class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>
Hamas’s dastardly attack has caught Israel off guard. Massive and surprising rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip took place on Saturday morning. The fighting continues. It is the worst attack on Israel in half a century. The country is in a state of war.
Blick: Madam Ambassador, on Saturday the radical Islamic organization Hamas fired hundreds of rockets into Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (73) then declared a state of war. How did you react to the news from Israel?
Ifat Reshef: The news coming out of Israel since yesterday morning is terrible. It’s not just the thousands of missiles and rockets being fired at Israel. It is the arbitrary and barbaric killing of civilians in several Israeli communities infiltrated by Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip. More than 600 deaths have been confirmed and the number of victims continues to rise. In view of these massive terrorist attacks on the civilian population, Israel is waging war against terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. We will do what is necessary to protect the lives of our citizens.
What news do you hear from the people around you? How are your relatives in Israel doing?
My immediate family is doing fine, but the scale of yesterday’s massacres is such that every one of us Israelis knows someone who has been killed, injured or missing. Moreover, at this difficult moment, the entire Israeli people are united in their anger and grief. We are a family that mourns our dead.
Initial information suggests that this could be the most violent attack in recent Israeli history. According to the Israeli military, about 2,200 rockets were fired in the initial attacks. Why is this brutal attack happening now?
The numbers continue to rise and to date we have documented more than 3,500 missiles and rockets fired into Israel. The question of the timing of this completely unprovoked attack should be focused on the evil perpetrators and not on Israel. I suspect that the attackers misinterpreted the internal debates that have taken place in Israel in recent months over proposed reforms as an indication of a growing weakness that they wanted to exploit. They were also likely trying to sabotage the remarkable progress in developing relations between Israel and the Arab states, achieved through the historic Abraham Accords signed three years ago.
The likely explanation for the attack is that Hamas wants to torpedo the desired normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Do you think this is still realistic?
I believe that the Abraham Accords were a historic breakthrough achieved by courageous Arab leaders who recognized that their national interests required cooperation and partnership with Israel. This includes opposing those who seek to destabilize the region and return us to the era of war and violence – namely Iran and the terrorist organizations it supports. In my opinion, there is no turning back and no peace-loving country should give in to terrorism and evil.
Israel has one of the most powerful armies in the world and a well-equipped secret service. Still, it seems the attack took them by surprise. Individual voices in Israel even speak of a large-scale failure of the secret services. How do you explain that?
Serious questions need to be answered, but this is not the time to demand explanations. We are currently in the middle of a war, still searching for terrorists within Israel, ensuring that all communities on our soil are safe, and counting our dead. We must now do everything we can to restore safety to all our citizens. Other important questions will be answered at a later date.
Ifat Reshef (54) has been Israel’s ambassador to Switzerland since the end of 2021. She grew up in the Israeli coastal town of Netanya. After mandatory military service in the Israeli army, she began studying law at Tel Aviv University. Reshef is an experienced career diplomat at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which she joined in 1993.
Ifat Reshef (54) has been Israel’s ambassador to Switzerland since the end of 2021. She grew up in the Israeli coastal town of Netanya. After mandatory military service in the Israeli army, she began studying law at Tel Aviv University. Reshef is an experienced career diplomat at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which she joined in 1993.
Iran and the Iranian-funded militia Hezbollah congratulated Hamas for a “heroic action” after the attack began. What message do you have for Israel’s enemies?
Not only are Iran and Hezbollah encouraging Palestinian terrorist organizations to continue attacking Israel from Judea and Samaria and now Gaza. They fuel these attacks with money, weapons, leadership and of course their violent incitement against Israel. Our enemies must not be mistaken. We have suffered a heavy blow, but Israel is strong and will prevail.
What do you expect from the Swiss government? What can Switzerland, as a member of the UN Security Council, do against the attacks?
I expect that Switzerland will fully support Israel in its just fight against terrorism. I expect that Switzerland, as a member of the Security Council, will demand that the Palestinian Authority unconditionally condemn terrorism and stop encouraging attacks on Israelis through incitement, glorification of terrorists and payment of salaries to their families. This also results from Switzerland’s commitment to more secure international law.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
