 |
Contents:
ISRAEL PLANS TO BUILD FENCE ALONG SINAI Israel's military plans to build an advanced technology security fence along the border with Egypt. Israeli officials said the military has been drafting plans for an electronic fence and reconnaissance system that would include physical barriers along the 250 kilometer border with Egypt. They said the fence was meant to stop insurgency infiltration and smuggling from Egypt. "There were hopes that Egypt would improve security along our border after the Disengagement [Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip]," an official said. "Instead, border security has become worse." The only fence between Egypt and Israel spans 12 kilometers and is located north of Eilat. Under the military plan, Israel would establish a fence that would span the entire border from the Red Sea in the south to the Gaza Strip. Officials said construction of the fence could begin in 2007. They said the project would take at least two years. The military plan has been termed "Hourglass" and stipulates a fence equipped with infrared and electro-optic systems. Officials said the cameras would provide real-time alerts to infiltration and smuggling attempts. The project was expected to cost about $220 million, officials said. They said the plan would include the deployment of combat forces along the border.
ISRAEL PLANS TO BUILD FENCE ALONG SINAI Israel's military plans to build an advanced technology security fence along the border with Egypt. Israeli officials said the military has been drafting plans for an electronic fence and reconnaissance system that would include physical barriers along the 250 kilometer border with Egypt. They said the fence was meant to stop insurgency infiltration and smuggling from Egypt. "There were hopes that Egypt would improve security along our border after the Disengagement [Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip]," an official said. "Instead, border security has become worse." The only fence between Egypt and Israel spans 12 kilometers and is located north of Eilat. Under the military plan, Israel would establish a fence that would span the entire border from the Red Sea in the south to the Gaza Strip. Officials said construction of the fence could begin in 2007. They said the project would take at least two years. The military plan has been termed "Hourglass" and stipulates a fence equipped with infrared and electro-optic systems. Officials said the cameras would provide real-time alerts to infiltration and smuggling attempts. The project was expected to cost about $220 million, officials said. They said the plan would include the deployment of combat forces along the border.
Commentary: Gaza, Israel's Military Position, and more
The furor continues, however, with a discussion about this taking place at the Security Council; the US will apparently veto the Qatar proposal for an investigation and cessation "of violence against the civilian population." Our good friend France is also involved in demanding an independent investigation of the circumstances. Anshel Pfeffer, Jerusalem Post commentator, summed up the matter: "Surgical attacks are a nifty term that generals love using but even surgeons have botched operations. "Orders have been revised countless times [over the last few years], safety margins gone up and down, firing ordered to be stopped and renewed again but the basic facts haven't changed. Artillery is still the quickest and cheapest method to harass the Kassam teams and minimize their threat. The safest also - safest for IDF soldiers, that is." The reality is that the western Negev (primarily Sderot and Ashkelon) is being barraged on an almost daily basis by Kassams; Sderot makes the news regularly because its population feels the government has failed it; its children are traumatized; and yes, there have been casualties. The cry is for the government to respond to the needs of these citizens. But short of totally taking over Gaza, the IDF seems to be at a loss as to how to stop the Kassam attacks. The Palestinians continue to produce home-made Kassams and to shoot them from various sites (including private homes and schools), moving about. The Kassam teams are constantly being hunted down by IDF military and intelligence. Air attacks with helicopters and fighter jets is more effective in pinpointing targets than ground artillery is. But the entire Gaza Strip cannot be monitored from the air 24 hours a day. Targets would be missed. Besides which, the Palestinians now have weapons capable of possibly planes and helicopters. Sending in special forces on the ground would also be effective in pinpointing attacks. But, once again, a special force unit could not monitor the entire Gaza Strip. Additionally, that would put our boys at increased risk -- a risk that must be factored into the equation when deciding how to operate. Says Pfeffer: "Artillery batteries on a 24-hour alert, well within Israeli territory, are still the fastest and safest rapid-reaction tactic available." But this method of minimizing Kassam attacks on us carries with it some risk of artillery inadvertently misfiring on occasion. Now if the terrorist groups would just stop hitting us with Kassams, this whole thing would go away. But the question is whether the world, in the main, notices this. You will undoubtedly have observed that there have been no Security Council meetings to discuss the fact that after Israel pulled out of Gaza and gave it to the Palestinians for development, they turned around and started firing rockets into our sovereign territory, and began to smuggle vast quantities of weapons with the obvious intent of hitting us. ~~~~~~~~~~ Pfeffer says the furor will die down in a matter of days and it will again be business as usual. Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Dan Gillerman agrees. He says condemnation will be short-lived: "This is not a watershed moment," he declared to the Post, because the international community understands that "this is an isolated horrible mistake." I would like to hope he's right, but I am not yet convinced. "I think George Bush understands exactly what the war on terror means . . . War is a dirty business and during war ugly things happen." Yes, but George Bush and most of the appeasing, apologist, anti-Israel international community do not see eye-to-eye on this matter. ~~~~~~~~~~ MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud) has a different take and he's got it right: He has called on the government "to stop apologizing and to cut short this tragic situation through an extensive military operation against the terror infrastructure and Kassam operators in Gaza. "Instead of offering desalinated water to a Palestinian government that doesn't recognize Israel, it's about time that the government will fulfill its obligations to defend the residents of Sderot and will send the IDF to Operation Defensive Shield II in Gaza." Operation Defensive Shield took place in the spring of 2002 in Judea-Samaria after a spate of horrific suicide bombings. Our troops went in large scale and took out terrorist infrastructure -- weapons factories, weapons stockpiles, terrorists, etc. There was an international furor then -- in particular with outrageous lies about a Jenin massacre -- but terrorism went way down. ~~~~~~~~~~ Olmert's comments at this time have been nothing less than stomach-turning. He has now told Mahmoud Abbas that he will meet him at any time and any place. "I'm willing to sit down with him with no predetermined conditions." No predetermined conditions??? How about releasing Shalit first? Or making genuine efforts to stop terrorism? Olmert's answer: "He is under pressure from terror groups and has no power to oppose them and overpower them." My blood pressure just went up several points. First of all Abbas IS a terrorist. He has solid terrorist credentials from his early years (which I will happy to recount for anyone who sends me an e-mail and asks). What is more, from the beginning of his presidency he openly courted Hamas. He was the one who made it possible for Hamas to run in the elections by inviting this group into the political process. He made it clear that he would not take them on because he did not want civil war, i.e., when he still could have, he opted not to. Recently he signed on to the Prisoners Document, which is a terrorist manifesto, openly endorsing terrorism (euphemistically called "resistance") even inside pre-'67 Israel. And his Fatah party is deep into weapons stockpiling in Gaza (with the assistance of Al-Qaida in the Sinai, according to a reliable source). Not a terrorist?? Then there is this question: If Abbas is powerless, what is the point in sitting with him. What can be gained in "negotiations" with Abbas if Hamas is in charge? But, in fact, Olmert said -- Heaven help us!! -- that Abbas would be surprised at how far he, Olmert, would be prepared to go in talks. Precisely what have the Palestinians done for us lately to justify such magnanimity? Has the lesson not been learned, even now, that one-side concessions are just appeasement by another name and will weaken us and do us only harm? The world is doing us enough harm without our doing additional to ourselves. Clearly, Olmert wouldn't be expecting much from Abbas, for he indicated, "When (when?) we will sit around the negotiation table he will be very intransigent . . . He is a Palestinian patriot, not Israeli. He will fight for Palestinian interests like a lion." And yet Olmert has said that he is prepared to release many prisoners in exchange for Shalit. In fact, he explained, "Even before Shalit's abduction, I met Abdullah, Mubarak, and Blair and told them that I am ready to release prisoners . . . I am ready to release for Abu Mazen but not for Hamas." I would ask Olmert then if he is prepared to take upon his head the responsibility for the people who will suffer at the hands of the released prisoners, or for those who will be kidnapped in the future because kidnapping works as a way to secure concessions. One has to wonder if Olmert is saying this now -- he used an address to the Prime Minister's Conference for Export and International Cooperation in Tel Aviv as the venue for these thoughts -- because he is totally devoid of integrity and national pride and wants to show that we're "good guys' after the artillery accident. Or if he is playing to the Americans before his upcoming trip to the States. Or both. We are devoid of national leadership and deserve better, especially