President Rivlin 'Threat of Hezbollah growing with Iranian aid' - Gary Willig -
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/232271
President Rivlin addresses memorial ceremony for fallen of 2006 Lebanon War, says Iran arming Hezbollah to kill Israeli
citizens.
citizens.
President Reuven Rivlin delivered a speech Monday at the Memorial Ceremony for the fallen of the Second Lebanon War,
marking the 11th anniversary of the war, at the Memorial Hall on Mount Herzl. The ceremony was attended by of Deputy Speaker of the Knesset Bezalel Smotrich, Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben Dahan, Supreme Court Justice Yoram Danziger, Northern Command Chief
Yoel Strick, and members of the families of the fallen.
marking the 11th anniversary of the war, at the Memorial Hall on Mount Herzl. The ceremony was attended by of Deputy Speaker of the Knesset Bezalel Smotrich, Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben Dahan, Supreme Court Justice Yoram Danziger, Northern Command Chief
Yoel Strick, and members of the families of the fallen.
The President opened his remarks to the bereaved families and said: "Together we count the years of your lives and
the years since their loss. We painfully remember their passing, and we look with pride and joy at your growth, Sadness and life intertwined with the reality of our lives, loving families which were inseparable. Each one of you is a whole world that will never
return."
the years since their loss. We painfully remember their passing, and we look with pride and joy at your growth, Sadness and life intertwined with the reality of our lives, loving families which were inseparable. Each one of you is a whole world that will never
return."
"In this war, the full extent of Israel's civilian society's strength was revealed as well, and in this campaign our men and women [in uniform] displayed tremendous bravery and courage, acting with determination and heroism," the president continued, stressing that there are warning signs highlighting the importance of continued preparation and vigilance, the danger of terrorism, and the danger of missing equipment and weapons.
"Public criticism, followed by the commission of inquiry, continued to ring those warning bells. The IDF and the security forces were required to make
significant revisions [to their operations]. Indeed, investigations were conducted and improvements were carried out in every field, from intelligence to operations, from readiness to training and logistics. The lessons of that war continue to be applied both
in the daily routine and in times of emergency, which unfortunately have continued to occur since then."
The president spoke about the quiet on the northern border following the war, but emphasized: "We must not be mistaken in [seeing] this silence [as permanent].
The threat is still great. Hezbollah is growing stronger with Iranian support and arms aimed at threatening Israeli civilians and carrying out military operations that flagrantly violate UN Resolution 1701."
"Under no circumstances will we allow the establishment of Iranian outposts on our borders. The nations of the world must recognize what is happening
and understand the possible consequences. We were greeted, as always, with silence. But we have red lines. And if a campaign is imposed upon us, we will fight with courage for our lives, our independence, and our citizens.
"Our national strength is the source of the strength of Israeli society," said the president at the end of his speech. "Our shared commitment to this
home, to this country, is the basis of our strength and it must rise above any debate on a current issue. This is our land, and there is no other country for us - that is the basis on which this state was built, and this is the root of our existence. "
http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1370
With the help of its powerful allies, President Bashar al-Assad's regime is gradually consolidating its grip over parts
of Syria.
The six-year Syrian conflict has long ceased being a civil war, and Assad is no independent actor, but rather, he is part of an Iranian-led regional coalition.
Assad's recent victories are setting the stage for the continued spread of his steadfast backer, Iran, and its network of heavily armed Shi'a proxies.
Israel has been issuing stern warnings to Iran, telling it not to repeat past efforts to use its presence in Syria to set up bases of attack against Israeli
targets.
The Jewish state has been frequently dealing with errant fire from Syria landing in Israeli territory in the Golan Heights--nearly 20 such instances in
recent weeks.
Israel usually responds by firing on Syrian regime targets and vowing to respond to every breach of its territory.
Israel's wider concern, however, is that wherever Assad's forces end up rolling into, Iran's influence tends to appear.
Most recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautiously welcomed a southern Syria cease-fire, brokered by the U.S. and Russia, that came into
effect Sunday.
The cease-fire followed Israel's reported push for Russia and the U.S. to establish a buffer zone in southern Syria where the Hezbollah terror group and
other Iranian proxies would not be allowed to operate.
