Little time for tears as Israelis bury their dead and demand vengeance

Published on Tuesday 30 December 2008 21:11

HASTE mixed with anguish yesterday in the Israeli city of Ashdod, as its first rocket victim was laid to rest amid on the fourth day of Israel's war with Hamas.

There was unrestrained sobbing over the body of Irit Shetreet, 39, a school secretary and mother of four, whose death has reinforced a sense among her countrymen that the aerial onslaught in Gaza is just, despite the enormity of death and destruction on the other side.

"Ima, Ima," (mother, mother), Chen Shetreet, 20, cried as the remains of her mother – killed by shrapnel on her way home from a gym – were borne to burial plot 57 of Ashdod cemetery.

Ms Shetreet was one of four Israelis killed by rockets since the bombardment of Gaza began on Saturday, resulting in the death of more than 370 Palestinians. Twelve Palestinians were killed yesterday, according to reports, including two sisters aged four and 11.

The stated purpose of the bombings, which are overwhelmingly backed by the Israeli public, is to stop Hamas rocket fire against Israel. But the onslaught has been met by determined efforts from the Islamic militant group.

A rocket hit the city of Beersheba, 28 miles into Israel, for the first time yesterday, crashing into an empty nursery school. A second rocket landed in an open area nearby.

The eulogies for Ms Shetreet, whose body was wrapped in the Israeli flag, were short because of the fear of further strikes. Shimon Azra, Ms Shetreet's uncle, said: "I was at her house and she served tea and cookies.

"On our way home, my wife and I heard there was a rocket in Ashdod and we telephoned her, but no-one answered. It was only in the morning we found out she was the one who had been killed."

The eulogies were charged with anger as rabbis and politicians layered the death with religious and nationalist significance. Yosef Sheinin, the chief rabbi of Ashdod, called Ms Shetreet a martyr: "She died in order to sanctify God's name. She died because she was Jewish."

Yechiel Lasri, Ashdod's mayor, said of the Gaza bombardments: "We are acting correctly, but we are paying a dear price."

He said the conflict "has been going on since the start of Zionism more than a century ago. We say to the Israel defence forces, the government and the citizens of the country that the 250,000 citizens of Ashdod are not broken."

Support for the bombardments is not unanimous and some politicians caution that Israel must avoid a ground offensive. "We need to declare an immediate and unilateral cease-fire," said Zehava Galon, of the left-wing Meretz party.

David Grossman, a renowned Israeli writer, said: "A line of restraint and awareness of the need to defend the lives of innocent Gaza civilians must be preserved at this time, especially because there is no limit to Israeli power compared to their's."

Israel's security cabinet will meet today and there were reports that the country was considering a 48-hour "humanitarian" truce to allow in vital aid.

Israel is under pressure from senior officials of the "quartet" of Middle East peace brokers that includes the United States, which yesterday called for an immediate ceasefire.

President George Bush and his top advisers also conducted an urgent round of telephone diplomacy.

Yesterday, however, small group of placard-waving pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered near US president-elect Barack Obama's vacation retreat in Hawaii to protest.

EU proposes aid 'corridors' – but plan depends on ceasefire

FOREIGN powers pressed Israel and Hamas last night to accept a truce allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, after four days of Israeli air attacks and rocket fire by Hamas militants.

A senior western diplomat said European Union states were discussing ways to open humanitarian corridors to Gaza, by land, air or sea, but establishing them would require Israel and Hamas to hold their fire.

An Israeli government official said French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner spoke to Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak by phone.

"We are willing to work closely with all relevant international parties," Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said.

But he added: "At the same time, it is important to keep the pressure up on Hamas, not give them a respite, time to regroup and reorganise."

Earlier, Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said: "There is no room to talk of calm amid continued aggression and siege."

Hamas has said a ceasefire must also bring a lifting of Israel's Gaza blockade.

A separate plan, under discussion by Turkey, Egypt and several Arab governments, calls for a ceasefire and reopening of Gaza's crossings with Israel.