Egyptian Anti-Aircraft Missiles Reported in Sinai
Anti-aircraft missiles can only be intended for Israel's jets, because Sinai terrorists don't have aircraft.
By Gil Ronen
First Publish: Arutz Sheva - 8/20/2012, 10:16 AM
Israeli F-16
Israel news photo: Flash 90
According to a report on Voice of Israel government-sponsored radio, Egypt has moved anti-aircraft missiles into the Sinai Peninsula.
The radio station's Arab affairs analyst, Eran Zinger, reported Saturday that Egypt has deployed both anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles near Israel’s border in the Egyptian Sinai, without Israel’s permission.
Such equipment is prohibited in Sinai by the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. “Egypt is trying to change the situation in Sinai,” Zinger said.
If the report is true, the move is an overtly hostile one toward Israel and can only mean that Egypt is preparing for hostilities with the Jewish state. Ostensibly, Egyptian forces moved into Sinai only in order to crush terrorist activity there. However, the terrorists possess no aircraft. Therefore anti-aircraft missiles can only be intendedagainst Israel's air force.
In the prelude to the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Egypt moved anti-aircraft missiles close to the Suez Canal, despite a commitment not to do so. Israel chose to ignore the move, and the result was catastrophic, when the missiles shot down numerous IAF jets after war broke out.
The Israeli government has asked Egypt to withdraw the armored vehicles it deployed in Sinai 11 days ago, in contravention of the peace treaty between the two nations, according to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, which quotes Israeli sources.
Israel said that the deployment of armored forces in the El Arish area was only reported to it retroactively by Egypt, after the forces had already been deployed. Once Egypt supplied Israel with the full details about the extent of the deployment, the Jewish state asked Egypt to withdraw its armor from northern Sinai.
Israel Asks Egypt to Take Armor Out of Sinai – Report
Arab paper: Israel was only informed retroactively about deployment of armored forces in Sinai.
First Publish: Arutz Sheva -8/19/2012, 4:45 PM
Egyptian armor enters Rafah
Reuters
The Israeli government has asked Egypt to withdraw the armored vehicles it deployed in Sinai ten days ago, in contravention of the peace treaty between the two nations, according to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, which quotes Israeli sources.
Israel said that the deployment of armored forces in the EL Arish area was only reported to it retroactively by Egypt, after the forces had already been deployed. Once Egypt supplied Israel with the full details about the extent of the deployment, the Jewish state asked Egypt to withdraw its armor from northern Sinai.
"Security sources" told the paper that this is a moment in which the relations between Egypt's new regime and Israel are being tested. An Israeli source added that Egypt asked that the forces be deployed in Sinai until the end of the military operation against terrorists there, but that Israel does not know when the operation is scheduled to end.
Residents of El Arish in northern Sinai reported on August 9 that the Egyptian military had sent reinforcements of "unprecedented" size into the peninsula, according to the Egyptian Al Ahram newspaper. The forces reportedly include 60 tanks on 30 tank-transporters, 12 armored personnel carriers, 15 additional armored vehicles, more than 20 armored jeeps and 10 Military Police jeeps.
There was also a report that no less than 400 'Fahd' armored vehicles were sent into the Sinai.
More on this topic
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Shin Bet Nabs PFLP Cell that Planned Abductions
Three terrorists planned to abduct soldier or civilian and bargain for release of PFLP boss Saadat.
By Gil Ronen
First Publish: Arutz Sheva- 8/20/2012, 2:39 PM
Scene of a terror attack
Hezki Ezra
The Shin Bet, together with the IDF and Israel Police, have exposed a PFLP terror cell that planned shooting attacks and abductions for negotiating the release of terrorist prisoners.
The cell's members were arrested before they could carry out their plans. Weapons were also found in the course of one of the arrests.
The arrested cell members are all members of the PFLP terror group: Salem Dirdisawi, 40, of Ramallah, has already served several stints in jail for his activity in the PFLP. Ahmed Sheikh, 20, of Anata, was in jail between October 2011 and January 2012 for attacking an Israeli vehicle. Ahmed Alian, 22 of Anata, was also jailed in the past. Jisan Karaja, of the village of Tzafa near Ramallah, is a well known PFLP activist and recruiter in his village.
