"In case of another war, when the Interior Frontier is bombarded with missiles, the casualties are going to be greater than the casualties brought about by the Second Lebanon War (the July War), which took place approximately five years ago. Definitely the casualties are going to be way graver than "Operation Cast Lead" (the Gaza War) in Gaza Strip, which was performed nearly two years and a half ago."
A commander-in-chief of the Interior Frontier Command tells "Israel Defense Website", "When they launched rockets with 122-mm diameter in the previous wars, the damage was relatively little; we weren't asked to demolish the damaged houses and reconstruct them. However, the situation is going to be different during the next war."
Furthermore, "Lattar Duke", a high-ranking officer, points out that the explosive substance in thousands of rockets launched during the 33 days of the Second Lebanon War in the summer of 2006 was estimated to reach 90 tons. (The explosive substance in the warhead of every Katyusha rocket - the main weapons used by Hizbullah then - weighed 7 kilograms only.) Whereas in "Operation Cast Lead", the explosive substance of all the rockets launched by Hamas reached 3.7 tons only; this equals the explosive substance of a few air-force bombs."
Also, the "Israeli" Military says, "Extreme danger threatens important domains currently, whether it's about the quantity of the missiles and the size of their warheads or about their range and accuracy. During the next war, we're going to see massive ammunition, guided through GPS (GPS is a navigation device tht receives Global Positioning System signals for the purpose of determining the device's current position on earth), launched against the Interior "Israeli" Frontier. Today, it is true that the accuracy of Hizbullah and Syria enables them to launch missiles at a distance of 500 meters approximately from the target, and they have a lot of missile warheads, the ammunition of each weighs hundreds of kilograms. They have, too, the M-600 missiles, which are made in Syria; Fateh-110 missiles (an Iranian parallel of the Syrian rocket); or Scud-D (ballistic) missiles, each having a range that surpasses 700 kilometers and a warhead of 485 kilograms at least."
The high-ranking officer adds, "In spite of this, I estimate to what extent "the State of Israel" can remain steadfast if the Northern Frontier declares war on Syria and Hizbullah. Upon a dangerous probability, I presume the extent will be 1000 to 2000 tons. Now let's view things relatively. During World war ∏, one German city, Dresden, was bombarded with 8000 tons of explosive substances."
"During the first nine weeks of the airstrike against London, the average of the explosive substances the Germans dropped every night was 206 tons, not to count the great amounts of the incendiary bombs; yet, England did not fall. Basically, the threat facing "Israel" has become way more serious; however, a quantity of 1000 to 2000 tons does not demolish a "State"."
"We're a strong people, and we know how to face those challenges; they're not the first ones the human history has witnessed, and every existing situation has been paralleled by another earlier. I am convinced that our effective defensive ability, in addition to our ineffective ability that is improving, shall enable us to know how to overcome the attack against the Interior Frontier. It is most crucial - that we revive quickly."
The security establishment presumes that the scenario of any future war will subject "Israel's" Interior Frontier, including the residential gathering in the middle of the "country", the military bases, and the national infrastructural constructions, to an unparalleled attack. That's why the Command launched a media campaign in May, seeking to get the people ready for what is going to happen - particularly on the cognitive level.
In addition to getting ready to perceive the coup, extra steps have been made so as to get ready for the expected attack. Well, one of the basic steps is to improve the alarm process against missiles.
Alarm
"Concerning the alarm domain, great developments have occurred since the Second Lebanon War; for instance, we've multiplied the alarms from 1500 to 3000. However, it won't be enough to say we have done so, whereby the competency level of the alarms increased from 76% to 96%. This year, it even reached 98%. The system is ready, and it can be activated 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. This is in comparison with the previous situation when the alarm system would be revived only in periods of emergencies."
"In addition to the alarms, we are developing other means of alarm against any missiles targeting the interior part of "Israel"." For instance, the execution of "the Miser Ishii System" (Literally "the Personal Message") has started this year. This system identifies and perceives all discovery signals (through a radar), activates these signals, re-estimates the predicted target, and delivers a personal alarm to the residents of this place through cellular phones, television adapters, sensors (beepers), or internet. During the first stage, the system will alarm the people through their cellular phones if necessary. This means that the system is going to identify how to monitor the cellular phones in the areas where missiles may be dropped. The alarm will reach the phones of the targeted area only. It is impossible to ignore the alarm; even when someone on his or her car is listening to loud music or is in a crowded and closed office, the phone vibrates and produces a special ring signifying the launching of missiles. In order to receive the alarm, the cellular-phone companies must reduce their use of smart devices."
- Aren't there enough shelters for all "Israeli" residents?
"Yes," says the high-ranking officer, "75% of the people have fortified places or a shelter in their common houses, but so far, there haven't been enough solutions for the other 25% that don't have fortified infrastructure."