Tens of thousands of Iranian-backed Shi'a militia members are currently operating across Syria. Under Iranian command, they combat Sunni rebel organizations
seeking to depose the Assad regime.
Tehran is also working to link up its forces in Iraq together with those in Syria, with the goal of creating a continuous land corridor that stretches
from Iran to Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Iran continues to use Syria as a transit zone for the trafficking of weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran has overseen the construction of
weapons factories in Syria--and now in Lebanon, too--that can produce accurate missiles for Hezbollah.
Dr. Eitan Shamir, former head of the National Security Doctrine Department in Israel's Ministry of Strategic Affairs, told JNS.org Israel should deal
with Iran's threatening activities in Syria by setting up and enforcing "a number of red lines."
Red lines would include a ban on actions directly threatening Israeli security, such as the construction of a missile launch system in the Syrian Golan
Heights, said Shamir, a researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies.
"Secondly, there should be a continuation of what the [Israeli] military calls 'the war between wars,' the continuous offensive intelligence and thwarting
activities. At the same time, there should be serious preparation for the scenario of war," Shamir said.
During the last six years, Israel has reportedly waged a low-profile campaign to selectively target the Iranian-Hezbollah weapons trafficking network
in Syria.
In Shamir's estimation, the IDF needs to safeguard its size and strength in light of the developing threats to the north.
"Mainly, it must continue to strengthen the ground maneuvering army, in case of an eruption on multiple fronts. That means continuing to invest a lot
in the IDF, and not making cuts because it's fashionable," he said.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its overseas elite unit, the Quds Force, have in the past attempted to exploit their presence in southern
Syria to orchestrate attacks on Israel, resulting in reported deadly Israeli airstrikes.
Israel's defense establishment is closely monitoring the crowded Syrian arena, always on the lookout for a renewed Iranian attempt to set up bases of
attack, or attempts by Hezbollah--Iran's Shi'a-Lebanese terrorist army--to move into southern Syria, thereby threatening Israel from both Lebanon and Syria.
Iran's push into Syria has been successful so far, Shamir said.
"The Iranians have obtained an outpost in this area," he said, explaining that the Islamic Republic is using forces such as Hezbollah, Shi'a Iraqis and
foreign Shi'a legions from across the Muslim world "so that the price is less painful" for Iran.
Dr. Ely Karmon, a senior research scholar at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Herzliya, told JNS.org the Iranians are trying to exploit
Russia's intervention in Syria.
Prior to Russia's entrance into Syria and its management of the air war against Sunni organizations, the Iranian-backed forces failed to stop the rebels.
Russia's intervention "changed the map," Karmon said, noting the "big victory" for Assad and his Shi'a allies in Aleppo. Now, he said, "they are trying
to do the same in south Syria.
But here, they have a problem. Israel, Jordan and the Americans are opposed to their spread." All three nations could act to prevent Iran from moving
into southern Syria.
Currently, Iran is commanding some 6,000 Hezbollah fighters, 7,000 Iraqis and some 20,000-30,000 Afghan Shi'a combatants in Iran, as well as some 100,000
Shi'a militia members in neighboring Iraq.
The Iranians also built up a pro-Assad militia composed of local Syrians, called the National Defense Forces, which has tens of thousands of members.
"The fact that the Iranians are integrated with Assad's army, and are trying to link up their forces from Iraq and Syria," Karmon said, shows how they
are trying to create the land corridor from Iran to Lebanon.
The Iranians could come back and try to attack Israel from southern Syria, and are also seeking to create a port on the Syrian Mediterranean coastline,
he warned.
"There's no doubt that this is their strategy," Karmon said. "At this stage, they are succeeding--hence we are seeing warnings by Israeli leaders." Yet
Karmon expressed hope that the U.S. could work with Russia to create Iran-free zones in southern Syria.
He said reports of Israeli cooperation with moderate Sunni rebels near the Israeli border could form a part of Israeli efforts to keep the Iranians at
bay.
But Israel cannot rely on America stopping Iran in Syria, Karmon cautioned.
