 |
||
 |
        |
 |
|
||
| MP3 Radio | Website News Briefs: | |||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
 |
 |
1. Hizbullah Fortifying South Lebanon
by Gavriel Queenann
According the the Israel Defense Forces, Hizbullah has built bunkers and underground weapons depots in most southern Lebanese villages as it continues building its army, the Associated Press reports.
A memo from the IDF brass to Israeli embassies on Thursday to Israel details the acceleration of Hizbullah's fortification of the volatile border region since the end of the 2006 Lebanon war.
The memo says, "Hezbollah has built as many as 550 bunkers in the southern Lebanon region, holding various weapons. In addition, the organization has built 300 underground facilities and 100 storage units for munitions including rockets, missiles and other weapons."
"Many of these terror centers are located near hospitals, private homes and schools, Hezbollah's way of taking advantage of the civilian population of Lebanon," the memo said, citing Hizbullah's well-established tactic of placing fighters and munitions among civilians - a war crime - in order to create bad press for Israel when civilians become collateral damage in strikes on such targets.
A military spokesman also confirmed a map published by the Washington Post detailing the exact sites of these facilities was supplied by the IDF.
During second Lebanon War, which lasted for 34-days in 2006, Hizbullah used similar tactics. But the current build-up takes the stategy to an all new level as Hizbullah seeks to work out of the reach of UN peacekeepers -- and into heavily populated civilian areas, Israel says.
Current estimates show Hezbollah has an arsenal of 40,000 short- and medium-range rockets stored in towns villages south of the Litani River. Hizbullah has also obtained long-range rockets. In 2006 Hizbullah possessed only 14,000 rockets.
According to the IDF, Hizbullah has 20,000 fighters, more than a third of whom have undergone combat training in Iran, in southern Lebanon.
The war between Israel and Hizbullah destroyed much of Lebanon's major infrastructure and killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers. Most Lebanese civilians killed were collateral damage in strikes against legitimate military targets Hizbullah had placed in their midst.
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
According the the Israel Defense Forces, Hizbullah has built bunkers and underground weapons depots in most southern Lebanese villages as it continues building its army, the Associated Press reports.
A memo from the IDF brass to Israeli embassies on Thursday to Israel details the acceleration of Hizbullah's fortification of the volatile border region since the end of the 2006 Lebanon war.
The memo says, "Hezbollah has built as many as 550 bunkers in the southern Lebanon region, holding various weapons. In addition, the organization has built 300 underground facilities and 100 storage units for munitions including rockets, missiles and other weapons."
"Many of these terror centers are located near hospitals, private homes and schools, Hezbollah's way of taking advantage of the civilian population of Lebanon," the memo said, citing Hizbullah's well-established tactic of placing fighters and munitions among civilians - a war crime - in order to create bad press for Israel when civilians become collateral damage in strikes on such targets.
A military spokesman also confirmed a map published by the Washington Post detailing the exact sites of these facilities was supplied by the IDF.
During second Lebanon War, which lasted for 34-days in 2006, Hizbullah used similar tactics. But the current build-up takes the stategy to an all new level as Hizbullah seeks to work out of the reach of UN peacekeepers -- and into heavily populated civilian areas, Israel says.
Current estimates show Hezbollah has an arsenal of 40,000 short- and medium-range rockets stored in towns villages south of the Litani River. Hizbullah has also obtained long-range rockets. In 2006 Hizbullah possessed only 14,000 rockets.
According to the IDF, Hizbullah has 20,000 fighters, more than a third of whom have undergone combat training in Iran, in southern Lebanon.
The war between Israel and Hizbullah destroyed much of Lebanon's major infrastructure and killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers. Most Lebanese civilians killed were collateral damage in strikes against legitimate military targets Hizbullah had placed in their midst.
Comment on this story
2. Baby Enters Covenant – in Jericho
by Maayana Miskin
For the first time in many years, a Jewish baby boy entered the Biblical covenant in a brit milah (circumcision) ceremony in the ancient city of Jericho. The ceremony took place in the Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue.
No Jewish events such as circumcisions or weddings have taken place in the synagogue for one decade, due to terrorism originating in Palestinian Authority-controlled regions of Judea and Samaria. The PA controls Jericho, and the city has become known as a refuge for terrorists.
