LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 19/2011
Bible Quotation for today/Jesus
Goes to the Temple
Matthew 21/12-17: "Jesus went into the Temple and drove out all those who were
buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the
stools of those who sold pigeons, and said to them, It is written in the
Scriptures that God said, My Temple will be called a house of prayer. But you
are making it a hideout for thieves! The blind and the crippled came to him in
the Temple, and he healed them. The chief priests and the teachers of the Law
became angry when they saw the wonderful things he was doing and the children
shouting in the Temple, Praise to David's Son! So they asked Jesus, Do you hear
what they are saying? Indeed I do, answered Jesus. Haven't you ever read this
scripture? You have trained children and babies to offer perfect praise. Jesus
left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from
miscellaneous sources
Syria: From Doha to the Security Council/By Tariq
Alhomayed/December 18/11
Goodbye to Iraq/Haaretz Editorial/December 18/11
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
December 18/11
Arsal Municipal Chief Asks for Army Protection Against
Syrian Incursions
Al-Rahi: Dereliction of Responsibilities Forcing Citizens
to Forget Loyalty to Nation
Tensions Soar in Ain al-Hilweh as Another al-Lino
Bodyguard Killed
Jumblat Confirms Alliance with Miqati, Says he Wants a
United Syria
PSP, al-Mustaqbal Stress Continued Cooperation, Calm
Rhetoric
Hizbullah Operative, the Last Iraqi Prisoner, Handed over by U.S.
Hariri Stresses Importance of Removing 'Illegal Arms', Says Syrians Closer to
'Freedom'
Jumblat Says Bkirki Meeting Proposals Will ‘Isolate’ People
French official in Beirut Monday to discuss
possible UNIFIL reduction
Lebanon files complaint to U.N. over Israeli spy
devices
Missing AUB student found in north
State Minister Ali Qanso: Orthodox plan ‘proposal for
permanent sectarian war’ in Lebanon
Abboud Slams ‘Rampant’ Corruption at Airport, Vows Strong
Measures against New Year Violators
Suleiman Reportedly Informs Aoun that he Backs Antoine
Daher as HJC Head
Hariri Stresses Importance of Removing 'Illegal Arms', Says Syrians Closer to
'Freedom'
Palestinians on alert following shootout in Lebanon
refugee camp
Future bloc MP Assem Araji : We don’t want Syrian refugee
camps
Israel, U.S.
'determined' to halt Iran nuclear drive: Barak
Obama and Barak
discuss dwindling anti-Iran strike options as the US exits Iraq
Appointment of IDF's new 'Iran Command' chief raises
eyebrows
Civilian among seven dead' in Syria violence
Egyptian gunmen attack gas pipeline to Israel in northern Sinai
Iraq must fill security vacuum created by US withdrawal
itself - Kurdish PM
Vaclav Havel, leader of "Velvet Revolution," dies
Israel envoy seeks talks with Egypt Islamist groups
Arabs threaten to take Syria to U.N. over crackdown
Syria Forces Kill 34 Civilians as Crackdown on Protesters Mounts
Troops assault Egypt protesters, clashes kill 9
Tunisians celebrate anniversary of pioneering Arab revolt
Child beggars face risks, lack state support
Welcome back to spy central
Iraqi foreign minister to lead Syria initiative
Syria: From Doha to the
Security Council
By Tariq Alhomayed
Asharq Al-Awsat
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said that since Russia has
presented its own draft resolution on Syria to the UN Security Council, the
Arabs will do the same and take their initiative on Syria to the Security
Council. Are we now facing competing Arab, Russian and Iraqi initiatives, or
have the Arabs, specifically the Arab League Ministerial Committee, come to the
conviction that the al-Assad regime only deals in trickery?
Of course, no one has a definitive answer, but some details can help us provide
a useful analysis. For example, in Doha yesterday, the Arab League Ministerial
Committee meeting on Syria was akin to an exercise in procrastination and time
wasting by the al-Assad regime. True, no one attended the meeting from the
Syrian regime, but there were those that defended it fiercely, such as the
Algerian contingent. Information suggests that the Algerians were hinting at
withdrawing [from the initiative], something they have done repeatedly. However,
when they were asked why not maintain [the Arab pressure] rather than withdraw
from it, they retreated from the threat! This is not all, of course, for a lot
of time was spent in the meeting discussing whether to change the expression
contained in the Arab League resolution on Syria from “protection of civilians”
to “protecting of citizens”. After a long debate, and two phone calls from
[Syrian Foreign Minister] Walid Muallem to the Arab League Secretary General [Nabil
Elaraby], in addition to a phone call from an international lawyer claiming to
represent the al-Assad regime, a new expression was put forward, namely
“protection of unarmed citizens”, but this was also rejected by the al-Assad
regime.