"I think Israel must be ready, if the U.S. won't take steps vis-a-vis the Russians [to curb Iran]," he said. "Israel must see an Iranian presence on its
border as a casus belli [justification for war]."
of Syria.
The six-year Syrian conflict has long ceased being a civil war, and Assad is no independent actor, but rather, he is part of an Iranian-led regional coalition.
Assad's recent victories are setting the stage for the continued spread of his steadfast backer, Iran, and its network of heavily armed Shi'a proxies.
Israel has been issuing stern warnings to Iran, telling it not to repeat past efforts to use its presence in Syria to set up bases of attack against Israeli
targets.
The Jewish state has been frequently dealing with errant fire from Syria landing in Israeli territory in the Golan Heights--nearly 20 such instances in
recent weeks.
Israel usually responds by firing on Syrian regime targets and vowing to respond to every breach of its territory.
Israel's wider concern, however, is that wherever Assad's forces end up rolling into, Iran's influence tends to appear.
Most recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautiously welcomed a southern Syria cease-fire, brokered by the U.S. and Russia, that came into
effect Sunday.
The cease-fire followed Israel's reported push for Russia and the U.S. to establish a buffer zone in southern Syria where the Hezbollah terror group and
other Iranian proxies would not be allowed to operate.
Tens of thousands of Iranian-backed Shi'a militia members are currently operating across Syria. Under Iranian command, they combat Sunni rebel organizations
seeking to depose the Assad regime.
Tehran is also working to link up its forces in Iraq together with those in Syria, with the goal of creating a continuous land corridor that stretches
from Iran to Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Iran continues to use Syria as a transit zone for the trafficking of weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran has overseen the construction of
weapons factories in Syria--and now in Lebanon, too--that can produce accurate missiles for Hezbollah.
Dr. Eitan Shamir, former head of the National Security Doctrine Department in Israel's Ministry of Strategic Affairs, told JNS.org Israel should deal
with Iran's threatening activities in Syria by setting up and enforcing "a number of red lines."
Red lines would include a ban on actions directly threatening Israeli security, such as the construction of a missile launch system in the Syrian Golan
Heights, said Shamir, a researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies.
"Secondly, there should be a continuation of what the [Israeli] military calls 'the war between wars,' the continuous offensive intelligence and thwarting
activities. At the same time, there should be serious preparation for the scenario of war," Shamir said.
During the last six years, Israel has reportedly waged a low-profile campaign to selectively target the Iranian-Hezbollah weapons trafficking network
in Syria.
In Shamir's estimation, the IDF needs to safeguard its size and strength in light of the developing threats to the north.
"Mainly, it must continue to strengthen the ground maneuvering army, in case of an eruption on multiple fronts. That means continuing to invest a lot
in the IDF, and not making cuts because it's fashionable," he said.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its overseas elite unit, the Quds Force, have in the past attempted to exploit their presence in southern
Syria to orchestrate attacks on Israel, resulting in reported deadly Israeli airstrikes.
Israel's defense establishment is closely monitoring the crowded Syrian arena, always on the lookout for a renewed Iranian attempt to set up bases of
attack, or attempts by Hezbollah--Iran's Shi'a-Lebanese terrorist army--to move into southern Syria, thereby threatening Israel from both Lebanon and Syria.
Iran's push into Syria has been successful so far, Shamir said.
"The Iranians have obtained an outpost in this area," he said, explaining that the Islamic Republic is using forces such as Hezbollah, Shi'a Iraqis and
foreign Shi'a legions from across the Muslim world "so that the price is less painful" for Iran.
Dr. Ely Karmon, a senior research scholar at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Herzliya, told JNS.org the Iranians are trying to exploit
Russia's intervention in Syria.
Prior to Russia's entrance into Syria and its management of the air war against Sunni organizations, the Iranian-backed forces failed to stop the rebels.
Russia's intervention "changed the map," Karmon said, noting the "big victory" for Assad and his Shi'a allies in Aleppo. Now, he said, "they are trying
to do the same in south Syria.
But here, they have a problem. Israel, Jordan and the Americans are opposed to their spread." All three nations could act to prevent Iran from moving
into southern Syria.
