The Israel Situation

3M Buys Israel’s Attenti

Eric — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:00:41 +0000

3M, the large American company widely known for office supplies such as the Post It Note, has purchased Israeli company Attenti for $23 million. The company is based in Tel Aviv.

Attenti, formerly known as Dmatek, builds tracking systems for people under surveillance, most commonly under court order. The devices can also detect someone’s blood alcohol level in some cases.

Investments in Israel are a great indicator that the world has confidence in Israeli start-ups, technology, and the viability of long term economic success.

See the original story on TechCrunch.

3M Buys Israel’s Attenti is a post from: The Israel Situation

Two Injured in Second Terrorist Attack

Eric — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:36:18 +0000

Two Israelis have been injured at Rimon Junction near Binyamin. This is the second attack in two days. The shooting attack hit a car and left one person seriously wounded and another lightly wounded. From YNet:

A day after four Israelis were killed near Hebron, there has been a second shooting attack in Route 60′s Rimonim junction in the Ramallah area.

Initial details suggest that fire was opened at an Israeli vehicle with two passengers. As a result of the shooting the vehicle turned over and landed in a ditch. Magen Avid Adom teams are on their way to the site.

The two victims are a man, who is in serious condition and a woman, who sustained light wounds.

IDF sources said it remained unclear whether firing was performed from a driving vehicle or in an ambush. Forces are scanning the area. The victims were taken to the Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem.

On Tuesday security experts estimated that the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians is seen by virtually all as time prone for terrorist attacks.

Hamas claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.

It appears that the peace talks have coincided directly with an increase in Palestinian terrorism. Please read my previous post for thoughts on the correlation with the peace talks in Washington.

Two Injured in Second Terrorist Attack is a post from: The Israel Situation

Terrorist Shooting Kills Four Israelis

Eric — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:56:24 +0000

On the eve of new peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian terrorists have murdered four Israelis while driving in Kiryat Arbanear Hebron. The four killed were residents of Beit Hagai.

The two couples in the car were fired on from a distance by multiple terrorists. After the initial fire stopped, a single terrorist approached the vehicle and fired on the four people at close range. The younger woman in the car, 25 years old, was pregnant.

Of course, Hamas supporters, many of which are “innocent civilians,” celebrated the murders.

I believe, along with many others, that the attacks were specifically carried out to undermine the peace process that is set to resume after a long lapse. While Israel has held out its hand for quite some time looking to resume negotiations with no preconditions, PA President Abbas resisted until a recent US invitation. Either way, it appears that the Palestinians may not follow Abbas’ lead if some compromise is reached.

It is truly sad when innocent people are killed simply because the Palestinians want us gone from all of Israel. My prayers and thoughts are with the families of those murdered in this senseless attack.

Terrorist Shooting Kills Four Israelis is a post from: The Israel Situation

Check Out My New Book

Eric — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:42:42 +0000

Some of the long time readers might know that I have another blog, in addition to the Israel Situation, where I write about personal finance. That blog, NarrowBridge.net, inspired me to write and publish a new book.

The booked, called the Personal Finance Arsenal, is a guide to simplifying your finances to take less time and effort to manage. Everything suggested in the book is free, secure, and easy to do. If you looking to make your finances easier or have had trouble in the past, it is a great resource. It was also copyedited by The Israel Situation’s own Joel, our non-profit/NGO blogger, so you know it is a great quality read.

Check it out at PersonalFinanceArsenal.com.

Check Out My New Book is a post from: The Israel Situation

United Nations Security Force Confirms Israel’s Position

Eric — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:00:18 +0000

UNIFIL, the United Nations security force deployed to maintain peace on the Israel-Lebanon border, has confirmed Israel’s position that all soldiers were working within Israel when a Lebanese Army sniper fired across the international border killing two Israeli soldiers.

All operations on that day, August 3^rd, took place south of the Blue Line, clearly in Israeli sovereign territory. Technically, the Lebanese attack was an act of war which could have been responded to severely. However, Israeli only responded by returning fire on the location of the attack.

The IDF English website reports:

UNIFIL announced today (Wednesday, August 25) that it had completed its investigation of the August 3rd incident that occurred between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces, and verified its preliminary conclusions that Israel had operated within its own borders when Lebanese sniper fire targeted Israeli soldiers. The IDF had been pruning a tree that each side claimed to be within its own territory, when the Lebanese army used live fire towards the IDF force operating in the area, killing a senior officer, and provoking an exchange of fire. UNIFIL announced that while “both the LAF and IDF cooperated fully with the UNIFIL team during the investigation”, their completed report “confirms the preliminary conclusions” in which UNIFIL had determined that the tree in question was located inside Israel’s border.