This is the crux of the matter. Namely the debate over the term “civilians”,
“citizens”, and “unarmed citizens”, indicates that the al-Assad regime is not
serious, especially as its killing machine has not stopped, but rather has been
intensifying ever since the Arabs mobilized over the Syrian issue. There are
approximately 50 killings taking place per day, and information suggests that
the al-Assad regime is planning further delays and procrastination, and even if
it signs [an initiative] at the last minute, it will still stall when it comes
to its implementation. Certainly, the Syrian bloodshed will not stop, especially
whilst the al-Assad regime continues to delay, and not just with the Arabs.
According to informed sources, the Russians over the past few days have also
tried to pressure the Syrians to sign the Arab initiative. [Syrian Vice
President] Farouk al-Sharaa was supposed to visit Moscow tomorrow, but the trip
was cancelled or postponed, because the al-Assad regime insisted that the
meeting in Moscow be held with the Russian President, or Prime Minister, but the
Russians insisted that it would be held with their foreign minister, something
that the al-Assad regime did not approve of!
All of this tells us one fact. The mere thought of reaching a practical solution
to the situation in Syria, with the consent and cooperation of the al-Assad
regime, is nothing but a delusion. Therefore it is not enough to transfer the
Arab initiative from Doha to the UN Security Council, but rather we must also
launch a genuine diplomatic campaign to ensure that the UN Security Council
takes action as soon as possible. This is our obligation, namely to protect the
Syrian civilians from the al-Assad killing machine. Here the role lies with the
Gulf Cooperation Council, Turkey, France and the United States.
New Blast Hits Egypt Gas Pipeline to Israel, Jordan
Naharnet/ An explosion hit an Egyptian pipeline feeding gas to
Israel and Jordan on Sunday in the 10th such attack this year, Egyptian security
services said. The blast struck south of the town of el-Arish in the north of
the Sinai peninsula and targeted a segment of pipeline which was gas-free as it
was under repair. The last attack on November 28, also near el-Arish, was blamed
on "saboteurs" and came hours before the launch of Egypt's first parliamentary
elections since the overthrow of veteran president Hosni Mubarak in February.
The pipeline, which carries gas through the Sinai and on to Israel and Jordan,
has been attacked 10 times since Mubarak's ouster. Authorities have repeatedly
announced security measures to protect the installations. There has been no
claim of responsibility for the attacks.
The deliveries to Israel, which were agreed under Mubarak, have come under heavy
criticism in Egypt amid accusations the gas is being undersold. Israel generates
40 percent of its electricity using natural gas, and Egypt provides 43 percent
of its supplies. Egyptian gas also covers 80 percent of Jordan's needs for power
generation -- 6.8 million cubic meters a day. Security is a particularly
sensitive issue in the Sinai as a result of tensions with the peninsula's
Bedouin community. *Source Agence France Presse
Arsal Municipal Chief Asks for Army Protection Against
Syrian Incursions
Naharnet /The municipal chief of the Bekaa border town of Arsal complained on
Sunday that the area has witnessed five violations by the Syrian army in one
month, urging the army to protect the residents.
In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio station (100.5), Mohammed al-Hujairi said:
“The number of (Lebanese) army (troops) in the area is limited and cannot
protect it.”“The town witnessed five Syrian violations in a month,” he said,
urging “the army and the state to protect it.”Al-Hujairi made his comment a day
after a villager, Khaled al-Fliti, was buried after he died from wounds he
suffered in a Syrian cross-border fire earlier in the week. One of his
relatives, Mohammed al-Fliti was also injured in the area of Kherbet Daoud when
Syrian troops opened fire on them while they were attending their herds.
Arsal has around 35,000 residents from 12 families, including the al-Hujairi
family, the town’s biggest.