Currently, Iran is commanding some 6,000 Hezbollah fighters, 7,000 Iraqis and some 20,000-30,000 Afghan Shi'a combatants in Iran, as well as some 100,000
Shi'a militia members in neighboring Iraq.
The Iranians also built up a pro-Assad militia composed of local Syrians, called the National Defense Forces, which has tens of thousands of members.
"The fact that the Iranians are integrated with Assad's army, and are trying to link up their forces from Iraq and Syria," Karmon said, shows how they
are trying to create the land corridor from Iran to Lebanon.
The Iranians could come back and try to attack Israel from southern Syria, and are also seeking to create a port on the Syrian Mediterranean coastline,
he warned.
"There's no doubt that this is their strategy," Karmon said. "At this stage, they are succeeding--hence we are seeing warnings by Israeli leaders." Yet
Karmon expressed hope that the U.S. could work with Russia to create Iran-free zones in southern Syria.
He said reports of Israeli cooperation with moderate Sunni rebels near the Israeli border could form a part of Israeli efforts to keep the Iranians at
bay.
But Israel cannot rely on America stopping Iran in Syria, Karmon cautioned.
"I think Israel must be ready, if the U.S. won't take steps vis-a-vis the Russians [to curb Iran]," he said. "Israel must see an Iranian presence on its
border as a casus belli [justification for war]."
All roads lead to Tehran - Prof. Eyal Zisser -
The cease-fire in southern Syria went into effect Sunday, and it seems all sides involved in the fighting there are taking care to ensure it stays in place. The trickle of errant shells into Israeli territory has come to a halt, and a deceptive silence has returned to the Golan Heights border.
The agreement is part of a process led by Russia and the United States to stifle the flames of war in Syria and possibly bring an end to the fighting there. Within this framework, the Russians, along with Turkey and Iran, and now Jordan and the U.S. -- and apparently Israel as well -- are acting to establish four de-escalation zones, which will serve as a de facto partition of Syria between Syrian President Bashar Assad and his rivals.
Alongside the 25% of Syria that Assad still controls, in which around three-quarters of the population live, four rebel-controlled zones will be established, under Turkish and Jordanian influence. These zones -- in Syria's north, in the center, near Damascus, and in the south -- may be under Russian and American influence in the future.
American and Russian military officials met in Amman in recent weeks to delineate the demarcation and separation lines between the area in southern Syria that is to remain under the control of the regime and the areas, including near the border with Israel, where rebel control will be maintained. Once these points were agreed, it was possible to laud the accomplishment and announce the cease-fire, in the hope that this time the players will find it difficult to violate the agreement in an effort to improve their positions, as they did in previous instances.
The big winner in this Russian-led process is, of course, Assad. He has been assured he will remain in power, and the American threat to his rule, if such a threat ever really existed in the first place, has been removed from the agenda. The rebels, too, have something to gain from the arrangement, since in the short run, it will provide an end to the Russian-Iranian-Syrian pressure cooker that had pushed them ever closer to almost-certain defeat. For the rebels, this is a short-term achievement, but for Assad, the deal offers the necessary breathing room to -- when the time comes -- renew fighting and regain control of Syria.
Another winner is Russian President Vladmir Putin, who with Washington's blessing has turned Russia into a kingmaker in Syria. The Americans, on the other hand, are still focused on the fight against Islamic State and have no strategy or plan of action for the future of Syria, and certainly not for the south of the country that borders Israel and Jordan.
On the same day the armistice was declared in southern Syria, the world learned that after eight long months of fighting, Mosul in Iraq had been captured by the Iraqi Army, three years after Islamic State captured the city and marked the establishment of a caliphate over large areas of Syria and Iraq.
While the images out of Mosul have shown Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi surrounded by his fighters, in the coming days, we will be exposed to other images -- those of Shiite militiamen supported by Iran and Iranian commanders celebrating amidst what remains of the city. Through these images, we will learn who the real winner is in the game being played in both war-torn countries.
