SECURITY NEWS -MAY 18
Massive civil drill to test response to cyber attack on Israel
For the first time ever, the annual home front exercise conducted by the IDF
will include preparations for an electronic attack against the country.
Published 02:12 18.05.10 Latest update 02:12 18.05.10 By Anshel Pfeffer
Haaretz
www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/massive-civil-drill-to-test-response-to-cyber-attack-on-israel-1.290871
For the first time ever, the annual home front exercise conducted by the
Israel Defense Forces will include preparations for an electronic attack
against the country. The exercise, code-named Turning Point 4, will be held
from Monday to Thursday next week.
Defense officials yesterday said that the emphasis of this year's exercise
will be on the response of local authorities to a military emergency. Drills
will be held in 68 cities and towns that are home to 70 percent of Israel's
population. The exercise is being orchestrated by the Home Front Command and
the National Emergency Authority in the Defense Ministry.
At 11 A.M. next Wednesday, May 26, sirens will sound across the country, at
which time all residents are to go to bomb shelters or other protected
spaces. Drills will be held in schools, as well.
At 9:30 A.M. yesterday, all Israeli radio stations broadcast a series of
beeps to test the country's emergency broadcast system. There was no advance
warning of the brief interruption in programming.
Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said that Israel informed Arab
governments that the exercise is a routine one. He said that he did not
believe that war would
break out this summer, adding that those who seek peace must prepare for
war.
Vilnai and GOC Northern Command Yair Golan said the exercise would test the
response to a scenario in which hundreds of rockets were fired at Israel.
They refused to state the origin of the rockets.
The "cyber preparedness" part of the exercise will simulate an
Internet-based attack on the country's communications and computer
infrastructure, of the type the defense establishment believes hostile
elements could mount in a war.
Electronic targets could include mobile phone networks, banks and
transportation communications systems, such as those of Israel Railways and
Ben-Gurion International Airport. Such attacks took place during Operation
Cast Lead, but there was little damage to government computer networks.
A special department of Military Intelligence was created to counter
electronic warfare threats. The Shin Bet security service is responsible for
protecting the civilian electronic infrastructure.
In the course of Turning Point 4, an announcement will be made that the
Internet has crashed due to a cyber attack, and the forces involved in the
drill will have to cope until service is restored.
--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
Iran to Unveil New Generation of Zolfaqar Tanks
News number: 890228162319:57 | 2010-05-18Defence
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8902281623
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iranian Army announced on Tuesday that it plans to unveil
an upgraded version of its main battle tank, Zolfaqar, next month.
"Army's Ground Force has carried out ample research and studies for
upgrading the technology and applications of Zolfaqar tanks, and the updated
version of the tank will be unveiled in the (Iranian) month of Khordad (May
22-June 21)," Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force Brigadier General
Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said in an exclusive interview with FNA today.
"Fire navigation system of the new Zolfaqar tank has been updated and Laser
systems have been mounted onto the tank," Pourdastan said, adding, "These
upgrades have remarkably increased the tank's operational capabilities."
Zolfaqar is a second generation of Iran's main battle tank (MBT). The test
prototypes of the tank were evaluated in 1993. Six semi-industrial
prototypes of the tank were produced and tested in 1997.
The tank has a distinctive box-shaped, steel-welded turret of local design.
Zolfaqar combat weight is reported to be 36 tons and has a 780 hp diesel
engine; the tank has a 21.7 hp per ton ratio.
The Zolfaqar is operated by a crew of three personnel. The automatic loader
is believed to be the same one from the T-72 tank.
The tank is armed with a 125 mm smoothbore gun 2A46, which is fitted with a
fume extractor. Its secondary armament consists of a 7.62 mm coaxial and a
12.7 mm machine gun. For the Zolfaqar fleet, the Ammunition Group of the
Iranian Defense Industries Organization mass produces a standard high
explosive 23 kilograms (51 lb) propellant charge which fires the 3 kg
warhead at a muzzle velocity of 850 meters per second (2,800 ft/s).
The Zolfaqar-1 uses a fire control system which enjoys a 'fire-on-the-move'
technology. The Zolfaqar mounts a laser-warning pod on the turret. Its
design enables the tank to use an Iranian-made package of reactive armor.
Zolfaqar-2 is a prototype tank used as a test bed. The Zolfaqar-3 also
features considerable upgrades to the fire control system, chassis, engine
and main gun, with a 125mm autoloader. The Zolfaqar-3 is believed to be
available for export by 2010.
--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: Is this yet another case of military
intelligence being a contradiction in terms?
(Former head of the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate) Maj. Gen
(res.) Zeevi Farkash participated as the Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei
and doubted that Iran would be hostile after achieving nuclear capability.
“Iran would regard its bomb as a means of self-defense and strategic
balance,” he said.]