Suleiman Reportedly Informs Aoun that he Backs Antoine
Daher as HJC Head
Naharnet /President Michel Suleiman has reportedly informed Free Patriotic
Movement leader Michel Aoun that he would favor Judge Antoine Daher for the post
of Higher Judicial Council president. Hizbullah’s al-Manar TV said Suleiman’s
suggestion came during talks with Aoun on Saturday. According to An Nahar daily
on Sunday, the president called Aoun and invited him for lunch. During their
meeting, the two officials discussed the issue of appointments to administrative
posts, the electoral draft-law and administrative decentralization, it said.
“Their viewpoints matched,” An Nahar added. The report came a few days after al-Joumhouria
newspaper said that Hizbullah and Aoun have reached an agreement to nominate
Judge Tannous Meshleb as their candidate for the presidency of the HJC.
Meshleb is not a member of the FPM, but Aoun is reportedly backing him for the
post after Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi, who is among the FPM chief’s share
of ministers in the cabinet, nominated him. Alice Shabtini, the head of the
Military Appeal Court, is another candidate.
Hariri Stresses Importance of Removing 'Illegal Arms', Says Syrians Closer to
'Freedom'
Naharnet /Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed on Saturday on the
importance of confiscating the “illegal arms,” noting that the Syrian people are
getting closer to their “freedom.”“Weapons should be only with the security
forces and the army,” Hariri said in English, answering a question from a
Twitter user. Asked about the meeting held by the Maronite leaders in Bkirki,
who agreed on the Orthodox meeting proposals, He said that his stance will be
announced at “the right time.”The Maronite leaders were unanimous on Friday in
agreeing on the Orthodox meeting proposals regarding the parliamentary electoral
law, while stressing the need to hold dialogue with the rest of the Lebanese
factions on the matter.The Orthodox meeting called for each sect to elect its
own candidate based on proportional representation during parliamentary
elections.Hariri considered that the March 14 forces Cedar Revolution spurred
the Arab revolutions, noting that every country has its own “characteristics.”
“I think we were first… People saw change can happen, each country is
different,” Hariri tweeted.He said that the Lebanese will be able to “reach
their dream,” adding: “we just need to talk and listen more; this country is for
all of us.”Hariri said that he opposes both the Syrian regime and Israel since
“Israel kills Palestinians, and the Syrian regime kills its own people.”The
ex-PM lauded the Arab League decision on Syria, stressing that the Syrian people
are getting closer to their “freedom.”The Arab League threatened on Saturday to
take Syria to the U.N. if it persisted in refusing to allow observers into the
country to monitor the protection of civilians.Hariri said that if the Syrian
regime signed the Arab League protocol “it will not abide by it.”He also praised
the role played by turkey.“I think Turkey has a good policy on Syria, and they
are helping the refugees."
Jumblat Confirms Alliance with Miqati, Says he Wants a United Syria
Naharnet /Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat reiterated on Sunday
that he remains allied with Premier Najib Miqati and said he is keen on seeing
Syria united. During a gathering at the Shouaifat Municipality called for by the
head of the Lebanese Democratic Party, Talal Arslan, Jumblat said: “I might have
a (different) viewpoint in political affairs and this is legal.”“We are not
asked to have the same point of view and a single opinion,” he added. Arslan had
organized the event to contain the repercussions of the killing of 19-year-old
Ali Sheet earlier in the month. The young man died after a bank guard in the
area of Kouh al-Blata in Shouaifat opened fire on him when he was trying to
snatch a woman’s handbag. Angry residents later blocked roads to protest the
killing. Jumblat said that Lebanese politicians disagree on the situation in
Syria, but stressed: “All what I, Talal and (Hizbullah chief) Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah care for is for Syria to stay united and for the ghost of civil war to
stay far.”
“Syria should be a pluralist democracy. That’s my point of view because our
security is linked to Syria and vice versa,” he added. On Hizbullah’s arms,
Jumblat stressed that agreement had been reached after the Taef accord to keep
the weapons with the resistance until the liberation of all occupied Lebanese
territories.Arslan, who also talked during the event, said: “I have my own
viewpoint while Walid Bek has another point of view … as for Syria I am not
ashamed of my friendship with Assad.”The conferees issued a statement stressing
“the importance of keeping the situation calm amid the circumstances that
Lebanon and the region are going through.”They called for “unity to confront the
developments no matter how different the political viewpoints were.”The
statement also stressed the necessity of consolidating the army and the security
forces to handle any emergency.
