Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., September 14, 2007 , | | Israel Time: 21:38 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Print Edition
Diplomacy
Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising
Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 17:07 11/09/2007
ANALYSIS: No major IDF response to Qassam strike in Negev due to tensions in north
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent

It appears that Israel's response to a Qassam rocket attack on an Israel Defense Forces base in the northern Negev early Tuesday, which left at least 66 soldiers wounded, will likely be limited, due mainly to recent tensions with Syria.

It is Israel's policy at this time not to invest too many resources in Gaza, the source of the Qassam rockets, when these resources could potentially be required should conflict erupt in the north.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday convened several consultation sessions in order to discuss Israel's possible response to the rocket attack. Olmert is scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak as well as the heads of the defense establishment. The prime minister may also convene the cabinet.

Advertisement
The IDF response to the incident will likely be similar to its retaliations for previous attacks and will probably include air strikes on Qassam rocket launching sites in northern Gaza, as well as limited ground operations within the Strip.

The Qassam rocket that landed inside the Zikkim basic training base south of Ashkelon was fired by Palestinian militants in Beit Hanun.

IDF: We detect no indication Syria is preparing for war

Meanwhile, despite tensions, the IDF has said that thus far no indication that Syria is preparing for war has been detected.

Nonetheless, IDF units on the Golan Heights are on high alert, and will remain that way throughout the holiday period.

However, Israel has not identified any unusual Syrian preparations, nor has there been any confirmation of reports in the Lebanese press on Sunday that Syria had ordered a partial call-up of the reserves.

The IDF is remaining at a high level of alert all along the Syrian border. Regular army troops are deployed throughout the Golan Heights.

The IDF is studying various scenarios for a Syrian response. One possibility is a Syrian provocation on the Golan in the guise of a Druze or Palestinian "liberation organization" that would attack an IDF force. Another possible scenario is a terrorist attack in the territories or inside Israel by a Palestinian organization acting under Syrian orders.

Moshe Ya'alon, a former IDF chief of staff, said in an interview with Channel 10 television Monday that "basically, I do not think the president of Syria, Bashar Assad, is interested in starting a war that would test the Syrian army." Ya'alon believes that Assad prefers to act via proxies, such as terrorist organizations.

Israel has been carefully following the statements made by Syrian government officials since the incident. During a visit to Turkey Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem claimed that the Israeli jets dropped ammunition during their overflight of Syrian territory. Nonetheless, it seems that the Syrians are continuing to try to minimize the dissemination of information about the affair - especially in the Syrian state media.

For this reason, President Shimon Peres canceled his planned visit to the IDF General Staff at the last minute Monday. Peres acceded to a request by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who feared that media coverage of the visit could be interpreted incorrectly by the Syrians.

Barak also felt it would be better for the generals scheduled to meet with Peres during his visit to spend their time on other matters just now.

Nevertheless, the IDF will go ahead with two ceremonies planned for today to award commendations for the Second Lebanon War - one in the Air Force and one in Central Command.