United Nations Security Force Confirms Israel’s Position is a post from: The Israel Situation

Hamas Puts Civilians at Risk

Eric — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:23 +0000

Reader Jerraissi has shared another great find that shows exactly how Hamas uses civilians as human shields during conflicts. This video uses clips to reconstruct scenes from Operation Cast Lead, where Hamas put innocent women and children in harm’s way.

Just to be clear, while the Palestinians and Israel detractors often cite “international law” when criticizing Israel, this is against all moral and legal presidents for proper behavior during a war. Or, to be very clear, Hamas broke international law. View the video for evidence.

Hamas Puts Civilians at Risk is a post from: The Israel Situation

Israeli Police Unit to Join United Nations Force in Haiti

Eric — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:41:02 +0000

Last week, a group of fourteen Israeli police departed from Israel to join a United Nations security team in Haiti. The Israeli team will work with an Italian team under the UN. This is the first time Israelis have worked in active duty under UN command.

The Deputy Foreign Minister congratulated the officers and told them that they represent Israel. “You are Israel’s true face. The value of human life is important to all of us and you represent Israel and the Jewish spirit of Tikkun Olam(repairing the world) to the international community,” Ayalon told the officers. “This was already proven when Israel was amongst the first to land in Haiti immediately after the earthquake and save so many lives. You continue this tradition.

“Your goal is to save human lives and help with law and order in Haiti. This will further our standing in the world, which is especially important against those who campaign to delegitimize us. This mission will demonstrate to friends and foes alike that Israel is always willing to contribute and volunteer anywhere and at any time. It is important for people to see Israel beyond the conflict and to see that this is the real Israel. We are not only strong materially, but also strong in spirit.

“What you are doing is part of our foreign policy of cooperation in the international agenda as a full member of the United Nations,” Ayalon said.

Haiti has been in a state of civil disorder since the massive earthquake struck in Haiti in January. Israel sent multiple rescue teams. Those teams worked to extract and save survivors. It did not go unnoticed around the world. It was a lengthy process that made many people proud of Israel’s actions.

Today, it is great to see that Israel is still involved and is trying to make a difference for those in need.

Israeli Police Unit to Join United Nations Force in Haiti is a post from: The Israel Situation

Iran-Venezuela Connection

Eric — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:38:17 +0000

The United States has taken notice of a regular flight between Tehran, Damascus, and Caracas. The “commercial flight” run by Venezuelan Canviasa Airlines is closed to the public, and no public records are available for who or what is on the flight. It seems that no one goes through customs or immigration when they travel on the flight.

I have written about this issue several times in the past. I wrote about weapons links via Venezuela and Iran’s growing influence there. Israel has formally cut ties with the Venezuela as well. CNN has finally caught up to what Israel Situation readers have known all along:

According to the State Department’s latest country report on terrorism, which covers 2009, “President [Hugo] Chavez continued to strengthen Venezuela’s relationship with state sponsor of terrorism Iran. Iran and Venezuela continued weekly Iran Airlines flights connecting Tehran and Damascus with Caracas.”

A 2007 report went further, raising concerns about the travelers from Syria and Iran who might be onboard. It said in part, “Passengers on these flights were not subject to immigration and customs controls at Simon Bolivar International Airport” in Caracas.

It also noted that one passenger who bought a ticket on the route that year was Abdul Kadir, who was convicted this month of plotting a 2007 attack on fuel pipelines for New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. He was arrested on a plane bound for Caracas and never made his connection for the flight to Iran.

Iran-Venezuela Connection is a post from: The Israel Situation

Playing Military Politics

Anthony Reich — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:03:48 +0000

It was hoped that the announcement of the appointment of Major General Yoav Galant as the 20th chief of general staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) would bring an end to the “Galantgate” scandal. This episode involved the release of a PR document into the public domain which, it turns out, is a forgery. Unfortunately, the announcement has not had the desired effect, and the issue has continued to gain headlines in the media. Despite its negative aspects, however, I am of the view that the scandalous behaviour also has a positive side to it.