PSP, al-Mustaqbal Stress Continued Cooperation, Calm Rhetoric
Naharnet /The leaderships of the Progressive Socialist Party and al-Mustaqbal
movement in Iqlim al-Kharroub stressed on Sunday their continued cooperation and
the need to preserve calm rhetoric.
“The political status quo and the developments around us create fear and
cautiousness … that’s why it is our responsibility to preserve a calm rhetoric,
hold onto stability and exert joint efforts to limit political tension to steer
the region clear of any agitation,” the leaderships of the two parties said in a
statement after holding talks at the PSP’s offices in Daraya.They said they have
a joint responsibility towards the residents in Shouf and Iqlim al-Kharroub,
stressing that the bases of their “old and firm” relations have been
consolidated by al-Mustaqbal leader Saad Hariri and PSP chief Walid Jumblat.
“We stay united against all challenges and events that the Arab region could be
affected from through the Arab revolutions,” the statement said.It stressed that
al-Mustaqbal and the PSP share common goals more than their converging
viewpoints which have “never been points of contention.” “Each side has its own
point of view towards different causes and political issues,” the conferees
said, vowing to continue their coordination out of their “keenness on their
region and their strong and common principles which were never rattled under any
political circumstance.”
Al-Rahi: Dereliction of Responsibilities Forcing Citizens to Forget Loyalty to
Nation
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi lamented on Sunday that the
dereliction of the state’s duties and the sectarianism of some politicians are
forcing citizens to forget their loyalty to the nation.
“The church is about loyalty to the nation and not the sect,” al-Rahi said in
his sermon during the inauguration of the Lady of Assumption church in Bkirki
after the end of renovation work.
“But the dereliction of the state’s duties on one side and the sectarian
practices of politicians on the other are forcing the citizen to be loyal to his
confession rather than the nation,” he said.
Al-Rahi added that such a fact has put sects in a race to appeal to nationals
through their services as if they are the state.“The church reflects plurality
that requires a balanced partnership at the level of the management without
forgetting anyone and without giving privileges to anyone,” he said.According to
al-Rahi, Lebanon in the East is an example of coexistence on equal terms. As for
the West, Lebanon is an example that Islam is a religion of peace, he said.
Palestinians on alert following shootout in Lebanon refugee camp
December 18, 2011 Tension has risen following a shootout in Lebanon’s largest
Palestinian camp of Ain al-Hilweh. Tension has risen in the Palestinian refugee
camp of Lebanon’s Ain al-Hilweh after the bodyguard of the head of Fatah party's
police force in the camp was shot dead on Sunday.According to NOW Lebanon’s
correspondent, two bodyguards of Fatah’s police chief Mahmoud Abdel Hamid Issa,
also known as “Al-Lino,” were shot by a gunman inside the camp; the shootout
resulted in the death of one of the guards.The report also said that Palestinian
factions are “on alert” following the incident.
"Al-Lino” said on Thursday that Fatah al-Islam and Jund as-Sham groups are
trying to “incite strife” in the camp. Ain al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian
camp in the country, is home to about 50,000 refugees and is known to harbor
extremists and fugitives.By long-standing convention, the Lebanese army does not
enter the country's 12 refugee camps, leaving security inside to the
Palestinians themselves.
-NOW Lebanon
Tensions Soar in Ain al-Hilweh as Another al-Lino Bodyguard Killed
Naharnet /Tensions soared high on Sunday in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp after
a bodyguard of Palestinian Armed Struggle chief Mahmoud Issa, aka al-Lino, was
shot dead, three days after another bodyguard was assassinated in the same
manner. Three other people were wounded when an unidentified gunman opened fire
in the camp, including a Fatah Movement military officer and a child, a
Palestinian official in the camp told Agence France Presse. The gunman opened
fire at al-Lino’s bodyguard Amer Fustoq in the camp’s vegetable market, wounding
him severely in the head and other places of his body.Fustoq died of his wounds
shortly after being rushed to the Labib Medical Center in the neighboring
southern city of Sidon. Fatah officer Talal al-Ordoni was among those wounded in
the shooting. On Thursday al-Lino accused members of the Islamist militant group
Jund al-Sham of assassinating his first bodyguard, Ashraf al-Qaderi. “Maybe
there are instructions to continually target the PAS and national security and
shove us in internal struggles,” al-Lino told al-Jadid TV. Another Fatah
official, who refused to be identified, told al-Liwaa daily in remarks published
Thursday that a Jund al-Sham militant opened fire on 28-year-old al-Qaderi in
Ain el-Hilweh on Wednesday, killing him instantly. The official said that Jund
al-Sham members are seeking to create tension after several security incidents,
bombings and shootings at the camp. He added that several members of the
militant group had been arrested by the Palestinian Armed Struggle and handed
over to Lebanese authorities.
