Kidnapped Soldiers Identified …

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UPDATE — Israel: Hezbollah Plans to Move Abducted IDF Soldiers to Iran

Halutz: Kidnapped Soldiers are Alive

Excerpts;

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz confirmed Thursday that the soldiers who had been kidnapped by Hizbullah a day before were still alive.

The IDF released the names of the two soldiers on Thursday. According to the IDF Spokesperson, the two reserve are Ehud Goldwasser, 31, from Nahariya, and Eldad Regev, 26, from Kiryat Motzkin.

The focus of the operation in Lebanon would be to restore Israel’s deterrent capability against those in Lebanon, referring to Hizbullah, who thought the IDF was irrelevant, he explained. read more

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Israel’s Political Leaders Only Watched As Hizbullah Built Up, Military Mindset: IDF Action Won’t Solve, Futile Wait for Politicians, World Pressure on Lebanon … …

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Amidror: ’Israel’s Gov’t Allowed Hizbullah to Build Up’

Excerpts;

Maj.-Gen. Yaakov Amidror formerly served as Deputy Chief of IDF Intelligence and the head of its Research and Assessment Department.

“The Hizbullah attack was no surprise for the IDF,” Amidror told IsraelNationalRadio’s Alex Traiman and Baruch Gordon. “It was always understood that Hizbullah is preparing something against us; the only question was exactly what and when.”

“Then why didn’t the IDF stop it?” Gordon asked. Amidror replied,
“This is an important question. Ever since our retreat from Lebanon [in May 2000], Israel’s political decision-makers decided that Israel would not take the initiative anywhere on the Lebanese border. We were able to see, hear, and detect what Hizbullah was preparing, but we would not take the initiative against them. Because of the political arrangements with the international community, it was decided to let them shoot first – and the consequences are now very clear. If you don’t take the initiative, and you allow the enemy to shoot whenever and wherever he wants, then even if he fails 20 times, at the end he succeeds.” read more

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Israel Retaliates in Lebanon …

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IDF Warns Civilians in South Beirut to Leave Homes

Excerpts;

Israel laid siege Thursday morning to Lebanon, shutting down the country and closing off access by air, land and sea.

IDF navy missile ships were patrolling off the Lebanese coast and preventing ships from entering Lebanon or leaving. Any ships arriving at Lebanese shores were being turned back.

Earlier on Thursday morning, Beirut International Airport was struck by an IAF air strike. IDF officers threatened they would bomb additional airports later in the day. read more

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2 Front War: Kassam, Katyusha Blitz and Other War News …

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Beirut International Airport Targeted by IAF

IDF Warns Civilians in South Beirut to Leave Homes

One Dead in Nahariya Katyusha Attack

Excerpts;

One woman was killed and 23 were wounded – one seriously – when four Hizbullah-fired Katyusha rockets landed in central Nahariya on Thursday morning. She was killed while sitting on her fifth-floor balcony Thursday morning. A rocket hit a floor above, cut through the ceiling and killed her.

Magen David Adom reported that 15 people were treated for shrapnel wounds and seven for shock. read more

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Nitzan: Former Gush Katif Residents Sitting Ducks in Plasterboard??

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The Sounds of War, by Rachel Saperstein

Excerpts;

We sit in our plasterboard caravilla in Nitzan, the largest of the refugee camps for those expelled from Gush Katif. Nitzan lies between the coastal cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. Last week, Ashkelon was hit by two Kassam rockets launched from the former communities of northern Gush Katif. One landed in a schoolyard, the other in an open space. Ashkelon is in turmoil. The southern city of Sderot has been bombed repeatedly. The kibbutzes and moshavs bordering Gaza are hit incessantly. read more

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The Consequences of Showing Weakness, Empty Threats, Appeasement and Walking Away from Parts of Eretz Yisrael — Ehud Just Doesn’t Get It!

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Update: 8 Soldiers Killed in North

Hizballah Kills Seven Israeli Soldiers, Captures Two in Northern Border Attack

Excerpts;

The militant Shiite Muslim group Hizballah said Wednesday that it had captured two Israeli soldiers along the Israel-Lebanon border, and Israeli officials said seven more soldiers were killed during military operations in response to the attack. Israeli tanks and troops entered Lebanon soon after the abduction to search for the missing soldiers. At least three soldiers were killed in a blast involving one of the tanks, Israeli officials said. Katyusha rockets were being fired from Lebanon into Israel and residents of northern border towns were urged to seek cover in underground bomb shelters. read more

Israeli Military Escalation in Offing After Hizbullah Attack …

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ANALYSIS: Israel Prepares for Widespread Military Escalation, By Amos Harel (Haaretz)

Excerpts;

On the 18th day since the abduction of Corporal Gilad Shalit, the picture has become all the more complex. From limited fighting on a single front (the Gaza Strip), the Israel Defense Forces is now approaching what might evolve into a near outright war on two fronts.

This is the most complex crisis Israel has faced since Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, when Israel successfully curbed Hezbollah’s bid to spark a confrontation on the northern border in response to the IDF occupation of West Bank cities. read more

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War on 2 Fronts, Kassam Blitz, Other War News

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IAF Strikes Palestinian Base South of Beirut

IAF Hits Terrorist Cell Near Kfar Darom

Report: IAF Kills Hizbullah Man in South Lebanon

Kassam Lands at Kibbutz Be’eri, Causes Fire

Fires Break Out as Result of Hizbullah Shelling

Kiryat Shmona Residents Ordered to Take Shelter

Reports: Residents of South Lebanon Fleeing to Beirut

Kassam Lands in Open Area in Sderot; None Wounded

Kassams Fired Toward Western Negev

Report: IAF kills Two Armed Palestinians in Gaza

IDF Kills Man Trying to Infiltrate Northern Post read more

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“Convergence Debate (sic)” Inside Kadima?

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Commentary #1;

Here we have the “great debate” inside Kadima about the validity of realignment in view of the Gaza situation as Justice Minister Haim Ramon and Housing Minister Meir Sheetrit go pro and con on the issue.

Aaron Lerner of IMRA once again makes an eminently valid point;

It should be noted that when retreat proponents make the argument that thanks to the retreat from Gaza that the IDF is able to act without foreign pressure – this while they know full well that the IDF has been barred from launching a truly effective campaign out of fear of foreign pressure – that they are genuinely making the claim. read more

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More Kassams, More Terrorist Arrests, Increased Gaza Operations and Other War News …

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Kassam Rocket Fired at Israel

Two Terrorists Killed in Missile Attack

IDF Destroys Kassam Cell

Olmert and Peretz Authorize Increased Operations in Gaza

17 Arrested in Counter-Terror Operations

IDF Troops Come Under Fire in Nablus; No Wounded

Troops Find 15-kg Bomb During West Bank Arrests

IDF Hunts Kassam Crews in North Gaza

Excerpts;

“The car that was hit was apparently carrying Kassam rockets, and according to the IDF, was the same vehicle spotted near the Kassam launch site that was also targeted. read more

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