Navy soldiers seized a German merchant vessel transporting weapons from Syria to Gaza 200 miles west off Israel’s coast on Tuesday. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said the “Victoria” ship sailed under the Liberian flag and was carrying various types of weapons.
The IDF’s Spokesperson’s Unit said that the takeover was carried out swiftly and did not meet any resistance. The ship was later escorted back to the Israeli shore by Navy vessels for more scans.
A preliminary probe suggests the ship’s crew was not aware of the weapons concealed on board the vessel.
On its way from Syria to Alexandria, Egypt the ship docked at Turkey’s Mersin Port. It is estimated that the weapons on board were intended for terror groups operating in the Gaza Strip.
Turkey was in no way connected to the ship as far as the IDF is aware. The seizure of the vessel was authorized by the government.
Security officials tracked the vessel for several days, possibly weeks. It is estimated the weapons were meant to pass Rafah’s tunnels en route to Gaza thus avoiding the naval blockade.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahy authorized the Navy operation Monday night and was briefed on the developments on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz informed Ehud Barak of the weapons found on the ship. The IDF and the Foreign Ministry informed German authorities of the arrest as the ship belongs to a German company as well as the government of Liberia.
“Efforts to smuggle weapons into Gaza show that radical elements continue their attempts to hurt Israel and destabilize the region,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak said. “The IDF and security forces will continue working resolutely to defend the country.”
Shayetet 13 troops performed the takeover. The IDF’s Spokesperson’s Unit said that the army will continue to maintain Israel’s security and prevent smuggling which facilitate terrorist activity in Gaza and Lebanon.
Well, they’re certainly candid, anyway — and candor is usually an essential (though not sufficient) component of honesty; it’s not honesty itself. (True honesty incorporates something more than simple candor.)
But I take your meaning. Hamas tells you what they think (they’re still new to the game), while Fatah tells you what they think you want to hear. (In earlier decades, they used to have the same attitude toward candor that Hamas has now.)
In the end, the difference betw the two is the difference betw the unsolicited gifts the cat leaves behind the couch,
and the unsolicited gifts the neighbor’s dog leaves on your front lawn.
That’s WHY I asked whether you thought IDF could….. complete the scraping of Hamas from its shoe in a short time: to get it done ahead of the outcry.
It will be absolutely necessary if Egypt winds up under the effective control of the Ikhwan.
Israel can allow Hamas to take over Y&S just by not protecting Abass. He might last a few weeks to a few months. Hmas will fill the void and they are as far as I understand just waiting for the right moment. As you know while Israel has demonized Hamas there is little difference between Fatah and Hamas except the concept of a national state. Both covenants advocate the destruction of Israel and killing the Jews.
The big difference between the two factions is honesty. Hamas is honest and their statements reflect what they really think. In all cases a divided PLO is good for Israel. One faction sells the other one out to Israel to get advantages. That’s how Israel gets much of her Intel. Israel employs thousands of Palis who snitch. Some for personal and tribal hatreds, some are paid, and some are coerced and blackmailed. All of their telephones including cell phones are monitored as well as internet. Gaza is a tiny closed enclave and not difficult to control or even retake. Depends on the amount of our firepower we employ and how many of our own casualties we are willing to take. But the bottom line is if Israel has the balls to withstand the Tsunami of opposition by most of the nations in the world?
To answer your question whether “Israel could accomplish phase 3 in two weeks time if we wanted to’? Not only yest but If we wanted to we could do it in a week or less. It a matter of the price Israel is willing to pay. Technically it’s possible. Israel waiting longer will be forced to do it against our own inclinations. Iran and al-Queda, in Gaza are going to push the envelope to force us to respond. Iran invented Chess and they are playing it classically now. We can get out of Check by taking Gaza out of the equation.
Well, yes, I’d assumed that.
And, yes, I get that part.
I realize this too, as long as the two exist. That is, I can see the govt exploiting an EXISTING situation — making the best of a bad scene. I guess I’m not clear that G.O.I. actually WANTS to keep Hamas alive, all other things being the same.
In any event, do you think the phantom “Phase Three” could have been accomplished in two weeks’ time, if they’d wanted to?
Is this for technological reasons — or human ones?
Israel was pushed by domestic pressure to do something to stop the rockets. When over twenty were fired in a single day hitting Beersheva and even Ashdod Israel had no choice. The Army pursued the Cast Lead Operation not to dislodge Hamas but to cause damage and protect the lives of the IDF soldiers on the ground. Israel used the tactic of massive overpowering firepower and our guys were under orders contrary to the propaganda to shoot at anything that moved. Israel Intel in Gaza is excellent and we know where every major leader and cadre are at any given moment. If Israel wanted to dislodge Hamas they would have used other tactics.
Theoretically the Gaza operation was planned for the best possible constellation politically as Bush was going home and Obama was not yet in and there was no one minding the American store so to speak. How much pressure could an American elect president effect at that time yet the excuse given here was that Barak decided he would not be responsible for dulling Obama’s limelight at his inauguration.