The official hinted that al-Qaderi’s killing was aimed at taking vengeance at
the arrests.Source Agence France Presse
Abboud Slams ‘Rampant’ Corruption at Airport, Vows Strong Measures against New
Year Violators
Naharnet /Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud slammed on Sunday what he called the
rampant corruption at Beirut airport, saying the authorities had no intention to
resolve the problem. In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3), Abboud
said: Mafias are controlling the airport, from taxi drivers to the customs all
the way to porters.”“There is rampant corruption in Lebanon in all its sectors
and there is no intention to resolve it,” he said. Abboud stressed however that
corruption at the tourism ministry was eradicated due his personal efforts.
Asked about New Year’s Eve, he said that the ministry is in full alert in
coordination with the involved parties to control any violation. He warned of
tough measures against restaurants and nightclubs serving alcohol to minors or
against those who change prices during New Year celebrations. “Tourism police
will deploy in strength to end violations and cheating so that the tourist could
feel safe,” Abboud told VDL.He reiterated that owners of restaurants and hotels
should set the prices of food and drinks ahead of New Year to avoid any problems
that could arise with their customers.
Syrian Army Defectors Kill 6 Troops
Naharnet Syrian activists said Sunday that army defectors have killed six
government troops during heavy gunbattles in the country's central region. The
British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an officer was among
those killed Sunday in the town of Qusair in Homs province, near the border with
Lebanon. The group also said security forces killed one man and wounded 29
others in northern Syria during clashes with army defectors. The Observatory
relies on a network of activists in Syria for its information. Syria has seen a
sharp escalation in armed clashes recently, raising concerns the country of 22
million is headed toward civil war nine months into the uprising against Syrian
President Bashar Assad.
Iraqi foreign minister to lead Syria initiative
December 18, 2011 /Baghdad's foreign minister will lead an Iraqi initiative to
end months of unrest in Syria by holding talks with the Damascus regime,
opposition groups and the Arab League, an Iraqi official said Sunday. "We had
very positive discussions on Sunday with the secretary general of the Arab
League, who supported our initiative alongside that of the Arab League in an
effort to find a solution between the Syrians," National Security Adviser Falah
al-Fayadh told AFP by telephone from Cairo. "Our next step is to launch our
initiative, and this task will be led by Foreign Minister [Hoshyar Zebari] who
will announce the details and mechanisms to the Arab League and the Syrian
parties soon," he said. A day earlier, he said he held "positive talks" with
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on a visit with an Iraqi delegation to
Damascus. "Our efforts are still continuing to reach a deal between the
government and the opposition in Syria," he said. "It's too early to speak about
the results."
In Doha, meanwhile, the Arab League threatened to take Syria to the UN for
procrastinating over a deal to stop its deadly crackdown on dissent, after
Russia proposed a surprise draft resolution to the conflict. Fayadh said on
Sunday that Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi is "for an Arab solution and
against internationalization of the crisis."