Bookmark to del.icio.us
Whose bike is this?
A grown man ran rather than persuading police an Arab boy's bike was a birthday gift.
Vanishing knish
First generation Poles' eat-in habits made menus lose their Eastern European delicacies.
  1.   Israel provokes, Syria refuses to bite 05:33  |  Natallie Durson 11/09/07
  2.   of course no response to war 06:24  |  mike 11/09/07
  3.   We detect no signs of Syrian war prep. 06:36  |  Carolyn 11/09/07
  4.   Mike/LA 06:58  |  millie 11/09/07
  5.   Natallie Durson -- and what of Muslims murdered by Iran and Syria 07:32  |  Gina 11/09/07
  6.   OFCOURSE THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ARMY ARE SLEEPING. 08:34  |  M 11/09/07
  7.   "The condemner condemns himself" 08:54  |  www.kibush.co.il 11/09/07
  8.   Peaceful country? 09:01  |  Manuel 11/09/07
  9.   Syria, like Iran, fights through proxies 09:35  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/09/07
  10.   To carolyn 09:43  |  Samir Salameh 11/09/07
  11.   Israel continues to make all the wrong decisions. 10:15  |  Reuven 11/09/07
  12.   Proxy response.... 10:21  |  Esther 11/09/07
  13.   Pudgt Barak "Situation is complicatedc",like he said before mad 10:27  |  Absolute Sweden 11/09/07
  14.   #2 What mike doesn`t understand 10:52  |  Yonatan 11/09/07
  15.   #1 Natalie 10:52  |  Raoul Isaac 11/09/07
  16.   Mystery solved? 10:53  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 11/09/07
  17.   #2 What mike doesn`t understand 10:56  |  Yonatan 11/09/07
  18.   No need for any major IDF responese in Gaza` 10:59  |  Yonatan 11/09/07
  19.   Response seems limited due to the upcoming Holidays in Israel 10:59  |  x 11/09/07
  20.   confusing 11:04  |  Wissam 11/09/07
  21.   No one talks of peace 11:12  |  Adel 11/09/07
  22.   Sderot take up arm & defend yourself since the gov`t won`t 11:21  |  peacemaker 11/09/07
  23.   To Adel: when will peace come? 11:34  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 11/09/07
  24.   Please, Mike (#2). 11:40  |  Giles Martin 11/09/07
  25.   just cut off basic supplies 12:04  |  Joe 11/09/07
  26.   I DESPISE OLMERT - HE BRINGS SHAME UPON US! 12:20  |  redmike 11/09/07
  27.   The IDF must be ready for a multi-front war 12:37  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/09/07
  28.   Syria has mobilized 13:24  |  Sebastian 11/09/07
  29.   SO, BECAUSE OF THE "TENSION" IN THE 13:44  |  Robert 11/09/07
  30.   Tension in the North? 13:48  |  Brod 11/09/07
  31.   PLEASE LISTEN TO ME 14:09  |  PALESTINIANPEACELOVE 11/09/07
  32.   Gov. will look for any excuse to not protect the south/retaliate 14:28  |  Jamie 11/09/07
  33.   ISRAEL SHOULD ATTACK and STOP outside GAZA CITY 15:01  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 11/09/07
  34.   #Adel 21 15:05  |  Dutch Dirk 11/09/07
  35.   No Major IDF Response 15:11  |  JordanisPlaestine 11/09/07
  36.   #1, Natalie Dumb-Dumb 15:12  |  JordanisPlaestine 11/09/07
  37.   Olmert is a fiasco and should resign 15:22  |  Gilbert 11/09/07
  38.   To Adel: When will Peace Come #23 15:35  |  Dr. Dave 11/09/07
  39.   What Tensions with Syria???? 15:36  |  PAUL 11/09/07
  40.   So Predictable 15:37  |  Tony Anthony 11/09/07
  41.   NO matter what! 15:38  |  Paul 11/09/07
  42.   26redmike. I have exactly the same feelings for this plague on us 15:40  |  bat yam 11/09/07
  43.   DON`T WORRY, ISRAEL WILL WIN 15:41  |  indrajaya 11/09/07
  44.   just wait till iran is ready 15:44  |  natallie durson 11/09/07
  45.   Olmert Decisions 16:01  |  Ron 11/09/07
  46.   Israel is willing to accept a first strike 16:07  |  David 11/09/07
  47.   Barak 16:08  |  David 11/09/07
  48.   the response 16:35  |  jalal 11/09/07
  49.   Good....lets stop the madness... 16:35  |  Reason 11/09/07
  50.   HOW THEY ARE SO STUPID!!!! 16:37  |  Patrick 11/09/07
  51.   Olmert wont attack his new arab friends 16:41  |  pace306 11/09/07
  52.   have to think of something else 16:42  |  wh 11/09/07
  53.   so much for the IDF regaining its image 16:46  |  david 11/09/07
  54.   Simple Solution to Qassams 16:46  |  Cut 11/09/07
  55.   Redmike and Batyam 16:51  |  Outsider 11/09/07
  56.   i am not in favour of an invasion 16:55  |  yaheskel 11/09/07
  57.   Made Up Syrian Fairy Tale to Allow Hamas Attack 16:55  |  Jane 11/09/07
  58.   better be a smoke screen 16:59  |  ralph 11/09/07
  59.   Why were soldiers sleeping in a tent? 17:00  |  B 11/09/07
  60.   syria refuses to bite 17:01  |  natallie durson 11/09/07
  61.   What a Shame 17:01  |  Rick 11/09/07
  62.   Rational Syria 17:02  |  Tosefta 11/09/07
  63.   To PALESTINIANPEACELOVE 17:08  |  From ISRAELPEACELOVE 11/09/07
  64.   Israel Is afraid.... 17:08  |  R 11/09/07
  65.   JPost Scoop 17:09  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/09/07
  66.   The Jews are Trying to Start Another War 17:11  |  ejbj 11/09/07
  67.   Typical neo-con dilemma 17:13  |  Mark Lincoln 11/09/07
  68.   Could be, Shlomo #16 17:18  |  Polybios 11/09/07
  69.   Don`t muck around, go after them! 17:41  |  Rhain 11/09/07
  70.   #26 redmike 18:02  |  ljf-canada 11/09/07
  71.   Allow Israeli civilians to lob their own rockets! 18:10  |  naro 11/09/07
  72.   Sebastian: Can you blame them? 18:19  |  Me 11/09/07
  73.   OLMERT Resign Your Not Capable of Protecting Israel 18:25  |  Hausman 11/09/07
  74.   Rational Syria 18:28  |  Tosefta 11/09/07
  75.   Right On! Talk Softly But Carry a Big Stick 18:39  |  massaraksh 11/09/07
  76.   we arabs have failed miserably in military affairs 18:51  |  natallie durson 11/09/07
  77.   We need more Syrian territory 19:11  |  Bill 11/09/07
  78.   iran is our ally 19:24  |  natallie durson 11/09/07
  79.   56 only time I`ll comment to you 20:11  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 11/09/07
  80.   It would be making a mountain out of a molehill too 20:24  |  Dutch 11/09/07
  81.   The war games 20:28  |  Outsider