at this crucial time. Of Olmert I expect less than nothing. But where is the opposition? Where are the voices rising in protest to these statements and these intentions? ~~~~~~~~~~ The "gay pride" parade will not be held tomorrow for security reasons: we are on high alert because of terror threats (something like 80 warnings have come in, some 15 concrete). Having people crowded in the public streets would have been a nightmare. And so a compromise has been worked out and there will, instead, be a "gay pride" event in a closed stadium with tight security. ~~~~~~~~~~ There is, of course, considerable commentary from all sides with regard to how yesterday's election will affect matters here in the Middle East. Rumsfeld's resignation as Secretary of Defense does not augur well for a strong stance, and many of us here are close to demoralized. It is terrifying how many people don't get it, when it's staring us in the face quite clearly. There is the thought that Bush -- who DOES get it -- is still determined to keep troops in Iraq, and that Democrats, now that they're done with campaign rhetoric and in positions of power, may yet change their tune. We'll see . . . I would like to recommend a very pertinent and very important JINSA report on this subject (with my emphasis added): "Now that the 2006 elections are in the bag, it should be noted that despite media emphasis on 'the war,' this election campaign was conspicuous for its LACK of mention of the real war. Yes, they talked around (not about) Iraq . . . But Iraq is a front, not the war. "'The war' is Iran's export of radical Islamic fundamentalism accompanied by terrorism and directed first against the states of the Middle East and then against the modern free world including Israel . . . Today, Iran is in Iraq. Iran is in the Kurdish regions, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority. Iran is in Africa, Chechnya and Bosnia . . . Iran is in league with Hugo Chavez (and Daniel Ortega?). Wherever the war is, Iran is. And Iran is going nuclear. "But with the exception of defeated Senator Rick Santorum, no candidate articulated the nature of Iran's war against modernity and its determination to recapture territory and population for the Caliphate. "America will have an altered direction in foreign policy . . . but Iran will not. Through Republicans and Democrats, through liberals and conservatives, through red-state rule and blue-state rule Iran has been pursuing the spread of radical Islam through terrorism. The first test for the new Congress and the old President will be to understand Iran's intentions in Iraq and its impact on our soldiers. Only after that can they seriously consider how long we stay and how we leave. "To be fair, no one wants a wider war than the one they think we already have. But here is the lesson of al Qaeda--they were at war with us long before we were at war with them. Politicians saw what was happening, but no one wanted to mention the war until after 3,000 of our citizens had been killed at home. We've taken the same approach with Iran. Will the outcome differ?" http://www.jinsa.org/articles/articles.html/function/view/categoryid/650/documentid/3586 Think on this, long and hard. And if you're not terrified, you haven't thought enough. Time is running out but it's not too late. May I suggest that this JINSA report go to every Congressperson and Senator who advocated a pullout from Iraq. ~~~~~~~~~~ see my website www.ArlenefromIsrael.info
PAY THE PRICE FOR FIRING KASSAM ROCKETS:Someone has to tell it like it is
It is a simple, harsh and single truth: those who fire thousands of Kassam rockets upon a civilian population for years, those who accumulate tons of explosive materials, arms and Katyusha rockets for months, those who impose terrorism and fear upon an entire region for no apparent reason need to understand that they cannot hide behind women and children. Such behavior carries a price tag. Every country in the world has an obligation to protect its citizens. Israel's behavior in Gaza has been much more moderate, humane and moral than the way American, British or Russian armies would respond to terrorists who consistently fired on Texas, Coventry or Moscow. This is not a theoretical assumption. It is an historical fact whose traces are buried in the ruins of Grozny, the ruins of Afghan villages, cities in Iraq or what was once Dresden during World War II. If we go to less enlightened regimes, for example in the Arab world, we see even worse outcomes. Yet of course, only Israel is criticized. Only we are yelled at. That is how it is. It is hard to be a Jew. It is hard to live, and it is also hard to defend ourselves. Although the burden of proof upon us is heavier, we may not flinch from it. Therefore, alongside the deep regret that every human being must feel at the shocking photographs that were broadcast from Beit Hanoun yesterday, we also need to tell the truth. The truth is that until they stop firing Kassam rockets upon Israel, Israel must keep firing back. Yes, firing back. They shoot to kill women and children. We do not. Never. But when they shoot at us from inside inhabited areas, it is very difficult to prevent mishaps or terrible incidents. And so, precisely in light of what happened