Netanyahu warns Hamas, Islamic Jihad

I advise the Hamas and Islamic Jihad not to test Israel's capabilities, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in response to the salvos of rockets that pounded southern Israel. Israel does not seek an escalation and will defend itslef against all those seeking to harm its citizens he said. President Shimon Peres said the government will do everything in its power to bring an end to the intolerable situation. Peres stressed Israel does not seek war, even though the rockets fired from Gaza are a declaration of war. "While the majority of Arabs are trying to end oppression and poverty, Hamas is bringing oppression and poverty to the Gaza Strip," Peres declared Sunday. Any country would respond as Israel does to indiscriminate rocket fire on its citizens, Peres said.