The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) yesterday released the results of the investigations undertaken by five teams assigned to look into the conduct of its soldiers during operations in Gaza.

The IDF chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, ordered the investigations in the aftermath of media reports claiming the Israeli military had engaged in human-rights abuses during the Dec. 27-Jan. 18 offensive.

Three colonels who had not been associated with any part of the operation were chosen to investigate the allegations to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.

The five investigative teams examined the following issues:

• Claims regarding incidents where U.N. and international facilities were fired upon and damaged during the Gaza incursion.
• Incidents involving shooting at medical facilities, buildings, vehicles and crews.
• Claims regarding incidents where many uninvolved civilians were harmed.
• The use of weaponry containing phosphorous.
• Damage to infrastructure and destruction of buildings by ground forces.

The investigators operated independently and had access to all relevant materials and the freedom to question any of the relevant personnel.

They examined the complaints that reached the IDF and other Israeli authorities, interviewed many soldiers and officers, and gathered relevant documents and other materials.

Each soldier whose testimony was requested was required to cooperate with the investigation.

The investigations concluded the IDF operated in accordance with international law throughout the Gaza incursion.

The investigations revealed a very small number of incidents where serious intelligence or operational errors took place during the fighting. These unfortunate incidents were unavoidable and occur in all combat situations. They were made more difficult to avoid by Hamas’ choice to fight from within the civilian population.

The investigation found Hamas booby-trapped its houses with explosives, fired from the schools attended by its own children and used its own people as human shields, while taking advantage of the IDF’s legal and ethical commitment to avoid injuring uninvolved civilians.

The IDF dropped more than 2,250,000 leaflets during the fighting. It used Palestinian radio, made personal telephone warnings to more than 165,000 Gaza residents and carried out a special warning shot procedure (“A knock on the roof”) to avoid civilian casualties.

Additionally, the study showed that IDF made extensive use of accurate munitions, wherever and whenever possible, to minimize harm to civilians.

In addition, during the operation, the IDF allowed humanitarian convoys to enter Gaza and a humanitarian recess for several hours a day.

The investigations also found the IDF achieved its aims and objectives and struck a heavy blow to the terror organizations lead by the Hamas by targeting terrorists, military infrastructure and weapons manufacturing facilities.

The complex operation involved cooperation between air, naval and ground forces together with different intelligence agencies, including both reserve and regular forces. Prior to the operation, careful planning and preparations were undertaken to ensure that the units and command centers were prepared for any challenge.

The IDF reports, however, has not satisfied opponents who questioned the military’s ability to investigate itself.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com

There is at least one major Israeli nongovernmental organization (NGO) network active in Geneva, Switzerland this week promoting the Durban II racism conference’s anti-Israel agenda.

It is doing so despite efforts by the Israeli government and leading Jewish organizations to tone down the rhetoric.

Ittijah, the Israeli Arab umbrella group for Israeli Arab NGOs working with Adalah, issued a press release during the conference that proclaimed, “Arab organizations will not let Israel whitewash this conference.” The group announced that it had sent 10 Israeli Arab leaders to lobby participants at the conference against the “racist character of the state of Israel.”

Adalah is an Israeli Arab organization funded by the predominately Jewish Washington, D.C.-based New Israel Fund.

The Ittijah statement, reminiscent of the “Zionism is racism resolution” adopted by the U.N. in 1975 and repealed in 1991, claims that the “Jewish character of the state of Israel contradicts international law.”

It bases this claim on Israel’s refusal to allow those Palestinians, and their descendants, who were forced to leave their villages during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence “the right of return.”

These refugees have wallowed in U.N.-run refugee camps since 1949.

The Ittijah press release also accuses the American government and the European Union of crimes against the Palestinian people by succumbing to the “Israeli blackmail… to deny the Durban II conference any real power.”

A senior Israeli security official said Israeli security will question the 10 Israeli Arab citizens from the Ittijah delegation when they return from Geneva to determine if any of them met with Iranian officials and if they might be a security risk to the State of Israel.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com

Israel’s Tourism Minister has asked the Vatican to cancel a scheduled meeting between the Pope and the mayor of the Israeli Arab city of Sakhnin, Mazen Ghanaim.

Israel Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov said the planned meeting is in “complete contradiction with the purpose of the Pope’s visit: a state religious visit designed to promote peace and dialogue between peoples and religion[s].” He called Mr. Ghanaim “a terror supporter” and a “warmonger” against his own country’s national interests.

Mr. Misezhnikov heads the Israeli government’s team in charge of making preparations for the visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Israel next month, under the slogan: “Pilgrimage to the Holy Land – A Bridge for Peace.”