in Beit Hanoun yesterday, I would state again with courage, straight into their eyes, to the whole world, that this is the situation: until there is quiet in Sderot, there will be no peace in Gaza. When you cut down trees, chips fly. When you fire rockets, shells fall. When one of them strays it is a shame, it is disastrous, it is bad, but that is how it is. Every other method has been tried, and failed. With scoundrels you behave like a scoundrel, and with murderous, bloodthirsty terrorism that wants to wipe you off the map, you have to respond accordingly: wipe it out. Yesterday evening, while OC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant was being interviewed on Channel Two, a Kassam rocket landed near a children's home in Kfar Aza. Yesterday morning, on Army Radio, Hamas operative Rabhi Rantisi said angrily: "What do you expect, that the Arabs will sit quietly now?" Well, dear Rabhi, we do not expect the Arabs to sit quietly now. We expected that they would sit quietly after we left Gaza. After Israel uprooted thousands of its citizens from their homes, turned them into refugees, invested billions and stood on the brink of civil war in order to leave Gaza completely, station itself on the international border and even forfeit the Philadelphi Road. Yes, in our naiveté we expected that now, at least in Gaza, "they would sit quietly." Instead of that, we got intensified barrages of upgraded Kassam rockets, tons of explosives and Hamas in power. And somebody else, Hamas operative Ghazi Hamad, said on the radio, "Now we need to wipe Israel off the map." Enough already. Wake up and smell the coffee. It was written in the Hamas charter well before the incident in Beit Hanoun, Mr. Hamad. This is your doctrine, your faith, it is what you have been trying to do since the departure from Gaza, since the "pilot program" that Ariel Sharon tried to do here and got dozens of explosive tunnels and bombs instead. After Ghazi Hamad, an Israeli commentator came on the air and said, "Now, after this incident, hatred of Israel in Gaza has skyrocketed." Oh, dear. And what was going on before this incident? Was a blazing love for Zionism and for Jews running wild in the streets? After all, these people, whose lives we left only slightly more than a year ago, leaving them free to do their will, could have created a model for reconstruction, coexistence, peace. They could have invested a hundredth of their murderous energies in reconstructing refugee camps. A tenth of the money that they invest in terrorism for building new housing blocks. They could have proven to the world that when Israel leaves, withdraws and recognizes the international border, a solution is accomplished and calm achieved. They could have given us a reason to leave the West Bank as well. But instead, they fell upon us with wild rage. They are not attacking the 1967 borders; they are attacking the 1948 lines. They are not challenging the occupation, and they are not arguing with the oppression. They want to uproot us from here, wipe us from the face of the earth. And what can we do—we do not intend to allow that to happen. The evening before the incident in Beit Hanoun I saw Salman a-Shafi, Channel Two's energetic reporter, on television, showing the world, together with Islamic Jihad operatives, the new rocket that they have developed. The one that will soon be landing in a shopping center in Sderot, or near a children's home in Kfar Aza (if not on top of it). Someone suggested, "Talk to them, resume the dialogue." And you look at atrocity, at madness, at hatred, and you ask yourself: what will we talk about? Perhaps we will talk about ending the occupation in Gaza? Perhaps we will offer to withdraw and allow them to rebuild their lives, cool their emotions, separate the combatants? And you remember that we already did that. We have already left. We have already withdrawn. And none of it helped. They keep on firing rockets, they keep on kidnapping soldiers on the international border, they keep on hiding behind women and children. This equation needs to be broken. Just as the Lebanese now know that those who store rockets in their homes are liable to be harmed by rockets, so ever Arab mother in Gaza needs to know that it will be impossible to get a quiet night's sleep anywhere if the children of Sderot do not get a quiet night's sleep. And a place where rockets are fired from will have rockets fired at it. Close to 1,000 Kassam rockets have been fired from Beit Hanoun since disengagement. And so, we need to grit our teeth and go on. All they have to do to get quiet is to stop shooting. Until then, there will be no quiet, and sometimes, there will be mishaps. Yesterday, between the many reports from Beit Hanoun, a man by the name of Rafi Eitan succeeded in getting on the radio and recounting how he captured Adolf Eichmann 46 years ago. Well, it looks like the Eichmanns are not dead, they only change places, and sometimes they need to be captured anew. This piece was published in Maariv
The Israel Resource Review is brought to you by
the Israel Resource, a media firm based at the Bet Agron Press Center in
Jerusalem, and the Gaza Media Center under the juristdiction of the Palestine
Authority. |
Printer
friendly version of this article