Eye on the Enemy: ’’Israel’’ Marks al-Jihad A Main Target, Fears Future Soldiers’ Capture

According to estimates carried out by Haman, in recent months the Islamic Jihad managed to smuggle through the passageways and tunnels along the Egyptian border, various weapons, which some of are much better than the equipment held by Hamas. A source in Haman told Nana 10 news: "We identify a closer relationship than the past between the Islamic Jihad and the Iranian sources ".

The source added that, through the Islamic Republic and its mediation, weapons are sent to the Islamic organization in Gaza Strip. "Islamic Jihad representatives in recent months increased their level of development, and also managed to deploy a broader training base to their fighters in Gaza and in other countries".

Islamic Jihad is considered one of the main competitors of Hamas in Gaza and it holds the capability to fire rockets at "Israeli" territory and citizens. In addition, it has many competences and diverse means to carry out attacks. The organization is responsible in part for the execution and planning of terrorist attacks on the border between Egypt and "Israel" and in Haman they claim that the organization's ideology is more extreme than Hamas.

"Israeli" Army marked al-Jihad as a main target

The "Israeli" Army made it clear that the organization's terrorist activities may inflame the entire strip. They have been watching since a long time the activists, and recently in collaboration with the Shin Bet, the "Israeli" Army is actively attacking the organization's members, and killing them. In addition there were attempts to attack terrorist targets specifically belonging to Islamic Jihad members in Gaza.

The Army made it clear that the strengthening of the jihad is certainly a threat to the stability in the South. If Hamas would lose control completely of al-Jihad, this may lead to blazing the Gaza Strip and another operation may be required from the ""Israeli"" Army.
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Shamgar Committee recommends on possible future abductions
"Israel" Hayom - Shlomo Cesana

Today Shamgar Committee submits recommendations on possible future abductions of "Israeli" soldiers and civilians. It recommends canceling the appointment of special envoys, and instead, to appoint a permanent team.

Today, Former Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar will submit to "Defense" Minister Ehud Barak the final recommendations report on how the government should respond to terrorist abductions of "Israelis". Judge Shamgar headed the committee that includes Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yaron and Professor Asa Kasher as members too.

The committee was set up nearly four years ago to establish guidelines for dealing with abductions of "Israelis" due to the kidnappings of soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev into Lebanon and the abduction of Gilad Shalit into the Gaza Strip. At the request of the political echelon, the committee held off on submitting the report for several months until a deal was reached in the Shalit case. After Shalit's release, the committee conducted final assessments and interviewed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special envoy for the Shalit case, Mossad official David Meidan.

Channel 1 News reported that the report apparently includes a recommendation to cancel the appointment of the two special envoys to conduct negotiations, and instead, to appoint a permanent team to deal with the issue. The report also likely includes recommendations on the price the government is willing to pay for the release of "Israeli" hostages. In general, the report is expected to recommend that "Israel" must harden its position in any future negotiations over hostage release.

After Barak receives the report, he is expected to discuss its findings with the prime minister, and then to determine whether to make its recommendations official and publishes them or keep them secret.

As "Israel" Hayom has previously published, a majority of eight top ministers assure that if a terrorist group abducts another "Israeli", this will lead to war. This view is also supported by the prime minister himself, who said during closed discussions that "a change in the rules of the game is inevitable."

More than 1,000 terrorists, 450 of them convicted murderers, were released as part of the deal to return captive soldier Gilad Shalit. Netanyahu ultimately decided to move forward with the exchange after he was able to amend some of Hamas' demands, notably getting the group to agree that most of the released prisoners would be deported abroad and to the Gaza Strip rather than to Judea and Samaria.

However, Netanyahu said that considering Israel's long history of prisoner swaps and with a current "clean slate" after Shalit's release, now is the time to establish clear guidelines for how to confront future abductions.
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"Israeli" Finance Ministry transfers additional NIS 3.7 billion to "defense" budget
The marker- Moti Bassok

"Defense" Ministry's budget for 2011, of the total NIS -55.771 billion, increased during 2011 by 3.7 billion at least, following the four requests of Finance and four decisions of the Knesset Finance Committee. It may be a bigger advantage, as it was proved in the past more than once that the defense budget was not getting the attention of the public and the media.

