Will Gaza kites lead to war with Israel?

Although Israeli politicians are pressing the military to adopt harsh measures against Gaza for the incendiary kites being dispatched into Israel, the army is displaying more responsibility, being careful to avoid an escalation that could result in all-out war.

“The south is going up in flames,” Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said in a June 19 interview with the Ynet website. “Those who launch incendiary balloons or kites should face the same fate as those who launch rockets. … I'm certain the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] will act with determination against Hamas.” Her comments reflect the position of her party, HaBayit HaYehudi, as well as other politicians’ deep frustration with the inability of one of the world’s most advanced armies to respond effectively to the kite attacks.

According to data presented June 14 to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, the airborne firebombs from Gaza have set off 412 fires in Israel, incinerating 25,000 dunams (6,180 acres) of crops, with damage estimated at 7 million shekels ($1.92 million) at a minimum. While a military response to the kites would presumably be more expensive, the damage cannot be measured by a monetary value alone.

The smoke spiraling up from the Gaza border communities in recent weeks probably has implications for residents’ health, especially babies and those with breathing difficulties. The damage to the environment and wildlife is significant. Border residents, under constant threat of rocket attacks, are now also choking on smoke and suffering other attendant damage, paying a price for their leaders' procrastination in resolving the problems surrounding the closure Israel has imposed on Gaza. Successive Israeli governments have dragged their feet for 11 years, hoping the problem would somehow resolve itself.