Members of the Jericho Group, a Jewish group dedicated to settlement in and around Jericho, said they welcome the groundbreaking event. However, they said, “We will not rest until the Jewish people are able to return fully to the city of Jericho.”
The Jericho Group is involved in Jewish communities near Jericho, and leads tours of the historic region. Its members take part in prayers in Jericho and also lend their support to initiatives for Jewish return to Jewish holy sites elsewhere, such as the return to Joseph's Tomb.
The Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue is an ancient synagogue that was discovered in modern times in 1936. It is thought to have been built in the seventh century. The synagogue features a large mosaic floor, which includes the phrase Shalom Al Yisrael (Peace to Israel) from which it draws its name.
Jewish prayer resumed at the site in 2009 after an interruption of several years due to the PA's terrorist war.
Comment on this story
by Maayana Miskin
For the first time in many years, a Jewish baby boy entered the Biblical covenant in a brit milah (circumcision) ceremony in the ancient city of Jericho. The ceremony took place in the Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue.
No Jewish events such as circumcisions or weddings have taken place in the synagogue for one decade, due to terrorism originating in Palestinian Authority-controlled regions of Judea and Samaria. The PA controls Jericho, and the city has become known as a refuge for terrorists.
Members of the Jericho Group, a Jewish group dedicated to settlement in and around Jericho, said they welcome the groundbreaking event. However, they said, “We will not rest until the Jewish people are able to return fully to the city of Jericho.”
The Jericho Group is involved in Jewish communities near Jericho, and leads tours of the historic region. Its members take part in prayers in Jericho and also lend their support to initiatives for Jewish return to Jewish holy sites elsewhere, such as the return to Joseph's Tomb.
The Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue is an ancient synagogue that was discovered in modern times in 1936. It is thought to have been built in the seventh century. The synagogue features a large mosaic floor, which includes the phrase Shalom Al Yisrael (Peace to Israel) from which it draws its name.
Jewish prayer resumed at the site in 2009 after an interruption of several years due to the PA's terrorist war.
Comment on this story
3. Turkey Informs UN It Seized Iranian Arms Shipment
by Gavriel Queenann
Turkey informed a UN Security Council panel it seized a cache of weapons Iran was exporting in violations of a UN arms embargo, Reuters reported on Thursday.
The report to the council's Iran sanctions committee, said a March 21 inspection turned up the weapons, which were listed as "auto spare parts" on the plane's cargo manifest.
The plane was bound for Aleppo, Syria, and was given permission to pass through Turkish airspace provided it made a "technical stop" at Diyarbakir airport, the report said. During the stop Turkish officials searched the plane for weapons.
According to the report, the search of the Iranian "YasAir Cargo Airlines" Ilyushin-76 revealed a number of "prohibited military items." Namely, 60 Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles, 14 BKC/Bixi machine guns, nearly 8,000 rounds of BKC/AK-47 ammunition, 560 60mm mortar shells, and 1,288 120mm mortar shells.
"The above-mentioned items were seized and have been stored in a military warehouse in Diyarbakir," said the report, which was sent to the Iran sanctions committee on March 29.
It was not clear whether Syria was the intended final destination of the weapons in light of Iran's training and arming of Hizbullah in south Lebanon.
The United States and Israel have said they suspect Iran uses Syria as a conduit for weapons transfers to militant groups in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Iran and Syria deny the charges.
The Turkish seizure was the latest in a string of reported Iranian violations of the sanctions imposed on Iran for refusing to halt a nuclear enrichment program, which many in the international community believe is dedicated to developing nuclear weapons.
Colombia's UN Ambassador Nestor Osorio, who chairs the Iran sanctions committee, told the Security Council last week that "the increase in the number of reported sanctions violations is a matter of serious concern."
Security Council diplomats said the report of the seizure from an Iranian cargo plane reflected positively on Turkey, which some U.S. and European officials say has taken a lax approach to implementing international sanctions against Iranian financial institutions. Diplomats said it was not clear whether Iran had stepped up its efforts to skirt the sanctions or countries have become more vigilant in enforcing them.