- What about the budget for the protective masks against the non-traditional weapons that the residents will receive?
"Also, there's a problem as respects the budget. The current reserve of the masks will cover the needs of only 60% of the residents. According to the plan involving distributing safe masks to homes, 27% of the citizens currently own protective masks; however, in a year, the distribution process will be over, and this means that nearly 40% of the residents won't receive masks. In our "country", there exist two factories that manufacture protective masks (against non-traditional weapons); still, even if both of them work perfectly, they're going to need two years to fill the gap. Such situation imposes a real difficulty on us, for in time of need, different presumptions must be offered to the residents regarding how to behave in case any missile attack occurs - the residents with the protective masks as well as those without masks must be offered these presumptions."
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Third Lebanon War: A Catastrophe for "Israel"
Source: "Haaretz Newpaper"
By Ari Shavit
The failure of the Second Lebanon War (the July War) was the failure of the post-war period. The 2006 War was run badly, and its outcomes were very dangerous. Nevertheless, the five years following the War have been more dangerous than the 33-day War itself. "Israel" is still behaving tyrannically despite hearing the alarm bells and seeing the warning lanterns flashing, whereby "Israel" has refused to reflect on the deep meanings of war rather than confronting the failure of the systems and values, which was exposed by the War.
Neither has "Israel" derived conclusions or lessons, nor has it changed its administrative form. The War that broke on the 12th of July, 2006 did not wake "Israel" up from its hibernation. The Second War exposed the Command's failure, whereby the war "captains" committed mistakes that the mind could not perceive, and those mistakes weren't merely personal; they did not result only from the personal weakness of Ehud Olmert,Amir Peretz, and Dan Halutz; the mistakes actually resulted from the "Israeli" Command's problem, kind, values, conduct, in addition to the planning, command, and administration institutions that serve the "Israeli" command.
The problem with the Command hasn't been solved ever since the War. Olmert, Peretz, and Halutz are no longer there, but the illness is still there. A bitter personal quarrel concerning the personal responsibility of the chiefs of the failing War has prevented the radical treatment of the problem of the General Command. There have been changes here and there; some have been positive in contrast with the negative ones. Yet, both of the political and media systems - including the author of these lines - bear responsibility for the fact that the personal occupation has overcome the official occupation.
The day following the War was a day of quarrel rather than of evaluation. The question of who is leading us and how and where we're being led is still an open question without an answer.
The Second Lebanon War has exposed a severe military failure; the "Israeli" Military behaved like an unfocused, unserious, and unwise military; instead, it behaved as a military spoiled by a corrupt inner policy. Immediately after the War, two important processes were carried out: Brigadier General Gal Hersh was discharged, and Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi was assigned instead. And the message was simple and clear, stating that the post-war Military would be clingy to recruitment and fighting, but it would be far from brilliance, genuiness, and straightforwardness. And so the case has been.
After "the Yom Kippur War" (Literally "the Minor Day of Atonement"), Mordechai Gur built a big, mysteriously spirited military; likewise, after the Lebanon War, Gabi Ashkenazi built a fighting military that overwhelms spirits, whereby the emergency depots are full, and the soldiers are training, but there isn't enough brilliance, creation, or a sense of values that bears no leniency. There is no Gal Hersh; nor is there what Hersh represents. Hereupon, the question concerning the Military has remained open, and the improvements made to the Military do not meet the challenges facing "Israel".
The Second Lebanon War has exposed the failure of the "State". But the difficult feeling the War has left is that no "State" exists. There is none who can manage the affairs of the ghost cities in the north. Nor is there anyone who can handle the affairs of the run-away people from the north. And there is no solidarity that joins the North to the South and the Center. Having altered itself into the "Israeli" economy, "the State of Israel" has remained without a public sector that deserves this name. It has remained without an official and responsible system and without any adherence to the feeling of common destiny.
Suddenly it became apparent that the general political-consumptive spirit we've developed does not meet the historical reality that we live, for our glorious economy isn't going to protect us on the day of resolution; neither is it going to make us one community or one "state". It empowers us in a way, but it makes us weak and vulnerable to harm in other ways.
Throughout the five years that have passed since the War broke, this severe contradiction hasn't been settled; it has even become more severe. The economy is prosperous, but the community suffers a difficult situation. The raw national produce is increasing, but the government is not performing its work. We've made ourselves forget about the shock of the summer of 2006, enjoying our life again as if we were in southern California.
Hereupon, we'll be stunned again on the coming day of resolution; then, we're going to ask about what will have happened to us. So why have we celebrated for five years on board of the "Titanic" instead of strengthening it and getting it prepared to divert it from the path of its ?
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
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