The cell began operating in April and May of this year. They planned to abduct a soldier or a resident of the Jewish communities in Samaria, in order to bargain for the freedom of PFLP boss Ahmed Saadat, who is in jail for various terror acts including the murder of Minister Rechavam Ze'evi.
The cell also planned to fire at soldiers at the Maccabim checkpoint and collected intelligence to this end. Another plan was to carry out an attack at the Jaba checkpoint, and use a motorcycle for a quick getaway.
Alian is employed as a security officer in the Palestinian Authority and had a stash of weapons, which included a Glock handgun, a Yericho handgun, and an M-16. Dirdisawi had a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a box of ammunition. The weapons were confiscated.
The men have been charged with conspiracy to fire at a person and possession of weapons.
The Shin Bet noted that the arrests "once again show the terror organizations' efforts and high motivation to carry out abduction attacks for bargaining over the release of prisoners in Israel."
---------------------------Iron Dome Defends Eilat after Grad Fragments Found
The Iron Dome defense system has been placed in the southernmost city of Eilat, two days after two rockets were fired from Egypt.
By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
First Publish: Arutz Sheva -8/20/2012, 10:00 AM
Eilat
Arutz Sheva
The Iron Dome defense system has been placed in the southernmost city of Eilat, two days after two rockets were fired from Egypt.
Missile attacks or even the threat of rocket strikes could have a catastrophic effect on the local economy, almost totally dependent on tourism.
"An Iron Dome battery has been deployed in the town of Eilat as part of tests, momentarily modifying the sites where these systems are deployed," an IDF spokeswoman said.
An Islamic terrorist group that calls itself Ansar Jerusalem claimed responsibility for firing two Grad rockets on Eilat last week. The explosions were heard, but there was no evidence of rocket firing until a mountain hiker found the remains of a 122m rocket on Saturday.
The Ansar terrorist group blamed “the Jews” for claiming there were no deaths or injuries. Its statement claimed that the terrorists tried to make sure the missiles would hit populated areas, “but as usual, the Jews are hiding their losses, and in their reports and releases they claimed that the rockets fell in open, unpopulated areas.”
It added, “You know, Jews, that nothing can stop us with Allah’s help, from fighting you and torturing you…
“Everyone knows that our weapons, our readiness and our jihad have a fixed target and are fighting those who cursed Allah, stole our communities, our holy places and hurt our dignity.”
However, another unknown organization calling itself the "Salafi Sinai Front" also claimed responsibility for firing the missiles.
Eilat has been the target of missile attacks from Sinai in the recent past, and eight people were killed in a multi-pronged terrorist attack last year.
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Ex-IAF Chief: We Should Have Struck Iran in 2005
Israel should have attacked Iran's nuclear facilities 7 years ago, according to former Israel Air Force Chief Herzl Bodinger.
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By Gil RonenFirst Publish: 8/20/2012, 9:29 AM
IAF F-16: markings denote 'kills'
Israel news photo: Flash 90
Israel should have attacked Iran's nuclear facilities seven years ago, according to former Israel Air Force Chief Maj. Gen. (ret.) Herzl Bodinger.
Bodinger, who commanded the Israel Air Force from January 1992 to July 1996, told Channel 1 over the weekend: "If you ask me, I think we should have bombed the installations in 2005, when there was only one site, and then we wouldn't be faced with all these questions.”
“I am almost certain that the world won't be able to prevent Iran's nuclear militarization through sanctions, and when they have a bomb, we will be in a completely different situation ... We are very appreciative of American help and their support, but at the end of the day you stand by yourself, with your own fate. If we attack, missiles will fall here, but they will also fall here if the Americans attack."
Asked whether he thought Israel could attack Iran on its own, Bodinger said that while Chairman of the U.S.Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said he does not believe Israel will be able to destroy Iran's nuclear installations, "…I think he isn't totally in the know about what the Israeli forces are capable of. The Americans don't know everything about us."
Meanwhile, former Military Intelligence head Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin published an article in The Washington Post on Saturday in which he stated that the rift between Israel and the U.S. on Iran could be bridged by a gesture from U.S. President Barack Obama.
"A gesture directly from Obama could do it. The U.S. president should visit Israel and tell its leadership — and, more important, its people — that preventing a nuclear Iran is a U.S. interest, and if we have to resort to military action, we will. This message, delivered by the president of the United States to the Israeli Knesset, would be far more effective than U.S. officials’ attempts to convey the same sentiment behind closed doors," opined Yadlin.
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