Israel Update for July 2010

The report also found that IDF military intelligence agents had not fully taken into account the growing antagonism against Israel emanating from the Turkish government in recent years, and therefore had discounted the possibility of armed resistance to any IDF naval boarding.

Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, told reporters in Ankara he was pleased with Eiland's report. However he added his government will nevertheless still pursue efforts to force an international inquiry into the incident. Israeli leaders said in late July they will not cooperate with an investigation that the UN is planning to launch in August.

The Turkish official also indicated once again that diplomatic ties may be severed if the Israeli government does not formally apologize for the deaths of nine Muslim Turks on board the ship who took part in the assaults on rappelling IDF soldiers. He also demanded that Israeli "financial restitution" be given to the families of the slain activists, along with the return of several IHH-owned ships still in Israeli possession (the latter request was granted on July 22). Ankara had earlier announced that Turkish airspace had been closed to all IDF military flights traveling to and from Europe and the United States.

Meanwhile a private group linked to Israeli intelligence published a report one day after Eiland's findings were made public, stating that seven of the Turks who died on board the ship were members of the IHH who had declared in advance their desire to be "martyred" while attempting to violate the IDF naval blockade. The report quoted a page from the diary of a slain 19 year old Muslim activist that had been published in the Turkish press. The young man wrote that "these are the last hours before I join the sweet experience of being a shahid" (Arabic for martyr), adding "is there anything more beautiful than this?"

War Clouds Keep Building

On his way back to Damascus following a tour of several Latin American countries, Syrian President Bashar Assad stopped over in Madrid, where he said "the prospects of war are growing" in the wake of Turkey's diplomatic fray with Israel. This came as Israeli intelligence reports revealed that the Syrian and Iranian-backed Lebanese Hizbullah militia has been busy moving men and supplies into frontline positions in southern Lebanon, in violation of the UN resolution 1701 which formally ended the over month-long war between Hizbullah and IDF forces in August 2006. IDF troops are also being beefed up along the border. Meanwhile army sources expressed growing concern that Hizbullah may be digging illicit tunnels under the international border in order to kidnap IDF soldiers. Above ground Hizbullah abductions sparked off the 2006 conflict.

Intelligence reports said up to 20,000 fully trained and equipped Hizbullah fighters have been moved into forward positions in recent months, most of them located in and around the 160 Shiite towns and villages scattered throughout South Lebanon. Israeli drone surveillance aircraft took aerial photos of one such buildup, in the town of El Khiam located in the western foothills of Mount Hermon. Broadcast on Israeli television stations during July, the pictures mapped out military positions being constructed in civilian neighborhoods, and showed weapon supplies being moved around in the town.

Further evidence that Hizbullah may be preparing for a new war with Israel came when hundreds of local Shiite residents suddenly launched a number of attacks upon the 12,000 member UN peacekeeping force operating in the area. Rocks were thrown by dozens of Shiite residents of the town of Touline the end of June and early July, aimed at French soldiers who had staged a 36 hour military exercise in the area. Several days later, over 100 civilians blocked the main road in the village of Kabrikha, preventing a French UN patrol from passing through the village. An Israeli military analyst told journalists that "a mob of 100 people does not suddenly appear by accident in southern Lebanon; an area not known for spontaneous gatherings," adding that the operation was undoubtedly staged by Hizbullah in order to intimidate UN forces accused of siding with Israel.

Meet The President

Several Israeli political pundits averred that the chances of regional war this summer may have been significantly reduced by the evidently warm reception that PM Netanyahu received at the White House on July 6. They said Iran, Syria and Turkey cannot help but notice that President Obama apparently went out of his way to repair the damage caused by his earlier frosty reception of the Israeli leader during his last visit in March. However some added this was not necessarily the result of a genuine change of heart, but mostly for domestic display in light of opinion polls suggesting the ruling Democratic party-the usual home for most Jewish voters-may get trounced in November's mid-term congressional elections.

Although the topic of Iran's ongoing nuclear programme was discussed, the two leaders focused their public comments on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Netanyahu said he is eager to open direct negotiations with the PA, as advocated by Obama. However chances for such talks beginning anytime soon receded when PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki added a new pre-condition-the presence of a "third party mediator" with the "power to intervene," in other words, to impose solutions. Earlier the PA said it would not agree to direct talks unless the current settlement building freeze is extended beyond late September, a condition rejected by senior Israeli officials in July. The PA also wants negotiations to resume where they ended under former PM Ehud Olmert.

President Obama appeared on Israel's Channel Two soon after the summit ended, saying Netanyahu is "well positioned to bring about peace." The American leader acknowledged opinion polls showing most Israelis do not trust him, maintaining this might be because "my middle name is Hussein." However he defended what he called his "outreach to the Muslim world" as being designed to "reduce the dangers posed by a hostile Muslim world to Israel and the West."

It is especially good in times like these that we who know the Lord can proclaim like Job of old: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth" (Job 19:25).