IDC Simulation: "Iran: The Day After"
Eduardo Missri 18 May 2010 , 13:45
http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/10/05/1802.htm
Simulation involving previous high ranking officials, diplomats and
academics conclude that Israel would show restraint during a Hezbollah
attack if Iran has nuclear weapons.
A nuclear Iran would effectively deter Israel from a disproportionate
response after a long-range missile falls in the heart of Tel-Aviv,
according to the conclusions of a simulation held at IDC Herzliya organized
by the Lauder School of Government on Sunday (May 16).
The simulation “Iran: The Day After” was based on a similar event that took
place in Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government which ended with
Russia and China siding with Iran and a crisis developing between the United
States and Israel.
The scenario simulated a Hezbollah attack in the center of Tel Aviv Ministry
of Defense building in the Kyria Military Base. During this round, the
participants, among them high ranking officials, academics and diplomats,
were unable to mount a full military response even though discreet messages
from Arab countries pushed Israel to go “all the way”.
Israel instead was restrained by the United States which after knowing that
Iran had slipped a dirty bomb to Hezbollah mounted a full international
response with surprising support from many countries. The multinational
force would go into Lebanon to secure the radioactive material and to
implement resolution 1701 to disarm Hezbollah.
Retired Air Force Commander Eitan Ben-Eliahu said that “Iran deterrence
proved dizzyingly effective.”
Moroever, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Zalman Shoval, led the
Israeli team as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that “This would be a
very serious act of war with serious losses of life and would be seen this
way by the public. As Prime Minister, I would call for the opposition to
join an emergency coalition government and hold a conversation with the
president of the U.S. We would expect the U.S. to make clear decisions in
regard to an umbrella defense for us in the region.” He also added that
Israel would wait to coordinate a response with the U.S.
“As far as the United States was concerned, Israel was trigger-happy. It
sought to use the Hezbollah attack as a justification for what the United
States was told would be an all-out war,” said Dan Kurtzer, former U.S.
ambassador to Israel who played President Barack Obama.
Referring to the quick response to Hezbollah’s dirty bomb smuggled by Iran,
Dan Kurtzer said that “In certain circumstances U.S. diplomacy can actually
work in this region, and it ends up not only leaving Israel in check but it
also ends up leading a more willing international coalition.”
Also in the event, Maj. Gen (res.) Zeevi Farkash participated as the Iranian
Supreme leader Ali Khamenei and doubted that Iran would be hostile after
achieving nuclear capability. “Iran would regard its bomb as a means of
self-defense and strategic balance,” he said.
Tzipi Livni, the head of the opposition, attended the simulation as an
observer. During the conclusions she said, “As leader of the free world, the
United States has the responsibility of leading more effective sanctions
that can turn around, absolutely, this shift from a process of stopping Iran
to a process of acceptance
--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
Massive civil drill to test response to cyber attack on Israel
For the first time ever, the annual home front exercise conducted by the IDF
will include preparations for an electronic attack against the country.
Published 02:12 18.05.10 Latest update 02:12 18.05.10 By Anshel Pfeffer
Haaretz
www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/massive-civil-drill-to-test-response-to-cyber-attack-on-israel-1.290871
For the first time ever, the annual home front exercise conducted by the
Israel Defense Forces will include preparations for an electronic attack
against the country. The exercise, code-named Turning Point 4, will be held
from Monday to Thursday next week.
Defense officials yesterday said that the emphasis of this year's exercise
will be on the response of local authorities to a military emergency. Drills
will be held in 68 cities and towns that are home to 70 percent of Israel's
population. The exercise is being orchestrated by the Home Front Command and
the National Emergency Authority in the Defense Ministry.
At 11 A.M. next Wednesday, May 26, sirens will sound across the country, at
which time all residents are to go to bomb shelters or other protected
spaces. Drills will be held in schools, as well.
At 9:30 A.M. yesterday, all Israeli radio stations broadcast a series of
beeps to test the country's emergency broadcast system. There was no advance
warning of the brief interruption in programming.
Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said that Israel informed Arab
governments that the exercise is a routine one. He said that he did not
believe that war would
break out this summer, adding that those who seek peace must prepare for
war.
Vilnai and GOC Northern Command Yair Golan said the exercise would test the
response to a scenario in which hundreds of rockets were fired at Israel.
They refused to state the origin of the rockets.
The "cyber preparedness" part of the exercise will simulate an
Internet-based attack on the country's communications and computer
infrastructure, of the type the defense establishment believes hostile
elements could mount in a war.
Electronic targets could include mobile phone networks, banks and
transportation communications systems, such as those of Israel Railways and
Ben-Gurion International Airport. Such attacks took place during Operation
Cast Lead, but there was little damage to government computer networks.
A special department of Military Intelligence was created to counter
electronic warfare threats. The Shin Bet security service is responsible for
protecting the civilian electronic infrastructure.
In the course of Turning Point 4, an announcement will be made that the
Internet has crashed due to a cyber attack, and the forces involved in the
drill will have to cope until service is restored.
