‘Leave us alone’

A senior Israeli official says Israel’s response to rockets fired by Hamas should have been more intense in order to get the job done before complaints mounted from the international community. Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel tells Army Radio:

It was obvious that international pressure would mount eventually. We should have acted faster, harder and with more determination. The rocket threat needs to be tackled. The tunnel threat is being addressed, but it is not enough.

On Obama’s calls for an immediate ceasefire:

Obama is stopping Israel just when we have Hamas against the wall […] Leave us alone, go focus on Syria.