Tuesday, October 11, 2005
From Israel by Arlene Kushner, October 10, 2005
I've been after Arlene to put her "From Israel" reports up on a blog or site for months. Finally I just started this blog on which I'll be posting this important documents.
October 10, 2005
[] Gen. Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash, head of IDF Intelligence, reported to the Cabinet during their meeting yesterday that a branch of al-Qaida has established a base in the Sinai, where they train terrorists and then send them into Gaza, from which point they can more readily infiltrate Israel for attacks.
He further said that in the days following Israel's pullout from Gaza, al-Qaeda moved in large quantities of weapons in -- including shoulder-launched missiles, long-range Katyusha rockets, and very considerable numbers of automatic rifles and bullets -- in order to strengthen the terrorist infrastructure there. There are even reports of a new Kassam rocket that explodes in mid-air, releasing lethal falling shrapnel even if it misses its target.Ze'evi-Farkash reported that Egypt has taken no action in the face of all of this, fearing that it would bring terror from al-Qaida against Egypt itself. A stunning state of affairs, this: al-Qaida is running the show.
I cannot report this without a desire to weep with the sense of futility regarding what is happening, and at the same time, an incredible sense of rage, that it is being permitted to happen. I am sick in the pit of my stomach with the fear that Israel will not take the substantial action that is necessary (not pinpoint assassinations but heavy bombing of al-Qaida strongholds and locations where these weapons are stored) until there has been substantial loss of innocent Israeli life.
Is there ANYONE out there who still thinks the "disengagement" was a good thing???
[] In case there was any doubt that the world is crazy, we have this:
On November 15-16, the Strategic Dialogue Center of Netanya Academic College, in cooperation with the Yitzhak Rabin Center, will hold an International Conference in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Chair of the Strategic Dialogue Center, M.K. Danny Yatom (MK -- Labor/Meimad and retired General) has personally invited both PA Chair Mahmoud Abbas and PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei to address the gathering. Reportedly they have accepted, although there are intimations that this will depend on the situation at that time.
[] The meeting scheduled for tomorrow between Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas has apparently been postponed until late this month or early next month -- after Abbas has returned from his meeting with President Bush. The postponement came as a result of the inability of respective aides on each side to come to agreement on a variety of issues. Bottom line: Israel expects the PA to get tougher on terrorists in a way that the PA is less than keen on doing. The PA wants Israel to make a variety of concessions about which Israel is not forthcoming. Apparently some joint committees will be meeting to continue to discuss these issues.
[] The Shin Bet has announced the arrest of 117 Hamas activists belonging to three separate terrorist cells in the Hebron area. These groups are responsible for a number of terrorist attacks. During the so-called tahdiya (period of quiet) called by Abbas in February, they continued to operate intensely.
October 10, 2005
[] Gen. Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash, head of IDF Intelligence, reported to the Cabinet during their meeting yesterday that a branch of al-Qaida has established a base in the Sinai, where they train terrorists and then send them into Gaza, from which point they can more readily infiltrate Israel for attacks.
He further said that in the days following Israel's pullout from Gaza, al-Qaeda moved in large quantities of weapons in -- including shoulder-launched missiles, long-range Katyusha rockets, and very considerable numbers of automatic rifles and bullets -- in order to strengthen the terrorist infrastructure there. There are even reports of a new Kassam rocket that explodes in mid-air, releasing lethal falling shrapnel even if it misses its target.Ze'evi-Farkash reported that Egypt has taken no action in the face of all of this, fearing that it would bring terror from al-Qaida against Egypt itself. A stunning state of affairs, this: al-Qaida is running the show.
I cannot report this without a desire to weep with the sense of futility regarding what is happening, and at the same time, an incredible sense of rage, that it is being permitted to happen. I am sick in the pit of my stomach with the fear that Israel will not take the substantial action that is necessary (not pinpoint assassinations but heavy bombing of al-Qaida strongholds and locations where these weapons are stored) until there has been substantial loss of innocent Israeli life.
Is there ANYONE out there who still thinks the "disengagement" was a good thing???
[] In case there was any doubt that the world is crazy, we have this:
On November 15-16, the Strategic Dialogue Center of Netanya Academic College, in cooperation with the Yitzhak Rabin Center, will hold an International Conference in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Chair of the Strategic Dialogue Center, M.K. Danny Yatom (MK -- Labor/Meimad and retired General) has personally invited both PA Chair Mahmoud Abbas and PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei to address the gathering. Reportedly they have accepted, although there are intimations that this will depend on the situation at that time.
[] The meeting scheduled for tomorrow between Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas has apparently been postponed until late this month or early next month -- after Abbas has returned from his meeting with President Bush. The postponement came as a result of the inability of respective aides on each side to come to agreement on a variety of issues. Bottom line: Israel expects the PA to get tougher on terrorists in a way that the PA is less than keen on doing. The PA wants Israel to make a variety of concessions about which Israel is not forthcoming. Apparently some joint committees will be meeting to continue to discuss these issues.
[] The Shin Bet has announced the arrest of 117 Hamas activists belonging to three separate terrorist cells in the Hebron area. These groups are responsible for a number of terrorist attacks. During the so-called tahdiya (period of quiet) called by Abbas in February, they continued to operate intensely.