Not An Isolated Incident
On March 27, Qatar's navy seized two boats laden with arms it says were destined for Bahrain.
On March 15, Israeli naval commandos seized a cargo ship in the Mediterranean carrying what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said were Iranian-supplied weapons intended for terrorists in Gaza. In 2009 Israel made a similar seizure of Iranian arms off the coast of Cyprus.
Britain has complained publicly about a shipment of Iranian weapons allegedly bound for Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.
Nigerian authorities have also complained to the sanctions committee about an Iranian arms shipment it seized last year that Tehran said was a legitimate trade deal with Gambia. Nigeria is prosecuting one of two Iranians allegedly involved in the deal.
Last week, UN diplomats said authorities in Singapore and South Korea had seized items banned under the sanctions against Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
One of the items -- aluminum powder seized in Singapore -- was originally thought to be from North Korea, though investigators now believe that the powder came from a Chinese firm. The other item, phosphor bronze discovered in South Korea, also came from a Chinese company.
There was no evidence that the Chinese government was involved, though diplomats said the incidents raised questions about Chinese export controls and concerns about the readiness of some Chinese companies to defy the sanctions regime.
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
Turkey informed a UN Security Council panel it seized a cache of weapons Iran was exporting in violations of a UN arms embargo, Reuters reported on Thursday.
The report to the council's Iran sanctions committee, said a March 21 inspection turned up the weapons, which were listed as "auto spare parts" on the plane's cargo manifest.
The plane was bound for Aleppo, Syria, and was given permission to pass through Turkish airspace provided it made a "technical stop" at Diyarbakir airport, the report said. During the stop Turkish officials searched the plane for weapons.
According to the report, the search of the Iranian "YasAir Cargo Airlines" Ilyushin-76 revealed a number of "prohibited military items." Namely, 60 Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles, 14 BKC/Bixi machine guns, nearly 8,000 rounds of BKC/AK-47 ammunition, 560 60mm mortar shells, and 1,288 120mm mortar shells.
"The above-mentioned items were seized and have been stored in a military warehouse in Diyarbakir," said the report, which was sent to the Iran sanctions committee on March 29.
It was not clear whether Syria was the intended final destination of the weapons in light of Iran's training and arming of Hizbullah in south Lebanon.
The United States and Israel have said they suspect Iran uses Syria as a conduit for weapons transfers to militant groups in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Iran and Syria deny the charges.
The Turkish seizure was the latest in a string of reported Iranian violations of the sanctions imposed on Iran for refusing to halt a nuclear enrichment program, which many in the international community believe is dedicated to developing nuclear weapons.
Colombia's UN Ambassador Nestor Osorio, who chairs the Iran sanctions committee, told the Security Council last week that "the increase in the number of reported sanctions violations is a matter of serious concern."
Security Council diplomats said the report of the seizure from an Iranian cargo plane reflected positively on Turkey, which some U.S. and European officials say has taken a lax approach to implementing international sanctions against Iranian financial institutions. Diplomats said it was not clear whether Iran had stepped up its efforts to skirt the sanctions or countries have become more vigilant in enforcing them.
Not An Isolated Incident
On March 27, Qatar's navy seized two boats laden with arms it says were destined for Bahrain.
On March 15, Israeli naval commandos seized a cargo ship in the Mediterranean carrying what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said were Iranian-supplied weapons intended for terrorists in Gaza. In 2009 Israel made a similar seizure of Iranian arms off the coast of Cyprus.
Britain has complained publicly about a shipment of Iranian weapons allegedly bound for Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.
Nigerian authorities have also complained to the sanctions committee about an Iranian arms shipment it seized last year that Tehran said was a legitimate trade deal with Gambia. Nigeria is prosecuting one of two Iranians allegedly involved in the deal.
Last week, UN diplomats said authorities in Singapore and South Korea had seized items banned under the sanctions against Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
One of the items -- aluminum powder seized in Singapore -- was originally thought to be from North Korea, though investigators now believe that the powder came from a Chinese firm. The other item, phosphor bronze discovered in South Korea, also came from a Chinese company.