The competition to become the next chief of staff of the IDF has been fierce. The current incumbent, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, will have served in the position for four years out of a possible maximum of five years by the time he is replaced in February 2011. The process of nominating his replacement has been highly politicised and controversial.

In the first place, it was regarded as unusual that defence minister Ehud Barak decided not to appoint Ashkenazi for a fifth year, as permitted under Israeli law. The chief of staff (or ramatkal as he is known in Hebrew) is appointed for an initial period of three years. At the end of that period, he can be appointed for further periods of one year each up to a maximum of five years. Ashkenazi was not viewed to have made any major mistakes during his first period of time in the position. On the contrary, he was the one who oversaw substantial changes to the IDF following the lessons learned from the Second Lebanon War, and showed that he had successfully implemented them during the IDF’s activities Operation Cast Lead. As such, there seemed to be no operational reason why Ashkenazi should not have the support of the politicians to see out a full five year term. Politics, it seems, intervened to cause the minister of defence to decide that four years would be enough for him. The only plausible reason offered by the press for this decision was the fact that the two men do not enjoy the best personal relationship.

Minister of defence Barak then announced his short list of candidates to succeed Ashkenazi. They were Yoav Galant (OC Southern Command), Gadi Shamni (military attaché in Washington), Benny Gantz (deputy chief of general staff) and Gadi Eizenkot (OC northern command). During the process of interviewing the candidates, a mystery document suddenly appeared in the public domain. The document was on headed paper of the Eyal Arad agency, a well-known local public relations agency with strong political connections and a track record of working effectively in the political arena. The document is reputed to outline a PR campaign to promote Yoav Galant in his efforts to become the next chief of general staff. It is generally regarded as inappropriate for the generals to go to such lengths to promote their candidacy for chief of general staff. It is regarded as unacceptable for generals to involve themselves with politicians to try to influence the view that the politicians hold, and their decisions, which affect the IDF. The discovery of his document gave birth to “Galantgate”.

After further investigation, the police concluded that neither Galant nor Arad were involved in the preparation and circulation of the document. They have now arrested retired Lt. Col. Boaz Harpaz who is reported to have admitted to his role in fraudulently producing and distributing the document. He is currently being held by police. The act of forging a document and distributing it in this way is to be abhorred, and the culprits should be subject to all punishments available under the law. It is still unclear whether Harpaz’s intention was to harm Galant or to promote him. In the event, the only impact that it seems to have had on his appointment to the top IDF position, is to encourage the minister of defence to advance the timing of his announcement in an attempt to defuse the situation.

On the face of it, the whole episode seems quite sordid. The series of events, from the decision by Ehud Barak to decide to replace Ashkenazi only for personal reasons, to the Galant document leave little to feel proud about. After all, the appointment of the right chief of staff for the IDF could have an impact on Israel’s continued existence in the community of nations. Israel’s very future depends upon making the correct appointment to this important position. This fact, however, also allows us to view the events in a slightly different light.

In many countries around the world, heading up the armed forces is a purely ceremonial position. It is a position that enjoys high levels of public recognition and standing, without carrying significant responsibility. In many countries, whether the army is an effective fighting unit or not makes little difference to the country and its future. This situation is clearly not the case in Israel. The position of ramatkal is one of the most critical in Israel. The level of responsibility that goes with this position could scare off even the bravest of soldiers. The wrong appointment to ramatkal, or the wrong decision by the ramatkal could be the difference between Israel succeeding in fighting off her enemies or not. It could be the difference between having a Jewish nation, and not having one.

Under the circumstances, it is heartening to see how much competition there is from those wishing to take on this high-risk position. Despite the possibility that one small error could risk lives of soldiers and citizens, and the future of the country as a whole, there are many people out there able and willing to take on this responsibility. Unfortunately, this is also accompanied by a willingness to go to unethical, and even criminal, lengths to secure the appointment. There is no doubt that the public standing and privileges associated with the job are highly attractive. Nonetheless, the weight of responsibility surely outweighs any benefits that the ramatkal enjoys.

