[IMRA: Yesterday it was reported that Defense Minister Amir Peretz ordered
the IDF not to target Palestinian rocket teams if such an attack would
endanger Palestinian civilians.]

IAF Chief: If we wait - Qassams will keep falling

'We don't want to hit civilians,' Maj. Gen. Eliezer Shkedy tells Ynet, but
adds: Our duty is to continue to fight terrorism. Despite civilian deaths in
IAF air strike in Khan Younis, Shkedy says air force will continue its
anti-terror missions
Hanan Greenberg YNET (06.22.06, 01:20)
.ww.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3265897,00.html

Israel Air Force Chief Major-General Eliezer Shkedy said that despite the
recent botched missile strikes, which resulted in Palestinian civilian
deaths, "our duty is to continue to fight terrorism. This is what the state
of Israel expects of us."

Shkedy made the comments a few hours after an air force missile misfired,
hitting a residential building instead of a van occupied by terrorists, and
adding two more innocents to the list of civilian casualties killed by the
air force, which has been growing over the past few weeks.

"Terror organizations hit towns, homes, families. We have a great
responsibility to do all we can to minimize these attacks. Of course, with
minimal risk to the civilian population, and we are making immense efforts
in this," Shkedy said.

"Lately we can see that the terror cells have changed their operation
tactics. They work from the stage of manufacturing the Qassams, through
transporting them to firing them in the yards of houses, in crowded places
and they are exposed for very short time periods, to keep out of our line of
fire. If we wait endlessly for a car full of terrorists to drive out into an
open area, we may be waiting a very long time - they won't come out and will
continue to launch rockets at Israel. The air force must adjust to this type
of activity. It is very complicated and problematic, and therefore we are
working in a complex manner, which obligates us to make immense and supreme
efforts so that on the one hand we hit the terror cells and on the their we
avoid hittin civilians as much as possible," Shkedy said.

All air force incidents probed thoroughly

Shkedy said all air force incidents probed thoroughly, regardless of whether
they are successful or not.

"Since the IDF retreat from Gaza, the IAF has become more dominant. This
year the number of (air force) attacks is five times higher than it was
during the same time in 2005. The air force is operating almost exclusively
in Gaza, as long as a ground offensive is ruled out - but a ground operation
is also a possibility," he said.

"Our policy is to act with caution; as human beings we do not want to harm
civilians. Hurting terrorists also has an operational aspect to it, as each
incident increases the pressure on the terror organizations.

Shkedy said an IAF operation aimed at attacking terrorist cells may last for
hours, or even a day.

"Those who eventually authorize the aircraft to open fire are very high in
ranking. They are part of a very select group in the air force, which
includes me. These people have commanded over dozens of similar operations.
I trust each and every one of them; they are talented, experienced and
rational," he said.

"The (attacks from the air) are the most accurate alternative we have as
long as there is no ground offensive. We will continue with the operations
to deal with the Qassam fire. It must be remembered that since May we have
carried out 15 such operations - this has brought results. We are a country
that must fight terror at all times."

(06.22.06, 01:20)