There was no evidence that the Chinese government was involved, though diplomats said the incidents raised questions about Chinese export controls and concerns about the readiness of some Chinese companies to defy the sanctions regime.
Comment on this story
4. Bikur Cholim Hospital Gets Another Chance
by Maayana Miskin
Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) has approved a recovery plan for Bikur Cholim Hospital in central Jerusalem. Litzman said he would also work to ensure that hospital staff are paid overdue wages by Passover.
“One cannot dispute the importance of this hospital's presence in the center of Jeursalem," Litzman said in a meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. "And of the medical services it provides to hundreds of thousands of residents."
The hospital has faced the threat of closure for years. Treasury officials have argued that the hospital, which is privately owned but managed by a non-profit, should not get state money, and that it is unnecessary due to the presence of other large hospitals in the capital, including Shaarei Tzedek, Hadassah Har Hatzofim, and Hadassah Ein Karem.
The recent terrorist bombing in Jerusalem undermined arguments against the hospital, and showed that each hospital is critical. Hospital staff pointed out that Bikur Cholim's location allows it to provide rapid assistance in case of attacks in or near the city center.
Bikur Cholim faced liquidation in 2007 after falling into almost $50 million in debt. It was saved when it was purchased by Arcady Gaydamak, then a billionaire new immigrant to Israel who was growing increasingly involved in Israeli public life and philanthropy.
However, a short time later Gaydamak was facing financial pressures, and announced the loss of large sums of money. In addition, he was convicted by a French court of illegal weapons sales, and faced charges of money laundering in Israel. He left the country for two years, returning only in 2010.
A temporary solution was found in January to keep the hospital open.
Comment on this story
by Maayana Miskin
Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) has approved a recovery plan for Bikur Cholim Hospital in central Jerusalem. Litzman said he would also work to ensure that hospital staff are paid overdue wages by Passover.
“One cannot dispute the importance of this hospital's presence in the center of Jeursalem," Litzman said in a meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. "And of the medical services it provides to hundreds of thousands of residents."
The hospital has faced the threat of closure for years. Treasury officials have argued that the hospital, which is privately owned but managed by a non-profit, should not get state money, and that it is unnecessary due to the presence of other large hospitals in the capital, including Shaarei Tzedek, Hadassah Har Hatzofim, and Hadassah Ein Karem.
The recent terrorist bombing in Jerusalem undermined arguments against the hospital, and showed that each hospital is critical. Hospital staff pointed out that Bikur Cholim's location allows it to provide rapid assistance in case of attacks in or near the city center.
Bikur Cholim faced liquidation in 2007 after falling into almost $50 million in debt. It was saved when it was purchased by Arcady Gaydamak, then a billionaire new immigrant to Israel who was growing increasingly involved in Israeli public life and philanthropy.
However, a short time later Gaydamak was facing financial pressures, and announced the loss of large sums of money. In addition, he was convicted by a French court of illegal weapons sales, and faced charges of money laundering in Israel. He left the country for two years, returning only in 2010.
A temporary solution was found in January to keep the hospital open.
Comment on this story
5. PA Arab Attacks Jewish Farmer with Hoe
by Maayana Miskin
A group of Palestinian Arab men attacked Jewish farmers on Friday morning near the town of Netzer in Gush Etzion. The attack, reported by Women for Israel's Future (formerly Women in Green) activists, was one in a series of similar incidents in the area.
Six Arab men approached the farmers as they went about their work, and demanded that they leave, claiming that the land they were cultivating belongs to Arabs. When the farmers refused a fight broke out during which one of the PA men attacked a Jew with a hoe, causing him injuries.
Police later arrested one of the PA attackers.
Jewish activists noted that the land in question is definitely state owned, and is not Arab property. The issue has been investigated in the past due to similar Arab claims, and the land was found to be Jewish owned, they said.
Clashes first broke out half a year ago, when local Jews began agricultural activity in an open area near Netzer. Then, on Friday, PA Arabs began to disrupt the farmers' work arguing that the land was theirs.
Since then, PA Arabs have repeatedly undermined the fledgling agricultural enterprise, and have destroyed many olive saplings.