On Sunday, a civilian was among seven people killed in violence in Syria as
clashes raged between deserters and regular army troops in centers of protest
against the regime, human rights activists said. The United Nations estimates
that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the government crackdown on
pro-democracy protests which first erupted in mid-March.-AFP/NOW Lebanon
State Minister Ali Qanso: Orthodox plan ‘proposal for
permanent sectarian war’ in Lebanon
December 18, 2011 /State Minister Ali Qanso told Al-Manar television on Sunday
that the Orthodox proposal on a new electoral law “is a plan for [stirring] a
permanent sectarian war in Lebanon…and it is unacceptable [in all forms].”Qanso
said if some groups in Lebanon have concerns about the future, “then [these
concerns] cannot be resolved in a way that exacerbates them, but [rather]
through adopting a modern proposal.”“We insist that the [electoral law be based
on one electoral district] along with [non-sectarian] proportionality,” Qanso
said. “This formula is the only one which paves the way toward the birth of a
modern state in Lebanon,” Qanso added. During a Christian gathering held at
Bkriki on Friday, Christian leaders and MPs assigned a commission to consult
with all “national components” to draft a parliamentary electoral law based on
the Orthodox proposal. The Orthodox plan on the electoral law states that
citizens should vote for candidates from their own sect.-NOW Lebanon
Future bloc MP Assem Araji : We don’t want Syrian refugee
camps
December 18, 2011 /Future bloc MP Assem Araji told the Voice of Lebanon (100.5)
radio station that his group does not support establishing camps for Syrian
refugees in Lebanon. “We do not want to form [camps] which we might not be able
to protect,” Araji said. However, Araji said that his bloc is ready to offer
humanitarian assistance to the Syrian refugees. According to the United Nations,
some 5,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in Syria’s crackdown
on almost daily pro-democracy demonstrations in the country since
mid-March.Thousands of Syrians have fled into Lebanon in recent months, often
using illegal border crossings, to escape the unrest gripping their country.
Commenting on the internal situation in Syria, Araji said: “We did not interfere
in any way in Syria’s affairs and unfair allegations have been issued against
us.” The MP added that “the evolving events in Syria reveal that the Syrian
regime is unable [to maintain its survival]-NOW Lebanon
Goodbye to Iraq
Iraq and Afghanistan became the military trauma after Vietnam; that trauma
should be at the front of the mind of anyone seeking a war against Iran.
Haaretz Editorial / The festive ceremonies, the folding of the American flag
(and the burning of one in Fallujah ), memorial days and the emotional return
home of U.S. soldiers end a tragic chapter in the history of the United States
and Iraq. Almost nine years after George W. Bush sent his forces to find weapons
of mass destruction - the official reason for the war - more than 100,000 Iraqis
have been killed and some 4,500 American soldiers have returned home in coffins
amid an enormous financial outlay - about $1 trillion. The time has come for
soul-searching and a reckoning of the cost in blood and lucre. Iraq has not
become more secure. Its democracy is also in dispute. It is one of the most
corrupt countries on earth (number 175 out of 178 ). It has the world's fourth
largest oil reserves and yet is unable to provide uninterrupted electric power
to its citizens. Public services and personal security are on a par with the
worst countries.
The war in Iraq gave that country an important role as a buffer against the
spread of Iranian influence in the region. Iraq was supposed to become
economically independent and - strong and democratic - it was to join the Arab
wall against Iran. The opposite has happened. Iraq is Iran's most important ally
in the region from an economic and political standpoint. It is still considered
suspect in the Arab League, and its internal struggles do not ensure a future
alliance with the United States. Still, Iraq after the removal of the dictator
Saddam Hussein is not a "lost country." It has a huge economic potential and has
been successful in forging compromises between tribal and ethnic politics on one
side and the central government on the other - an enormous challenge in a
country where minorities wield political and military power of their own. Beyond
the issue of Iraq's future, the war taught the United States and region a harsh
strategic lesson. Iraq and Afghanistan became the military trauma after Vietnam.
That trauma should be at the front of the mind of anyone seeking a war against
Iran.
Appointment of IDF's new 'Iran Command' chief raises eyebrows
By Amos Harel /Haaretz
Get Haaretz on iPhone Get Haaretz on Android The decision by Defense Minister
Ehud Barak and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz to
create a new army formation, to be known as the Depth Corps, followed recent
recommendations issued by a team headed by Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot. Eizenkot was
tapped for the task last summer, after he completed his assignment as GOC
Northern Command and began an educational leave of absence.
Maj. Gen. Shai Avital was named head of the new corps, which has already earned
the somewhat overstated sobriquet "the Iran Command." Israel already has a
command for Iran affairs - the Mossad, which since the last decade has been
doing the heavy lifting in the campaign against the Iranian nuclear threat. If
there is any unit within the IDF that deals with Iran specifically it is the
Israel Air Force, the main branch that will be called upon in the event of an
Israeli attack on the country's nuclear facilities.