The Israel Tourism Ministry is handling all aspects of the visit, including: marketing activities to promote pilgrimages to Israel during and after the papal visit; renovations and preparations of the sites included in the Pope’s itinerary; preparation of promotional material for distribution to the journalists accompanying the Pope; arranging tours and visits to tourist sites for the media delegations, etc.

The Tourism Minister will meet with Vatican representatives visiting Israel in preparation for the papal visit today.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com

A new trail in the Lower Galilee, and around the Sea of Galilee, allows people to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. It was completed in advance of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit next month.

It traverses an area over a distance of more than 50 miles.

“This is the first trail in Israel marked with overseas hikers in mind, and also the first long trail that follows historical events,” explained Gili Greenbaum, marking coordinator for the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.

The trail was developed by Maoz Inon, a tourism developer and owner of a guest house in Nazareth, and David Landis, an adventure sports specialist. The entrepreneurs predict that 5,000 walkers will already traverse the trail this year, and within 10 years, their number will reach 100,000 or more.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com

A leading Israeli think tank says Russia has been supplying technology for Iran’s missile and space programs.

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, in a report authored by U.S. analyst Ariel Cohen, said Moscow has sold missile and space components, and services designed for long-range weapons.

“Russian technological aid is evident throughout the Iranian missile and space programs,” the report, titled “The Russian Handicap to U.S. Iran Policy,” said. “Russian scientists and expertise have played a direct and indirect role in these programs for years.”

In February 2008, the Tehran regime launched what it termed an SLV titled Explorer-1 from a new space center in northern Iran. The report identified the SLV as a variant of the single-stage Soviet SS-4 intermediate-range ballistic missile.

“It is probable that this new missile (Explorer-1) was none other than the Shahab-4, which is likely based on technology transferred by Russia,” the report said.

The report said Russian specialists were believed to be helping Iran develop the longer-range Shahab-5. At the same time, Moscow has exported missile-production facilities, technical documents as well as fuel to Iran.

“Iran and North Korea are cooperating in developing missile technology, and Russia may be facilitating technology transfers between the two,” the report said.”

For example, the Shahab-5 is based on the Taepodong-2, first developed by North Korea and now being used by Iran with Russian help.

The launch of the new North Korean space vehicle on April 4 could give insight into Iranian capabilities.

Mr. Cohen, regarded as a leading U.S. analyst on Russia, said Moscow has deemed Iran a partner in efforts to undermine U.S. influence around the world. He said the Kremlin was encouraging Iran’s missile and weapons of mass destruction program in an effort to erode U.S. deterrence and disrupt NATO.

“The Kremlin sees Iran not as a threat but as a partner or an ad-hoc ally to challenge U.S. influence,” the report said. “It also sees Iran as a key platform to expand its regional and international influence. While the Iranian agenda is clearly separate from that of Russia, the Kremlin uses Iran as a geopolitical battering ram against the U.S. and its allies in the Gulf region and the Middle East.”

Consequently, Russian support for Iran’s nuclear program and for arms sales reflects an agenda dating back to the Cold War.

The report said the next Russian strategic deal with Iran could be the delivery of the advanced S-300 long-range air defense system.

Mr. Cohen said delivery of the S-300, which could be imminent, would change the strategic balance in the Middle East and enable Tehran to fire nuclear missiles toward Israel.

“Once Iran has air defenses to repel Israeli or American air strikes and nuclear warheads for its ballistic missiles – and sources indicate that this may occur sooner rather than later – it will possess the capacity to destroy Israel, an openly stated goal of the regime, and strike targets throughout the Middle East, in Europe, and the Indian subcontinent,” the report said. “Beyond that, if and when an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) capability is achieved, Tehran will be able to threaten the U.S. homeland directly. The choice then will become starkly resembling [of] the early Cold War: deter or pre-empt.”

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com

The Middle East Newsline reports senior Iraqi officials have determined Saudis remain a key element in the foreign presence within the al-Qaida network in Iraq.

They said the Saudis serve as financiers as well as operational commanders in Islamic insurgency network.

“Lots of foreigners in al-Qaida have been ordered out of Iraq, but the Saudis remain strong,” an official said. “Because of the shared border, it has been easy for Saudis to come and go.”

Recently, Iraqi security forces captured a Saudi commander of the al-Qaida network.

Officials said a special operations force in Basra arrested the unidentified Saudi and three of his Iraqi lieutenants.

“We think he was the commander of al-Qaida in the Basra area,” the official said.