[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: Hats off to GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Avi
Mizrahi for coming up with a politically correct explanation as to why the
IDF should train to be able to battle those peace loving folks in the
Palestinian security forces?
Ironically, General Dayton makes no bones about the scenario that would lead
to such a battle: "Now it can all go bad if political progress doesn't
happen, I guess", he told Aluf Benn of Haaretz in an interview published on
8 August 2008,
www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=40251
Again: Dayton didn't talk about pesky settlers looking for trouble. He was
talking about the very real situation that the Palestinians don't get what
they want.]
IDF concerned settler violence could spark Palestinian uprising
Haaretz Published 21:44 17.05.10 Latest update 21:44 17.05.10
www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/idf-concerned-settler-violence-could-spark-palestinian-uprising-1.290849
GOC Central Command tells Kfir Brigade soldiers the IDF does not know of any
Palestinian plans for response, but to prepare for possibility.
Extremist settler activity could set the West Bank ablaze, GOC Central
Command Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi warned on Monday at a brigade-wide training
exercise at the Tze'elim military base in the Negev.
The Kfir Brigade exercise focused on urban warfare - including the capture
of a simulated Arab city - and pitted Israeli troops against Palestinian
security forces.
Senior officers present at the exercise, the most extensive session the
infantry brigade has undergone since it was founded just over four years
ago, said Monday there were no indications that Israel would have to fight
the security forces.
However, the army said it needs to be prepared for all eventualities.
Mizrahi said he doesn't expect tensions to rise in the West Bank in the near
future.
"I don't think something will happen anytime soon, unless there's a very
serious incident on the Temple Mount or in the Cave of the Patriarchs," he
said. However, he said he was "very anxious" about an escalation being set
off by settler violence.
"Most of the settlement movement is fine, very normal, but a mosque set on
fire and another mosque set on fire adds up," Mizrahi said.
Defense officials are concerned over a series of mosque burnings in the past
six months, including a fire that destroyed books and prayer rugs in a
mosque near Nablus that firefighters said earlier this month was caused by
arson.
Mizrahi said that while the council that officially represents settlers is
willing to listen to defense officials, the army is worried about what some
of the more radical settlers might do.
"The Yesha Council is sane. Even if they might have become more militant,
they understand what's going on and we can talk to them," Mizrahi said. "But
in Yitzhar, in Maon and in Havat Gilad, they don't believe in us at all as a
state. They want something else, and when someone doesn't know the limits
anymore you don't know where it will end up."
Mizrahi said the army and the Palestinian security forces, trained in Jordan
by Keith Dayton, an American general, have been cooperating, but that
Israeli soldiers still need to know how to fight them if the need should
arise.
"This is a trained, equipped, American-educated force," Mizrahi said. "This
means that at the beginning of a battle, we'll pay a higher price. A force
like that can shut down an urban area with four snipers. It's not the Jenin
militants anymore ¬ it's a proper infantry force facing us and we need to
take that into account. They have attack capabilities and we don't expect
them to give up so easily."
In the training exercise, three battalions went from house to house, where
they faced Israel Defense Forces soldiers posing as members of the regular
Palestinian security forces, Palestinian civilians or reporters.
Until now, soldiers serving in the brigade have been serving only in the
West Bank, but Armored Corps commander Brig. Gen. Agai Yehezkel said the
exercises would enable the brigade to fight on the Gaza and Lebanon fronts
as well as in the West Bank, if necessary. He said Kfir battalions would be
deployed for operational duty within the Green Line as early as next year.
The Kfir Brigade, which was created in December 2005, consists of six
battalions whose soldiers man 30 percent of the roadblocks in the West Bank
and are responsible for 60 percent of arrests. They have succeeded in
decreasing the number of terrorist attacks in the West Bank.
Much of the brigade's responsibilities have diminished recently, due to the
increased activities of the Palestinian security forces.
It should be noted that the main perpetrators of crimes against Palestinians
belong to the Kfir Brigade, according to statistics on Military Police
investigations, which the Israel Defense Forces provided to the human rights
organization Yesh Din.
In 2007 the Military Police opened 351 probes for crimes in the territories,
compared to 152 cases in 2006. The Military Police managed to tie the
complaints to specific IDF units in only 55 percent of the cases, compared
to 78 percent in the previous year.
Sixty-six of the investigations opened in 2007 were against Kfir soldiers,
compared to 35 in 2006; 52 were against the paratroopers brigade (19 in
2006); 14 against Nahal (only one in 2006); 10 against Givati (one in 2006);
six against the tank corps (none in 2006); and five each against Golani and
the West Bank division.
The Kfir brigade is posted in the West Bank permanently, which means it
spends several more months a year there than any other brigade. It also has
more regiments than other infantry brigades.
The Military Police is investigating a variety of crimes in the territories,
from the killing of Palestinians and the illegal use of firearms to abuse
and plunder.
--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
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