Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that if Hamas chooses to escalate cross-border tensions, Israel's reaction to the attacks will be measured.
Netanyahu spoke during his visit in Moscow, and sources close to the prime minister said that he was not eager to launch a comprehensive operation in the Gaza Strip.
Moreover, Netanyahu said that U.S. President Barack Obama called him on Thursday evening and complimented him for using relative restraint in Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip. Obama also extended his condolences regarding the deadly bombing in Jerusalem on Wednesday and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel's security.
Netanyahu said that the Palestinian Authority and its president Mahmoud Abbas must choose between continuing negotiations with Hamas or continuing talks with Israel.
In his meetings with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev, Netanyahu asked them to stop supplying anti-ship missiles to Syria. He noted that following the revolutions in the Middle East, Russia must think over well such deals.
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