Israel Update for September 2007

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As noted above, Israeli officials have kept completely silent about this entire affair, even as more and more apparent details have been published and broadcast abroad. Experts say this is a clear attempt to not give Damascus a more powerful reason or excuse to launch any type of revenge assault. Still, many Middle East analysts note that when wounded Arab pride is at stake-as it definitely is in this case-the need to retaliate may prove irresistible, even if the Assad regime realizes it would probably suffer far more damage if it responds in a military manner. Some also believe Iran is pushing its ally to give a military reply in order to divert attention from its own nuclear program.

While admitting that some sort of hostile action took place, Syrian officials are especially vehement in denying that any Israeli ground forces took part in the reported operation. Of course, they would say this, given that any such participation would prove gravely embarrassing to the beleaguered Baathist regime, which is still under international condemnation for its widely suspected role in assassinating Lebanon's popular former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, on Valentine's Day two years ago, and for subsequent terrorist murders of seven other anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians, the last one in Beirut on September 19.

Adding further reasons for the Olmert government to launch such a daring raid in the midst of escalating tensions with Syria, Hizbullah and Iran over the past few months was a report in the respected British intelligence update, Jane's Defense Weekly. It revealed that a team of Iranian and Syrian chemical weapons experts were killed in a fiery explosion on July 23 inside of Syria. The report said dozens of Iranian engineers and around 15 Syrians were killed in the powerful blast that occurred as the men were attempting to fit a nerve gas warhead on a Syrian Scud D missile, which is capable of striking every part of Israel down to the southern port of Eilat. The fact that Syria has a large chemical weapons capability has been well known in Israel since the late 1970s, but its apparent willingness to use such weapons is believed to have grown substantially since last year's Lebanon war proved the effectiveness of heavy rocket and missile barrages upon Israeli population centers.

Meanwhile the deputy Iranian Air Force commander threatened mid month to unleash his warplanes against Israel if the detested Jewish State bombs Tehran's burgeoning nuclear facilities. Just one day before, an Iranian web site connected to the extremist Shiite regime claimed that 600 Iranian ballistic missiles are ready to be fired at Israeli targets at a moments notice if any IDF action is launched against Iran, either by Israel or its staunch American ally. This came as some military analysts speculated that Israel's reported bombing operation in Syria might have also served to test Israeli flight paths over northern Syria in the direction of Iran, as well as the country's newly acquired Russian anti-aircraft missile defense systems.

Enemy Entity

The Israeli government's decision to brand the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip an "enemy entity" on September 16 followed a rocket attack on an army base just north of the coastal zone that left over 60 sleeping soldiers wounded, several critically. Officials said the action opens the door for Israel to cut off or severely restrict fuel and electricity supplies to Gaza, and possibly even food supplies if the frequent rocket attacks continue.

This came as several senior army leaders argued for completely sealing off the heavily populated coastal zone, permanently closing all border crossing points, while turning responsibility for the area's administration over to Egypt, which controlled the Gaza Strip until Israeli forces captured it during the 1967 war. However others argued this would only increase arms smuggling into "Hamastan" and make it more difficult for Israel to respond to further rocket assaults or cross border raids.

All this came as efforts to forge the outlines of a final Israeli-Palestinian peace accord continued between PM Olmert and PA leader Mahmoud Abbas. Both said they hoped to achieve significant progress before the planned American-sponsored peace conference scheduled for Washington DC in November. Meanwhile the ruling Kadima party developed a deep split over a proposal by Deputy PM Haim Ramon to hand over all Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem to PA control in any final peace deal, including large parts of the walled Old City. The religious Shas party threatened to quit the government coalition if the controversial plan was put forward.

Despite escalating tensions with the Syrians, Iranians and Palestinians, the saddest news of the month for many here was the tragic plane crash on the Thai resort island of Phuket, which took eight Israeli lives, all of them young adults. Included in the casualties was a couple celebrating their honeymoon in the Southeast Asian country-an immensely popular holiday destination for young Israeli travelers.

With violence and terror seemingly growing all around us in this troubled world, it is especially good to be able to celebrate God's eternal goodness and mercy during these high holy days. "For the ways of the Lord are right and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them" (Hosea 14:9).