Israel enjoys politically the Hamas Fatah division It puts real negotiations with the Palis in doubt of any real conclusions as long as there is a separation of authority and a competition for the Palis street between these two factions. I think for that reason Israel was just about punishing them and not defeating them and after two weeks there was nowhere to go but home.
For internal political reasons none of the Israeli leaders at the time contemplated a return to Gaza, that would have been an admission that their whole Gaza unilateral withdrawal and Gush Katif displacement were erroneous policies. Political suicide for those then in power.
I’m not prepared to make that assumption; the evidence you offer (while it could support your take) is capable of supporting other conclusions.
Still, you might be right.
If wiping out Hamas — root and branch (a messy project, even under the most optimal of circumstances) — could’ve been completed within that two week period, then it would be reasonable to draw your “US-pressure-as-fig-leaf” conclusion.
ARE you quite certain, Yamit, that it could’ve been finished by Inauguration Day?
Every attack from Gaza into Israel is an attack first of all on Israeli sovereignty and an act of war by any standard and international norm. That Israel, ignored for the most part this infringement of national sovereignty and only responded when there was loss of life or injury and even then refrained from retaliating with method and determination that was painful enough to the enemy to force them to cease. Even Cast lead was forced by the people on the government making it a political act and less military.
The phase 3 you referred to was never meant to be carried out, like any proper military there was a general plan which is always flexible. for almost 2 weeks IDF had accomplished phase 1 and 2 and were sitting on their hands with a threat of incurring casualties as static targets. Barak used I believe in this case to end the contact using American pressure as his fig leaf. Remember this was before Obama was sworn in.
When a country allows it’s national borders and sovereignty to be violated so blatantly and for so many times over so long a time span, it loses it’s legitimacy as a sovereign country and certainly a nation that belatedly decides to respond in it’s own defense.
The only justification Israel now has for attacking Gaza and retaking that territory is if in an attack on Israel a strategic target is hit, like Dimona Reactor or complex or say 30 or more small children are killed. The bar for an Israeli response is extremely high and the bar where Israel would actually act to retake Gaza borders on the bar placed in the stratosphere. Individual loss of life is hardly a blip on our Leaders(sic) political radar.
For our politicians Jewish life up to a point is expendable. Their cowardice and avarice have raised the bar of where the bar expend-ability of Jewish life rests. Today it’s very high. Only a major catastrophe will move them to do what is obviously needed and required of any normal and responsible government.
We are waiting for either a change of leadership that will act as responsible servants of the people or the inevitable catastrophe to force them do what will have to be done. Which ever comes first.
Quite so.
Phase III of Cast Lead [after the precision bombing & ground actions] was to have incorporated a direct offensive on Gaza City, to drive a stake through the vile heart of Hamas. US State Dept pressure, however, saw to it that the operation ended after 22 days, without Phase III ever being executed — thus assuring that, like all unfinished wars, this one will have to be refought over and over, and over again, until the aforesaid stake IS driven home.
And each succeeding bout of fightus interruptus will be more complicated (to say nothing of more bloody) than the previous one.
The question is — is Jerusalem clear on the “sooner-the-better” concept?
Even now?
This ship was caught but the question is how many were not caught and what advanced weapons do the Arabs now possess.
Facts: Turkey and Syria are now close allies and Turkey is training Syrian Officers. Turkey and Syria have signed mutual defense agreement where an attack on one is an attack against both.
Not so long ago Turkey was our mediator between Syria and Israel.
Weapons were probably delivered by two Iranian War ships that were passed through the Suez Canal without inspection by Egypt.
Weapons reshipped from Syria to Egypt where they will make their way into Gaza with the help of the current Egyptian government.
So we have Iran, Syria, Turkey, Egypt and probably Jordan forming a hostile axis ring around Israel.
Modern missiles from Gaza threaten Dimona, all military bases in the Negev including Air bases. They threaten the power station in Ashkelon, the Port in Ashdod and sensitive industries (Chemical) Like large storage of Ammonia in Ashdod. They are said to have now anti-aircraft missiles and now anti-Ship missiles.
The whole population of the south are now in rage of Gazan Missiles including now even Tel Aviv.
It is only a matter of time and circumstance before Israel will have to retake the whole of the Gaza strip and literally wipe out anyone with a green diaper on his head. That will protect our Southern Flank. There will be no alternative and the sooner it is done the better,.
Israeli Navy Addresses the “Victoria” Cargo Ship
IDF Navy Soldiers Board the “Victoria”
Arms ship docks in Ashdod; IDF to display contents
By YAAKOV KATZ
Cargo vessel bound for Gaza found with Chinese-made anti-ship missiles, as well as instruction manuals in Farsi.
The Victoria cargo ship which was seized by the Navy on Tuesday carrying advanced weaponry bound for Gaza docked in Ashdod Port early Wednesday morning.
IDF forces thoroughly searched the ship and its contents and were scheduled to display the findings to the media later on Wednesday.
He should’ve added that the next time that sort of thing happens, the crew will be arrested — and after the requisite scanning, the ship will be SUNK.