The new corps could, in the future, assist in mobilizing special forces in the
Iranian context. More important, it will have the job of planning and leading
operations in areas far beyond the borders, operations that are connected to the
covert war against terror organizations (and, indirectly, against Iran ). One
could imagine, for example, operations that have been ascribed to Israel, such
as alleged IAF air strikes and special forces operations in Sudan, or the
assassination of a Syrian general at his home in northern Syria.
Gantz instructed Eizenkot to assess recent developments and strategic shifts in
the region to determine whether the IDF needed to make changes to its planning
in response. In reviewing past assessments Eizenkot's team, which comprised
high-ranking officers and one senior Mossad official, it was discovered that the
problem had been identified back in 1982, when a decision was made to create a
depth corps at the General Staff level.
Implementation was delayed until 1986 as a result of the first Lebanon war. Maj.
Gen. (res. ) Doron Rubin was appointed head of the unit, but fallout from the
raid it orchestrated against Ahmed Jibril's Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine-General Command in December, 1988, codenamed Operation Blue and Brown,
shut down the command. Rubin stepped down and the remaining special operations
unit was absorbed into the Northern Command.
Special operations
Eizenkot determined a need for a combined corps that could carry out operations
far from the country's borders. It had to be capable not only of linear battle,
for example sending tanks from the Golan Heights in the direction of Damascus,
but also simultaneous attacks, such as strikes against scattered rocket launch
sites, each of which must be neutralized.
Eizenkot envisioned a relatively small unit of about 100 troops, some of whom
were already serving in special operations, answering directly to the chief of
staff but freeing both the chief and deputy chief of staff of the need to deal
directly with the areas under the corps' jurisdiction, which are technically
their area of responsibility but in practice receive inadequate attention.
The jurisdiction of the district commands - north, central and south - generally
extends only a few dozen kilometers beyond the border. In the Second Lebanon War
commanders were reluctant to carry out depth operations in the Bekaa Valley.
Col. Nitzan Alon, who last week was promoted to GOC Central Command, was
eventually "borrowed" from his assignment in the West Bank to do the job.
The Depth Corps will have the authority to deploy special operations units when
necessary, but under normal circumstances each unit's chain of command will
remain unchanged.
In wartime the new corps might be assigned a sector, movement into which would
be controlled by the relevant district command. An entity whose entire scope of
interest lies well beyond the border is already close to being established.
"What is happening today is that actions in the strategic depth area are largely
the result of some momentary flash," a senior officer who helped draft the
recommendations told Haaretz. "An officer goes to Military Intelligence with an
idea, and they start working on an operation. A corps headed by a major general
will consider the threats methodically and continuously, and we hope it will
lead to solutions and results," he said.
While the idea of the corps itself has broad support within the army, the same
cannot be said about the choice of the man who is to lead it.
Avital, 59, who will return to active duty for the assignment, has a long and
impressive record in special operations as an officer in Sayeret Matkal, the
general staff's elite special-operations force, and later as its commander. But
he left the army 10 years ago, of his own choosing, after just one rather
undistinguished assignment as commander of a large unit. Since leaving the IDF
he has tried his hand at farming, politics (he placed low on Kadima's candidate
list in the 2006 election and did not make it into the Knesset ) and public
service (as a controversial director general of the Environmental Protection
Ministry ).
Avital has a wealth of experience, but it is difficult to see how his resume in
the past decade connects him to the technological advances of that period, to
the nature of the activity he will oversee or the current crop of commanders.
Perhaps the answer lies in the defense minister and chief of staff, his patrons.
Obama and Barak discuss dwindling anti-Iran strike
options as the US exits Iraq
DEBKAfile Special Report/ December 17, 2011/US President Barack Obama's
half-hour tęte-a- tęte with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Washington
Friday, Dec. 16, was vitally concerned with the coming steps in the Syrian
showdown and the latest developments in the controversy over Iran's nuclear
weapons program, debkafile's Washington and intelligence sources report.
Their conference was urgent because key events in the Middle East this week made
early decisions necessary on both these issues.
Termination of the US military mission in Iraq has powerful ramifications for
Israel, Iran and Syria as well as Iraq itself.
From Tehran's standpoint, the US military departure has removed a formidable
obstacle from Israel's path to an attack on its nuclear installations: the US
Air Force's control of Iraqi skies. Cleared of this shield, Iraqi air space
offers Israel an open corridor for its air force to reach Iran without
hindrance. Overflights through any other country, such as Saudi Arabia, would
have been contingent on their governments' cooperation in the anti-Iran
offensive.
