Military chief: Israel under threat from all sides

The Middle East is back on the agenda. Israel's military chief of staff reportedly warned this week that an increase in rocket attacks against Israel might lead to a large-scale military operation in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Additionally, Israel's defense minister warned of a possible Israeli military strike against Iran's nuclear program after the international nuclear watchdog agency reported that Iran conducted secret weapons-related tests and may be close to developing a nuclear warhead.

Lt.-Col. Avital Leibovich, the head of the international media division of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), told CBS News that the Israeli military now needs to deal with several fronts, where in the past they have had only one.

Today, Leibovich said, in a regional environment altered by the "Arab Spring," Israel's borders with Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria pose the greatest risks to its population and the IDF. On the northern border with Lebanon, Israel has to contend with the Shiite militia Hezbollah, which stores its weaponry under civilian villages in the south of Lebanon. Near Gaza, Israeli citizens now face missiles fired from the Hamas-run enclave that can reach farther into the Jewish state than ever before. And in Syria, uncertainty surrounding the fate of the embattled Assad regime, which last May organized mass marches on the Golan Heights border with Israel.

The use of civilian populations as fronts for military operations, is one of the most difficult developments. "Basically we can see a phenomenon which is becoming stronger and stronger in the recent region in which civilians serve as human shields. We've seen it in Gaza, and we see it now in Lebanon," she said.

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[formerusmcsgt1]

Today, Leibovich said, in a regional environment altered by the "Arab Spring," Israel's borders with Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria pose the greatest risks to its population and the IDF.
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Actually, Israeli policy is what most puts Israel at risk.

It's also why Israel has virtually no friends left.

[sociallyjust]

It's amazing how much hate is 'fashionable' to some who have made the decision to HATE.
The fraudulent claims, lies, fabrications, etc, should not be permitted, and those who state them should be held liable for both criminal prosecution and civil damages to the wrongfully offended party.

[davidd5063]

It's called, "You reap what you sow".

[shnovitz]

So what do you think the Arabs are going to reap, David? The Arabs who do nothing but hate and kill and rape and lie and cut off people's heads? The Arabs who have invaded Israel countless times and repeatedly declare that Every Jew Will Be Killed? The Arabs who slice the heads off Jewish children? The Arabs who send their own children out as suicide bombers? The Arabs who daily fire rockets into Israeli civilian areas, from their own civilian areas - so that again their own people are killed by return fire? What will these devilish people reap, David? Peace and harmony? No. No Arabs have ever lived in peace and harmony, and if you think hard you'll realize why. They know how to hate, as no other people would ever dream of doing. They know how to torture and murder and kidnap and rape. We saw them murder Gaddafi, one of their own people. One of the most terrible murders imaginable. So try and picture what they do to people who are NOT Arabs. Perhaps their Allah will make them reap what they sow. One can only hope. Meanwhile, good people still side with Israel, a tiny, struggling democracy targeted by venomous hatred stirred up by disgusting Arab-Nazi propaganda.

[hawkman1001-2009]

There is no doubt that Israel faces real and substantial threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and the Iranians.

So why does Israel continued to provoke the Palestinians by continuing to build settlements on occupied land? This is not a time for Israel to create more problems for itself.

[downtowndave1]

We pray for wisdom for Israeli leaders, and for the protection of the Jews. http://483years.blogspot.com/

[shnovitz]

We do too. With every fibre of our being.

[downtowndave1]

We pray for wisdom for Israeli leaders, and for the protection of the Jews. http://483years.blogspot.com/