A Saudi was deemed an “emir” or prince, a term for a commander in al-Qaida.

The Saudi, transferred to Baghdad for interrogation, was said to have been responsible for the procurement of weapons and explosives.

Until 2008, Saudis represented a major source of suicide bombers used by al-Qaida in Iraq. Over the last 18 months, al-Qaida has increasingly used Iraqis and other Arab nationals.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com

A sense of relief permeated the corridors of the Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem yesterday and Monday, as the U.N. Conference Against Racism, also known as Durban II, convened in Geneva, Switzerland.

The looming conference had troubled Israel for the past two years due to the turn of events at the first conference, Durban I, which took place in South Africa in August 2001.

The 2001 conference turned into a theater of the absurd. Although it was billed as a venue to condemn racism, it turned into an assault against Israel and ignored the suffering the Jewish people have endured along with the Jewish state’s right to defend itself.

This time, Israeli Foreign Ministry officials were prepared. They held talks with representatives of the various embassies and formed a staff at the U.N. in New York. Students who volunteered to demonstrate were welcomed and Jewish organizations from across the world sent their activists to Geneva.

The Israeli Embassy in Bern, Switzerland’s capital, was reinforced with additional Israeli representatives, and Israel swamped the foreign press with its spokesmen.

Israel had learned its lesson – and yesterday, this paid off.

“For the Foreign Ministry, this was one of the most intensive and most successful weeks,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Yossi Levy said. “We were fully engaged with preventing a rerun of the festival of horrors that was Durban I. We can chalk up an unequivocal success: The moral front of Durban II collapsed with a boom.”

The Israelis refused to play by the rules and made it known “that a red line had been crossed.”

The individual who contributed most to Israel’s success was none other than Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Mr. Ahmadinejad delivered a hate-filled speech and the European Union countries that had not boycotted the conference until then did so in the course of his speech.

“If the conference was aimed at combating racism and the oppression of minorities and to support human rights, inviting Ahmadinejad was counterproductive,” said Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Aviv Shir-On. “If he had not arrived and delivered a hate-filled speech, it could have been far more difficult. We were afraid he would come and deliver some Boy Scout’s address, and then we would have had a hard time explaining all our drama.”

Jordan’s Delegate Walks Out As Other Arab Nations Applaud Ahmadinejad

The Jordanian representative boycotted Mr. Ahmadinejad’s speech, walking out mid-way through it. However, the representatives of Egypt and the Palestinian Authority remained seated in the hall throughout the entire duration of the speech and a majority of the Arab countries’ representatives gave him a resounding applause.

Background On The Break With Switzerland

Tension has been mounting for many years between Israel and Switzerland.

The history of Swiss-Jewish relations during World War II has never been forgotten. During that time period, at least 65,000 Jews who sought refuge from murder at the hands of the Nazis in democratic Switzerland were sent back by the Swiss to the death camps.

By contrast, Francisco Franco’s fascist government in Spain received 20,000 Jewish refugees who fled from the Nazis with open arms.

As recently as December 2003, the Swiss government caused a major diplomatic crisis with Israel when the Swiss Foreign Ministry paid more than $6 million to an Israeli left-wing group to hold the “Geneva Initiative” conference with Palestinian terrorist organizations.

This week, however, some feel Swiss-Israeli relations hit a low point after the meeting Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz held with Mr. Ahmadinejad that included a warm reception, an official dinner and a high-profile handshake.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman responded by recalling Israeli’s ambassador, Ilan Alger, for consultations in response. Mr. Alger will meet with Mr. Lieberman for consultations and may return to Switzerland within the coming days.

Meanwhile, Israeli Deputy Foreign Ministry Director General Rafi Barak summoned the charge d’affaires of the Swiss diplomatic mission to Israel, Monika Schmutz, for a harsh reprimand.

Senior sources in the Israeli Foreign Ministry have said the president of Switzerland sent a clear signal to Iran and the Middle East: Switzerland stands by Iran and at its president’s side, supports its policy and encourages Iran to continue its preaching of anti-Semitism and support for terror.

Israeli officials also criticized U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for deciding to meet with the Iranian president as well as with the Norwegian foreign minister, who remained in the conference hall after all other European delegates of lower rank decided to leave. The Norwegian delegation actually applauded the Iranian president, and the Swiss representative also remained seated.

“The only hall in which it should be permissible and even desirable to take a seat in front of Mr. Ahmadinejad is the central courtroom in the International Court for Crimes against Humanity,” said Mr. Levy said.

Political sources added: “We share a sense of shame and disappointment in the wake of the intolerable conduct by Switzerland, the U.N. secretary-general and the Norwegian foreign minister.”