Israel has repeatedly underscored its red lines regarding an Iranian presence on the Golan Heights. But while Russia is attentive to Israel's concerns, it will not be persuaded to disengage from Iran. The Russians, as well as Assad, need the Iranian forces to ensure Assad's continuing rule in Syria. As a result, it is difficult to imagine how anyone could attempt to keep the Iranians out of Syria, let alone succeed.
The cease-fire on the Golan Heights and the establishment of a rebel-controlled buffer zone that serves to keep the Iranians away from the border with Israel and Jordan is without a doubt a significant tactical achievement. But it is a temporary achievement that does not change the big picture in Syria, which is being filled with the colors of Iran and the militias it supports. As in the case of the Hezbollah threat from Lebanon, Israel could discover that to distance this threat from the border fence, it will be forced to accept an Iranian presence in the heart of Syria, a presence that casts a shadow over the Golan Heights and beyond.
Hezbollah threatens to 'surprise Israel' in next war - Anna Ahronheim - http://www.jpost.com/printarticle.aspx?id=499582
French report releases new and alarming details on underground weapons facilities the Shi'ite terror group operates in Lebanon.
Hezbollah has vowed to "surprise Israel" during any upcoming conflict, upping the war of words between the Lebanese Shi'ite terror group and Israel.
The most recent threat came directly from the head of Hezbollah's Executive Council Sayyed Hashem Safieddine in an interview yesterday with the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar television channel. Safieddine said that the group has been changing and developing new military capabilities as both Israel and Lebanon mark 11 years since the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War.
Safieddine, who oversees Hezbollah's social and economic activities and was added to the United States counter-terrorism blacklist in March, said that Israeli reports on Hezbollah weaponry are "inaccurate as the enemy intelligence agencies can never reach veracious data in this context."
Israel fought against Hezbollah in war that lasted 34 days in 2006. Since then, hostilities between the two countries have been limited to occasional cross-border fire and reported airstrikes by Israel against Hezbollah leaders and military equipment in Syria, where the group is fighting in support of President Bashar Assad.
Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot said that the IDF has used the time since the Second Lebanon War to dramatically improve its abilities and now has better intelligence and operational capabilities than ever before.
According to Eisenkot, Hezbollah's rockets are not particularly accurate at the moment and Israelis "should put things in perspective and not panic" regarding reports that Iran has helped Hezbollah to operate and manage underground weapons factories.
Speaking to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense committee, Eisenkot said that "decreasing Iranian influence in the areas near Israel's borders is no less important than defeating Islamic State, and for Israel perhaps even more."
Last March, the Kuwaiti Al Jarida newspaper cited an unnamed deputy head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying that Hezbollah has operated and managed underground weapons factories set up by the IRGC in response to alleged Israeli strikes against weapons convoys in Syria.
According to the report, the factories can produce missiles with a range of over 500 kilometers as well as surface-to-air and anti-tank missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles able to carry explosives.
A recent report by the French Intelligence Online magazine identified the locations of two of the factories as well as the type of munitions they produce. The report said that one underground facility located near Hermel in northeastern Lebanon produces the Fateh 110 rocket which can carry half-ton warheads and are relatively accurate with a range of 300 kilometers, covering the majority of Israel.
The second facility, located near the Mediterranean coast between the cities of Tyre and Sidon in southern Lebanon, manufactures smaller munitions.
At a briefing with journalists last week, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman warned that the smuggling of sophisticated weaponry to Hezbollah was a red-line for Israel, who will continue to act to prevent the group from obtaining them.
"We take everything seriously. We are certainly aware of the reports and we will do what needs to be done. This is a significant phenomenon and we cannot ignore it. Precise weapons such as these missiles are a challenge. Compared to past wars they will hit deep inside Israeli territory," Liberman said.
PLEASE VISIT MY WIFES WEBSITE. SHE RUNS "YOUNG LIVING" WHICH PROVIDES ALL NATURAL OILS THAT CAN BE USED INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY INCLUDING A DEFUSER WHICH PUTS AN AMAZING ODOR IN THE AIR. THIS PRODUCT IS SO AMAZING AND KNOW THAT YOU WILL GET YEARS OF ENJOYMENT FROM IT. GOTO HTTP://WWW.YOUNGLIVING.ORG/CDROSES
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.