The "Defense" budget increased this year for the first time by NIS 700 million on 8 February 2011, following a request of the Finance Committee approved by the Finance Committee. The Additional source of funds is a transfer of non-utilized money in the 2010 budget. As it grew three more times in the last month of the year: On December 10, it increased by 630 million to fund the border fence with Egypt, on December 20 is increased by -780 million, because of the unused funds of 2011 budget, and it grew again in December 28, this time by NIS 1.65 billion with the help of the Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz. This again was about surplus funds of the ministries. This transfer was carried out with the approval of the Joint Committee of the Knesset and the committees of Foreign Affairs, "Defense" and Finance.
 
The "defense" budget is the only budget in all ministries' budgets each year which enjoys a significant increase of billion of shekels, with the support of Finance Minister and the head office. In 2010, "defense" budget enjoyed a NIS 3.3 billion supplement. Throughout 2011 the "defense" demanded its budget increase by 5 billion, claiming that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, promised in August 2010 "Defense" Minister Ehud Barak, to increase the budget in 2011 by 5 billion.

In March 2011, Barak expanded his budgetary requirements to the US:
 
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal He said that "Israel" will ask the United States to increase its military aid to "Israel" at $ 20 billion, not less, in the light of changes in the region and the new potential threats on in "Israel". In April 2011, PM accepted the "defense's" position, not the position of the Finance, and the transition cost of intelligence and the "Israeli" Army's ICT system to Naqab until 2018 will be 19 billion shekels. Treasury believed that the transition cost should be 13.5 billion.

The Bank of "Israel" Report for 2010 stated that 2009 was the sixth consecutive year where the "defense" expenditure exceeded the budget, and this is the second consecutive year in which such a trespass occurs, though it witnessed no major security events.

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Political map: Could there be changes?
"Israel" Hayom - Uzi Baram

Some believe that 2012 will be the year of elections and that Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman reached this decision. Ostensibly, it is not surprising. Netanyahu thinks, quite rightly, that his status among his party would buy a lot of support. Lieberman is also willing to risk such a move. The slow evaporation of Kadima also enters the equation in addition to the current stability of the Labor Party.

Apparently there is no serious alternative to the existing rule. The predominant language assumes that the people are supporting the right-wing; an increasing support due to demographic reasons and political-security reasons. I doubt this sweeping statement. If the Likud had been going for elections with Yariv Levin, Elkin or Feiglin, he would've had a great defeat. Encouraging further support of the settlements, in partnership with the religious groups and the problematic legislation - is about to be deterred.

Netanyahu succeeds because he tries to aim toward the center, and because he declared to reach a reasonable political settlement and said he was faithful to the principles of "Israeli" democracy.
 
Hence, the results of Knesset elections depend on the nature of the Likud's list, its relative "moderation" and its ability to maintain the support of the right and the center - right. If Benjamin Netanyahu, attached Barak to the Likud, he will be criticized by his party but he will take advantage of this move to aim the center.
 
Personally, I do not think that the Likud, with or without Netanyahu, is a centered right-wing party. Netanyahu's political doctrine, on the rule of law and basic economic concepts is the "right" man for anything, but he placed himself in a different ways in different circles of the public.

Social protest as if it only passed by us, and soon we will determine that it was only a mirage. But you cannot forget that hundreds of thousands who looked forward to its success and seconded it. The real protest potential does not belong to the right and it's not even close to it ranks. Many who badly need economic change - social change also want the government system to be changed so as the relations with the minorities, including Arabs.

A possible alternative is not necessarily dependent on the only existing parties. It is dependent on them and on new movements that are established and threat to pull the voters of the left. But they have the potential support among the right-wing cores, including young people who vote for the first or second time. Many young people do not take in the election process and can be pulled too. Innovative and appealing alternative may hunt their hearts. I do not think that the left can establish a settlement bloc that can stand up to a regressive right-wing government, and in my opinion - dangerous. I am not talking about a very different government, since it is unrealistic and I do not give myself a delusion. But Netanyahu's partnership with the Labor Party officials, Kadima and new parties have a chance to surprise - the government can get free from the pressures of extremists, who are not beneficial to the State of "Israel".

Source: Hebrew newspapers, Translated by moqawama.org