At the Holocaust Remembrance Day Gathering on Monday night, President Shimon Peres added flame to the Swiss fire, saying: “There should be a limit even to Swiss neutrality. There is a line one should not be allowed to cross. The entire world must know that Iran is a nation where people are hanged in the streets for no reason; it is a center of world terrorism and bloodshed.”

Switzerland, however, rejected Israel’s criticism.

Mr. Merz defended himself, telling Israeli radio: “Switzerland serves as a neutral party in this necessary dialogue and provides the good service which is part of the nation’s tradition.”

In an official statement, The Swiss Foreign Ministry stressed Mr. Merz voiced criticism in the course of his meeting with Mr. Ahmadinejad regarding the human-rights situation in Iran and condemned his calls for Israel’s destruction.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com

There are indications that the Obama administration is using weapons shipments to Israel as a way to force the Jewish state to see its way on the issue of establishing a Palestinian state.

The administration’s decision to delay weapons shipments comes amid a brewing dispute between the U.S. and Israel over establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank.

This may have had a role in reports as the Israeli Defense Ministry decided to resume developing and producing indigenous munitions in an effort to end its dependence on U.S. weapons.

According to Middle East Newsline, the need for indigenous munitions production was a key lesson from the 2006 war with Hezbollah, when Israel quickly exhausted its supply of U.S.-made air-dropped munitions.

“We have to end our exclusive dependency on the United States in the area of air bombs,” an official said.

The Israeli military used a range of indigenous munitions during the 22-day war with Hamas in January. The state-owned Israel Military Industries (IMI) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems produced most of these munitions.

An IMI-designed bomb, reported to be a new advanced weapon, described as a laser-guided bunker-busting bomb based on an American-designed 1,000-pound general purpose bomb, was used against Hamas weapons tunnels in southern Gaza. It was able to penetrate over six feet of steel-reinforced concrete.

Israel’s Rafael Industry was said to have used advanced air-to-ground missiles installed on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). The missiles were said to have included miniaturized versions of Israel’s Spike anti-tank missile. Each brigade combat team, in the first such arrangement, received a UAV squadron that could be used against selected targets.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com

A recent report written by the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies warns Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony under Moroccan control, could become the next haven for al-Qaida or related groups.

In a report titled “Why the Maghreb Matters?”, the Washington-based institute said al-Qaida has been expanding its presence throughout North Africa.

“With substantial land area, a small population and extremely limited resources, the Western Sahara could fall prey to subversion and terrorist groups now operating in the region,” the report, authored by a panel of strategists that included allies of President Barack Obama, said. “It is in the interest of the U.S. to see that this conflict does not continue, and to avoid an outcome that produces another Somalia on the Atlantic coast of North Africa.”

The report was released last month amid threats by the Polisario Front, a group seeking independence for Western Sahara, to renew its war against Morocco. In mid-April, 1,400 Polisario members and supporters, backed by Algeria, stormed into a military zone in Western Sahara, with gunmen firing in the air and tearing down a security fence.

“Morocco and Algeria keep a watchful eye on their delicate relationship and they share an interest in not letting that relationship explode,” the report said. “But tensions between neighbors have a habit of getting out of hand on occasion, as Arab-Israeli and Indian-Pakistani relations have demonstrated in recent years.”

The report warned of Islamic insurgency groups seeking haven in the Polisario-controlled areas of Western Sahara. Polisario could welcome such groups in an attempt to break the stalemate with Morocco.

“The Polisario Front has recently stepped up its threats to return to hostilities unless its preferred solution is enforced,” the report said.

“While it may seem unlikely to some observers that the Polisario would make good on these threats without Algerian support, the dangers of the tail wagging the dog in these circumstances cannot be ignored.”

The report said the al-Qaida organization in the Islamic Maghreb is the most “immediate security concern” in North Africa. Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia have been cooperating with the United States in the areas of military and intelligence to track and defeat al- Qaida.

“But they (North African states) seldom cooperate directly with each other,” the report said. “Rivalries, distrust and mutual suspicions among the states of the region continue to hinder cooperative efforts to work collectively against the terrorist threat, even when it is clear that the degree of cross-border activity is increasing and becoming more deadly.”

The report urged the United States to encourage North African states to expand security cooperation, while seeking to mediate a solution to Western Sahara. One proposal called for the establishment of a so-called “regional counterterrorism clearinghouse center” that would focus on battling drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

“In particular, U.S. military commanders in the region should develop programs that foster regional training and planning,” the report said.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com