“If it weren't for our activists on the ground, there would have been no way to plant in those fields,” said Nadia Matar of Women for Israel's Future. “The Arabs would have taken control of the land, and it would have been lost to the people of Israel. Our activists' determined stance forced the Civil Administration to intervene, to look at the maps and to admit that the lands in question do not belong to Arabs.”
Comment on this story
by Maayana Miskin
A group of Palestinian Arab men attacked Jewish farmers on Friday morning near the town of Netzer in Gush Etzion. The attack, reported by Women for Israel's Future (formerly Women in Green) activists, was one in a series of similar incidents in the area.
Six Arab men approached the farmers as they went about their work, and demanded that they leave, claiming that the land they were cultivating belongs to Arabs. When the farmers refused a fight broke out during which one of the PA men attacked a Jew with a hoe, causing him injuries.
Police later arrested one of the PA attackers.
Jewish activists noted that the land in question is definitely state owned, and is not Arab property. The issue has been investigated in the past due to similar Arab claims, and the land was found to be Jewish owned, they said.
Clashes first broke out half a year ago, when local Jews began agricultural activity in an open area near Netzer. Then, on Friday, PA Arabs began to disrupt the farmers' work arguing that the land was theirs.
Since then, PA Arabs have repeatedly undermined the fledgling agricultural enterprise, and have destroyed many olive saplings.
“If it weren't for our activists on the ground, there would have been no way to plant in those fields,” said Nadia Matar of Women for Israel's Future. “The Arabs would have taken control of the land, and it would have been lost to the people of Israel. Our activists' determined stance forced the Civil Administration to intervene, to look at the maps and to admit that the lands in question do not belong to Arabs.”
Comment on this story
6. Hotovely Demands Answers On Police Conduct In Ronsky Home
by Gavriel Queenann
MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) demands answers from Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch about police conduct at the Ronsky family home in Itamar this morning.
At 4:30 AM police conducted a raid intended to seize all guns matching the type of firearm (a Glock handgun) used in a previous shooting incident the police themselves ruled to be self-defense. During this morning's raid two guns were seized from a security officer and one other man - whom the police themselves admit have done nothing wrong.
Upon hearing of the pre-dawn raid in Itamar, Hotovely asked Interior Committee Chairman MK David Azoulay for a special hearing on police conduct in the incident. Azoulay agreed to hold the hearing, but not until next week, when he returns from a visit abroad.
"This is a matter of principle," Hotovely said. "This is not a criminal suspect. Moshe Ronsky has dedicated his life to the settlements as a civilian, and to national security through military service. [The police] should act with discretion when it comes to such person. You cannot treat him like a criminal."
Hotovely added, "Beyond that, this happened in a traumatized community. The conduct of police this morning is an immoral act of the first magnitude."
During her meeting with Minister Aharonovitch, Hotovely intends to emphasize his men must exercise common sense, saying, "the police may not behave in an inhuman fashion."
"Once again settlers have been treated as enemies of the people," Hotovely said. "Because there is one gun they want to check every gun... the presence of one gun [to check] does not make all guns suspect. There are things these communities have to do to protect themselves. If you take a gun to check it you must provide security. He holds that gun legally and with permission from the military. You can not simply take it away."
"There is a systematic treatment of the settler public as second-class citizens by police," Hotovely added. "An attitude that settlers do not have civil liberties and human rights."
Hotovely intends to request that Minister Aharonovitch address next week's special hearing of the Interior committee himself, and respond to questions from MKs. Due to incomplete, conflicting and inaccurate answers given concerning past police actions in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, such as those at Gilad Farm, Hotovely said, "if police do not give clear explanations we will have no choice but to take this to the next level: legislation or court."
Hotovely plans to have a preliminary meeting with Minister Aharonovitch today to examine the facts surrounding the incident prior to next week's hearing.
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) demands answers from Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch about police conduct at the Ronsky family home in Itamar this morning.
At 4:30 AM police conducted a raid intended to seize all guns matching the type of firearm (a Glock handgun) used in a previous shooting incident the police themselves ruled to be self-defense. During this morning's raid two guns were seized from a security officer and one other man - whom the police themselves admit have done nothing wrong.
