Seemingly, Defense Minister Ehud Barak is incapable of really imposing an embargo on Gaza despite continued Kassam rocket attacks into southern Israeli areas.

On Wednesday morning, Barak boldly announced again that the Gaza crossings would remain closed, due to yet another Kassam rocket attack on Tuesday afternoon. Barak announced this week that the crossings would not be opened to permit the delivery of goods to the PA until there was a 24-hour period of quiet, a cessation of attacks.

Nevertheless, on Wednesday afternoon, ten trucks were on the move, carrying aid supplies. In addition, the defense minister approved delivering 70 tons of cooking gas.

Admittedly, the supplies are only a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed, but Barak and the current administration seem incapable of making aid conditional to the release of Gilad Shalit, or at the very least, permission that someone be able to visit him and give testimony regarding his physical and emotional state after close to 900 days in captivity. His simple and logistical demand, a halt in rocket fire from Gaza, also seems to much a test for the defense minister, who once again acquiesced to international pressure.

In the meantime, at about 18:30 on Wednesday, rockets landed in southern Israel, near Zikim. There were no injuries.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)