This willingness to take on a tough challenge with high risk and responsibility is shown to be present throughout the ranks of the IDF. We even see it with the new recruits, many of whom are now being enlisted, and their willingness to volunteer themselves for the elite (and most dangerous) units in the IDF. It is surprising as much as it is heartening to see how many of our young men and women are eager to make a real “difference” in the IDF by serving on the front line in the combat units, without thinking about the danger that it brings to themselves. Their enthusiasm is such that we see groups of youths undertaking physical fitness training throughout the hot summer months, to ensure that they are physically ready for the day when they enlist and are called upon to serve their country. Although it is obvious that these young people have a clear understanding of the risks confronting Israel and of the importance of the IDF in combating these threats, it still never ceases to impress me when I see the seriousness and the enthusiasm with which they enlist. The same can be said of most of the new recruits, whether they are slated for front line or back-of-the-house jobs. The army would never survive with only combat soldiers, and all soldiers play an important role in the effective defence of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

In a strange way, the fierce competition and some of the dirty tricks employed to promote one candidate over the others for ramatkal is vitally important. It sends a clear message to thousands of soldiers, permanent force and conscripts alike, that serving in the IDF is something to be proud of and to fight for. The competition for positions that we see at the top is multiplied many times down the ranks, and even to those who are yet to enlist.

I fear the day when the position of ramatkal does not attract competition. Although it would be better to see a clean (and legal) fight amongst the candidates, the fact that so many people are so eager to fill the position surely bodes well for Israel. This fact is sent as a message to all others in the IDF about the pride associated with serving in this organisation. While I do not wish to condone dirty tricks in any way, I sure feel proud of the fight that Israelis are prepared to put up in order to have the right to serve the Jewish nation. While the police continue to hold Boaz Harpaz in custody and decide how he will be brought to justice for his role in the affair, he has succeeded in showing that the fight to be the best, and to serve the State of Israel, remains throughout the ranks of the IDF.

Playing Military Politics is a post from: The Israel Situation

The New Peace Talks

Eric — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:22:44 +0000

This week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the Palestinians have finally agreed to sit down and talk with Israel about a more comprehensive peace plan. It is great to see the two leaders sit down face to face to work out a plan, but I am concerned with the long term repercussions if Prime Minister Netanyahu does not handle this properly.

Secretary Clinton included this in her press conference:

Since the beginning of this Administration, we have worked with the Israelis and Palestinians and our international partners to advance the cause of comprehensive peace in the Middle East, including a two-state solution which ensures security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians. The President and I are encouraged by the leadership of Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas and fully share their commitment to the goal of two states – Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

After proximity talks and consultations with both sides, on behalf of the United States Government, I’ve invited Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas to meet on September 2^nd in Washington, D.C. to re-launch direct negotiations to resolve all final status issues, which we believe can be completed within one year.

Note the emphasis on two states. While I do not support it, I have come to terms with the reality of a state called Palestine in much of Judea and Samaria. I also realize that some sort of state will exist in all of Gaza, but it is closer to Hamastan than Palestine.

In creating a new state, Israel has to be very careful about the security rights it gives up and how the Jewish residents are treated. I proudly wore a “Yehudi lo megaresh Yehudi” bracelet leading up to and for years following the Gaza withdrawal. I still believe in the motto: “A Jew does not exile a Jew.” But, it appears that we will be facing that predicament again in the future.

The security concern is a major factor in my feelings toward starting a new Palestinian state. In the plans of the British Mandate of Palestine, a Jewish state and a Palestinian state were both called for. Remember that Transjordan included both what is now Israel and Jordan, so as far as I am concerned the Palestinians have a state, but they always want more.

When we went along and gave the Palestinians more, and left Gaza with no conditions, we gave the Palestinians a location from which to attack. I was afraid that would happen, and my fears are realized regularly with rocket and mortar attacks originating in the Gaza Strip.

What would a Palestinian state in the West Bank mean? It would mean rocket ranges could easily hit Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Netanya, Naharia, Haifa, Beer Sheva, Hod HaSharon, and virtually every other major population center in Israel. A war could quickly divide Israel in two, and the 1967 borders could hardly be considered defensible.

I pray that Bibi keeps this in mind when negotiating a peace deal with Mahmud Abbas. The time for unilateral moves toward peace has gone. We saw the disastrous results of that. Now, it is time for concrete promises that will be enforced. It is not worth having peace at all costs. Jerusalem is permanently part of Israel. All of it. The areas around Gush Etzion are also, in my opinion, non-negotiable. I believe Bibi has similar views in that aspect. I am thrilled that he is leading the negotiation, rather that Tzipi Livni or Ehud Barak, as I believe either would give away a lot more for a lot less in return.

I will keep my eyes on Washington in September, and I hope any steps forward do not come with more steps back.

The New Peace Talks is a post from: The Israel Situation