Upon hearing of the pre-dawn raid in Itamar, Hotovely asked Interior Committee Chairman MK David Azoulay for a special hearing on police conduct in the incident. Azoulay agreed to hold the hearing, but not until next week, when he returns from a visit abroad.
"This is a matter of principle," Hotovely said. "This is not a criminal suspect. Moshe Ronsky has dedicated his life to the settlements as a civilian, and to national security through military service. [The police] should act with discretion when it comes to such person. You cannot treat him like a criminal."
Hotovely added, "Beyond that, this happened in a traumatized community. The conduct of police this morning is an immoral act of the first magnitude."
During her meeting with Minister Aharonovitch, Hotovely intends to emphasize his men must exercise common sense, saying, "the police may not behave in an inhuman fashion."
"Once again settlers have been treated as enemies of the people," Hotovely said. "Because there is one gun they want to check every gun... the presence of one gun [to check] does not make all guns suspect. There are things these communities have to do to protect themselves. If you take a gun to check it you must provide security. He holds that gun legally and with permission from the military. You can not simply take it away."
"There is a systematic treatment of the settler public as second-class citizens by police," Hotovely added. "An attitude that settlers do not have civil liberties and human rights."
Hotovely intends to request that Minister Aharonovitch address next week's special hearing of the Interior committee himself, and respond to questions from MKs. Due to incomplete, conflicting and inaccurate answers given concerning past police actions in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, such as those at Gilad Farm, Hotovely said, "if police do not give clear explanations we will have no choice but to take this to the next level: legislation or court."
Hotovely plans to have a preliminary meeting with Minister Aharonovitch today to examine the facts surrounding the incident prior to next week's hearing.
Comment on this story
7. IDF Holds Large-Scale Staff Drill
by Gil Ronen
The Israel Defense Force's General Staff completed on Thursday a large-scale staff exercise that tested the readiness of the miltary's commands, branches and departments. The exercise is the first large-scale drill to be held under the command of Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz.
The exercise included soldiers in mandatory service as well as reservists, and simulated various possible war scenarios. It tested methods of combat and cooperation between land, air and navy forces.
The exercise simulated a multi-front war and included logistics, intelligence, public diplomacy, care for the home front and communication with the political tier.
Lessons from the Second Lebanon war, operation Cast Lead and other exercises were also implemented.
Lt.-Gen. Gantz oversaw the drill and Defense Minister Ehud Barak visited, received briefings, and took part in situation assessments. Lt.-Gen. Gantz noted that the drill is a "traditional" one that is held annually and its timing was set well in advance.
Comment on this story
by Gil Ronen
The Israel Defense Force's General Staff completed on Thursday a large-scale staff exercise that tested the readiness of the miltary's commands, branches and departments. The exercise is the first large-scale drill to be held under the command of Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz.
The exercise included soldiers in mandatory service as well as reservists, and simulated various possible war scenarios. It tested methods of combat and cooperation between land, air and navy forces.
The exercise simulated a multi-front war and included logistics, intelligence, public diplomacy, care for the home front and communication with the political tier.
Lessons from the Second Lebanon war, operation Cast Lead and other exercises were also implemented.
Lt.-Gen. Gantz oversaw the drill and Defense Minister Ehud Barak visited, received briefings, and took part in situation assessments. Lt.-Gen. Gantz noted that the drill is a "traditional" one that is held annually and its timing was set well in advance.
Comment on this story
8. Qaddafi Strikes Back!
by Gavriel Queenann
Qaddafi forces have Libya's rag-tag rebel army on the run.
Following two days in which Libya’s rebels were caught up in their own momentum and seized several critical oil towns, Qaddafi forces have counter-punched so hard the rebels are now on the run. The situation underscores the superior tactics, training, and military hardware possessed by Qaddafi's forces and the rebels' vulnerability without air support from Allied forces. Allied enforcement of the UN-sanctioned no-fly zone had been tipping the scales in the rebels' favor, but the allied jets have not been assisting the rebel forces in this particular battle.
It took more than five days of allied bombardment to destroy Qaddafi's tanks and artillery in the strategic town of Ajdabiyah before rebels rapidly advanced, chasing dictator Muamar Qaddafi's troops 300 kilometers west along the coast in a mad dash. But two days later the rebels have been pushed back to their where they started from.
