Israel against a restructuring of the judiciary that Netanyahu’s right-wing, religious government is pushing forward. The bitter dispute led to a division in society. Some observers believe Israel’s internal disputes distracted it from the threat posed by Hamas.

He called on the opposition leaders to “immediately form an emergency government of national unity without any preconditions,” Netanyahu said in the televised address.

The radical Islamic group Hamas launched an unprecedented major attack on Israel on Saturday with thousands of rockets and fighters on the ground, in which, according to government figures, more than 800 people have been killed so far. Israel responded with massive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, bombing hundreds of targets. According to the latest Palestinian information, more than 680 people have been killed so far. Thousands of people were also injured on both sides. (dpa, AFP)