Tehran delayed releasing word of the capture of the US stealth RQ-170 drone
until Dec. 4, timing it for the final month of the US troop drawdown from Iraq,
in order to demonstrate to Israel – and not just America – that the
sophisticated electronic resources which downed the RQ-170 over the
Afghanistan-Iranian border were still available to Tehran for downing Israeli
flights entering Iraqi air space. Therefore, Israel's air force could no longer
be sure of safely breaching Iraqi air space for its attack.
To put another spoke in Israel's plans for striking Iran, Tehran used Iraqi
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's visit to Washington (Dec. 12-13 ) for sending
the US President a conciliatory message: The Islamic rulers were willing to
clear the air with the Obama administration and broach areas of discord -
notwithstanding the ill will generated by the allegations of an al-Qods Brigades
plot to murder the Saudi ambassador to Washington and the captured American
stealth drone's intrusion into their airspace.
Iran reinforced the message of good will posted through al Maliki by four
additional steps:
1. Monday, Dec. 12, its intelligence minister Heider Moslehi traveled to Riyadh
and held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Nayef and intelligence chief Prince
Muqrin. This was Tehran's way of informing Washington, say debkafile sources,
that Saudi Arabia was acceptable for a role in helping to reset the
relationship, while Turkey, Obama's choice, was not.
The US preference for Turkey as its main Middle East facilitator was underlined
in the two days US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta spent in Ankara Thursday and
Friday.
2. Wednesday, Dec. 14, a Revolutionary Guards officer Gholamreza Jalali
announced that most of ran's nuclear facilities had been relocated underground.
Therefore, "Our vulnerability in the nuclear area has reached the minimum
level," he said.
This information was intended to strengthen the Obama administration's argument
that the odds on an Israeli attack on Iran having useful results had plummeted
again.
3. Friday, Dec. 16, Iran's foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi stated: "Within the
next two months, the first fuel plate which is produced with the 20 percent
enriched uranium will be placed in Tehran's research reactor."Translation: Iran is complying with President Obama's requirement that Iran's
highly-enriched uranium be set aside for research – not a nuclear bomb.
4. Saturday, Dec. 17, North Korea was reported to have agreed to suspend its
enriched-uranium nuclear weapons program and Washington agreed to provide
Pyongyang with up to 240,000 tonnes of food aid.
Since Iran and North Korea habitually walk in step on their nuclear strategy,
Pyongyang's compliance with Washington's key demand may be taken as a pointer to
the Islamic Republic's willingness to slow uranium enrichment in stages that
match the lifting of sanctions.
The Syrian question loomed large in the Obama-Maliki talks this week because the
US military's exit from Iraq opens another corridor, this one for Iran to
exploit for the convenience of a direct military route to Syria for its
warplanes and military vehicles.
The US president insisted emphatically that the Iraqi prime minister must not
let this happen. Maliki refused to give any promises, excepting only that
Baghdad would line up behind Arab League policy on the Assad regime and not
violate the sanctions the League has imposed on Damascus.
In his briefing to Tehran, Maliki was able to report that while Obama was
willing to look at Iran's proposals for slowing uranium enrichment, he would not
hear of easing the pressure on President Bashar Assad.
What this means is that the door has been opened for Tehran to try and mend its
fences with Washington - provided the ayatollahs are willing to throw Assad to
the wolves. Before moving ahead on this, the Iranians will no doubt demand
guarantees against an American or an Israeli attack on their nuclear program.
Israel's strategic state of health has taken a serious beating from these
developments, its options against Iran shrinking substantially and the opening
for military action narrowing.
The removal of most of Iran's nuclear facilities below ground, President Obama's
willingness to heed conciliatory feelers from Tehran, and Baghdad's assumption
of the role of go-between for Washington and Tehran are all bad news for Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his defense minister.
Iran has again contrived to buy time and leeway for bringing its nuclear weapons
program to completion.
Even the option of a clear run through Iraq for Israeli warplanes to strike Iran
is likely to be short-lived: Tehran, which controls the Iraqi prime minister,
will lose no time in placing its electronic warfare and intelligence systems in
position for shutting that corridor to Israel.
Israel's vanishing options on Iran topped Ehud Barak's conversation with Barack
Obama in Washington on Friday.