Qaddafi's troops first ambushed the the haphazardly advancing column of rebel fighters, supporters and bystanders outside Qaddafi’s hometown of Sirte. Then, having broken their forward momentum, outflanked them by moving through the desert, a maneuver requiring a level of discipline the rebels lack. The towns of Nawfaliyah, Bin Jawad and Ras Lanuf were quickly retaken in the rapid counter-offensive.
For a time Tuesday allied warplanes flew over the battle zone, but no air strikes in support of the rebels were forthcoming.
Map Source: Wikimedia Commons
Colonel Ahmed Bani, a spokesman for the rebels, said there was fighting at Brega, the next town east on the coastal strip that has been the theater for most of the fighting. But most rebels had pulled back even further to the strategic town of Ajdabiyah in order to regroup.
“We thought it better to make a tactical withdrawal until we can develop a better strategy for facing this force,” Bani said. “One of the defense points will be Ajdabiyah, not the only one.”
Bani also appealed for more allied air strikes and heavier weapons. “We want weapons that will be able to destroy the heavy weapons they are using against us such, as tanks and artillery.”
Dozens of rebel pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns milled around the western gate of Ajdabiyah, where confusion reigns.
“We don’t know," one rebel told reporters when asked what was happening. "They say there may be a group of Qaddafi’s men coming from the south.”
That would suggest another major flanking move through Libya's seemingly endless desert, which pins the coast road to the sea.
Cars carrying families and their belongings streamed out of Ajdabiyah towards the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. Libya’s state news agency said thousands of Libyans carrying olive branches had joined a peace march towards Benghazi.
Qaddafi forces have fiercely bombarded town after town with tanks, artillery and truck-launched Grad rockets, which have usually forced rebels to swiftly flee. Lacking training, discipline, and leadership the many groups of volunteers have difficulty coordinating and decisions are often made after heated arguments. Their advances have been made without proper reconnaissance or flank protection. Courage and enthusiasm have not been sufficient - the rebel forces tend to flee in disarray when receiving sustained fire. Without air strikes from allied forces it seems rebel forces won't hold out.
“These are our weapons,” one rebel fighter told reporters pointing at his assault rifle while beating a retreat from the front. “We can’t fight Grads with them."
“Whether we advance 50km or retreat 50km... its a big country," rebel spokesman Mustafa Gheriani told reporters in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi. "They take it back the next day,”
“This revolution really is only five weeks old," he continued. "On the political front it is very organized. Normally it takes six months to train a soldier... we are talking about citizens who picked up guns to protect their homes.”
A conference of 40 governments and international bodies agreed Tuesday to press NATO for continued aerial bombardment of Libyan forces until Qaddafi complies with a UN resolution to end violence against civilians.
The Pentagon said Tuesday 115 sorties had been conducted on Qaddafi forces in the previous 24 hours, and 22 Tomahawk cruise missiles had been fired. Britain said two of its Tornado jets had attacked a government armored vehicle and two artillery pieces outside the besieged western city of Misrata. But allied leaders remain adamant they have no intention of putting boots on the ground to aid rebels despite the well known principle that air power alone is not sufficient to win a war.
UN Security Council Resolution 1973 sanctions air power to protect Libyan civilians from Qaddafi's forces, not to provide close air support to the rebels, which would require special forces troops on the ground to guide bombs to their targets. Without forward air controllers, intervening from the air in such a fluid battle zone is fraught with risks. Nor does the current regime of air-strikes appear sufficient to unseat Qaddafi and keep Libya's civil war from grinding into a bloody stalemate.
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
Qaddafi forces have Libya's rag-tag rebel army on the run.
Following two days in which Libya’s rebels were caught up in their own momentum and seized several critical oil towns, Qaddafi forces have counter-punched so hard the rebels are now on the run. The situation underscores the superior tactics, training, and military hardware possessed by Qaddafi's forces and the rebels' vulnerability without air support from Allied forces. Allied enforcement of the UN-sanctioned no-fly zone had been tipping the scales in the rebels' favor, but the allied jets have not been assisting the rebel forces in this particular battle.
