Israel Worries About Gaza-Egypt Border

Jerusalem – The Israeli security establishment has accumulating intelligence in the past few days that has led to the following assessment: Hamas took advantage of the breached border between Palestinian Rafah and Egypt to smuggle anti-tank rockets, anti-aircraft missiles and advanced rockets of types not previously seen in Gaza.

In light of the fear of the new weapons, the IDF is expected to change its pattern of activity in the Gaza area.

Among other things, the possibility is being examined of enlarging the safety margin left by aircraft for fear that missiles will be fired at them.

A series of consultations were recently held by security officials on adjusting the pattern of activity to the new situation that has been created. Israeli military sources noted on Sunday that Hamas had continuously been smuggling weapons through tunnels under the border in any case, but the information indicates that it was waiting for a window of opportunity to smuggle a huge amount of weaponry, as indeed happened when the border was breached.

Israeli Intelligence Director Yuval Diskin reported on Sunday that “we cannot point at exact quantities. Apparently, high-quality weaponry was brought into Gaza, including long-range rockets, anti-tank rockets, anti-aircraft missile and materials that are usually difficult to bring into the Gaza Strip.”

Although Mr. Diskin did not elaborate, this may refer to rockets that can penetrate the Israeli armor, like those held by Hezbollah, along with rockets with a 30-kilometer range.

Meanwhile, the Middle East NewsLine has confirmed that Israel’s military has determined that the Hamas regime acquired an Iranian rocket, identified as the “Nur”, which was said to have been transported by sea from Lebanon to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula in late 2007.

Nur is as an indigenous 122-mm Iranian rocket deployed by Tehran’s military and exported to African countries.

Under the cover of the masses, several dozen terrorist operatives who underwent advanced military training in Iran have returned, after their entry had been denied until now at Israel’s request.

The inner security cabinet of the Israeli government will hold a special discussion tomorrow on the new situation, and it appears that Israeli security officials will recommend to encourage Hamas’ initiative for economic disengagement between Israel and Gaza, so that the Egyptians take responsibility for the power and fuel supply to the Gaza Strip.

In the meantime, the Israeli government will examine the construction of a security fence, like the one surrounding Gaza, in two sections on the border with Egypt. This is after the security establishment received 20 warnings about the Israeli-Egyptian border, and in light of the assessment that no less than 10,000 illegal infiltrators from Africa had already crossed the border into Israel.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called to quickly build a security fence on the border, at a cost of $60 million dollars .

American Boat Armed With Missiles On Its Way To Haifa

“The American boat can anchor at Haifa Port and use Tomahawk missiles to attack targets in Tehran,” Yiftah Shafir from the Israel Institute for National Security Studies explained the expected arrival of the American missile boat, the San Jacinto.

A security source confirmed the arrival of the boat in Israel, as part of a cooperative effort between the Israeli security establishment and the Israeli navy and the U.S. Army. A year ago, Israel’s “Homa” administration, which is responsible for aerial defense, relayed a request to the U.S. Department of Defense to carry out a joint exercise between the Israeli defense systems and the American Ajax system.

U.S. officials responded positively and promised to advance the request. However, security officials refused to confirm the reason for the arrival of the American boat in Israel.

A Russian aircraft carrier is expected to set anchor soon at the Syrian port of Tartus, after preparations are completed there for anchoring the huge ship. “Russia also wants influence on the Middle East, and Syria, by allowing them to set anchor, will give the Russians the military and political influence that they seek,” explained Mr. Shafir, who directs the project for a strategic balance in the Middle East.

For the first time, Israel will send a permanent representative with the rank of major from the navy to NATO. A week ago the officer left for the NATO base in Napoli, where he will have a position promoting naval intelligence cooperation.

David Bedein can be reached at Media@actcom.co.il. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008