It took more than five days of allied bombardment to destroy Qaddafi's tanks and artillery in the strategic town of Ajdabiyah before rebels rapidly advanced, chasing dictator Muamar Qaddafi's troops 300 kilometers west along the coast in a mad dash. But two days later the rebels have been pushed back to their where they started from.
Qaddafi's troops first ambushed the the haphazardly advancing column of rebel fighters, supporters and bystanders outside Qaddafi’s hometown of Sirte. Then, having broken their forward momentum, outflanked them by moving through the desert, a maneuver requiring a level of discipline the rebels lack. The towns of Nawfaliyah, Bin Jawad and Ras Lanuf were quickly retaken in the rapid counter-offensive.
For a time Tuesday allied warplanes flew over the battle zone, but no air strikes in support of the rebels were forthcoming.
Map Source: Wikimedia Commons
Colonel Ahmed Bani, a spokesman for the rebels, said there was fighting at Brega, the next town east on the coastal strip that has been the theater for most of the fighting. But most rebels had pulled back even further to the strategic town of Ajdabiyah in order to regroup.
“We thought it better to make a tactical withdrawal until we can develop a better strategy for facing this force,” Bani said. “One of the defense points will be Ajdabiyah, not the only one.”
Bani also appealed for more allied air strikes and heavier weapons. “We want weapons that will be able to destroy the heavy weapons they are using against us such, as tanks and artillery.”
Dozens of rebel pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns milled around the western gate of Ajdabiyah, where confusion reigns.
“We don’t know," one rebel told reporters when asked what was happening. "They say there may be a group of Qaddafi’s men coming from the south.”
That would suggest another major flanking move through Libya's seemingly endless desert, which pins the coast road to the sea.
Cars carrying families and their belongings streamed out of Ajdabiyah towards the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. Libya’s state news agency said thousands of Libyans carrying olive branches had joined a peace march towards Benghazi.
Qaddafi forces have fiercely bombarded town after town with tanks, artillery and truck-launched Grad rockets, which have usually forced rebels to swiftly flee. Lacking training, discipline, and leadership the many groups of volunteers have difficulty coordinating and decisions are often made after heated arguments. Their advances have been made without proper reconnaissance or flank protection. Courage and enthusiasm have not been sufficient - the rebel forces tend to flee in disarray when receiving sustained fire. Without air strikes from allied forces it seems rebel forces won't hold out.
“These are our weapons,” one rebel fighter told reporters pointing at his assault rifle while beating a retreat from the front. “We can’t fight Grads with them."
“Whether we advance 50km or retreat 50km... its a big country," rebel spokesman Mustafa Gheriani told reporters in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi. "They take it back the next day,”
“This revolution really is only five weeks old," he continued. "On the political front it is very organized. Normally it takes six months to train a soldier... we are talking about citizens who picked up guns to protect their homes.”
A conference of 40 governments and international bodies agreed Tuesday to press NATO for continued aerial bombardment of Libyan forces until Qaddafi complies with a UN resolution to end violence against civilians.
The Pentagon said Tuesday 115 sorties had been conducted on Qaddafi forces in the previous 24 hours, and 22 Tomahawk cruise missiles had been fired. Britain said two of its Tornado jets had attacked a government armored vehicle and two artillery pieces outside the besieged western city of Misrata. But allied leaders remain adamant they have no intention of putting boots on the ground to aid rebels despite the well known principle that air power alone is not sufficient to win a war.
UN Security Council Resolution 1973 sanctions air power to protect Libyan civilians from Qaddafi's forces, not to provide close air support to the rebels, which would require special forces troops on the ground to guide bombs to their targets. Without forward air controllers, intervening from the air in such a fluid battle zone is fraught with risks. Nor does the current regime of air-strikes appear sufficient to unseat Qaddafi and keep Libya's civil war from grinding into a bloody stalemate.
Comment on this story
More Website News:
 |
Good Deeds Day in Religious-Education Schools  |
|
Italy Plays Hot Potato With African Migrants |
|
Kuwaiti Cabinet Resigns, Iranian 'Spies' Expelled |
|
PA Incitement Continues; Award to Mass Murderer |
|
US Federal Court Judge to Preside Over Suit Against PLO |
