Apologies for this unhelpful image. It’s a blueprint of the new acoustic sensor, developed by Israeli company 3DSignals, Kfar Saba, 4464101, Israel and presumably what the Israeli PM is implying detected a tunnel which the IDF then destroyed.
Israel lied about how it discovered Gaza tunnel
By Richard Silverstein, Tikun Olam
October 31, 2017
October 31, 2017
Israel has trumpeted its discovery and destruction of a tunnel leading from Khan Younis into Israeli territory. It is part of a massive network that Gaza militants have built underneath Gaza to defend it in the event of Israeli invasion. In a few instances, the tunnel-builders have also excavated into Israel proper either for the purpose of capturing IDF soldiers or, in the event of war, of attacking IDF positions inside Israel.
And here’s another expensive bit of kit. This February 10, 2016, photo shows IDF soldiers keeping watch as a machine drills holes in the ground on the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza Strip as they search for tunnels used by Palestinian terrorists planning to attack Israel. Photo by Menahem Kahana
Tunnel discovery and destruction, old style (2016), IDF spokesperson.
The overwhelming number of such tunnel projects are under Gaza proper and defensive in nature. Which makes the one just discovered highly unusual. In fact, Islamic Jihad was responsible for the project and its central Gaza commander was killed when Israel destroyed it. Israel also claims two Hamas militants were killed along with him. Palestinian sources say the Hamas members were killed trying to rescue the others who were trapped.
Israel also claims it discovered the tunnel through “advanced technology:”
Military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said thanks to groundbreaking technology this “active tunnel,” which was still being dug, was discovered…
Last year an unsophisticated earth-moving machine digging the trench into which Israel plans to sink a deep, high wall around Gaza, cost $ 2.2 billion, came upon a tunnel in the Eshkol region in Southern Israel along the border with Gaza Strip. Photo from Israel Army Spokesperson.
This implies it had developed some sort of sophisticated acoustic listening device to detect the project. Netanyahu himself explained the “success” with the same claim. But I’ve learned from a well-informed Israeli security source that this explanation is a deliberate lie meant to conceal the real method: the Shabak “turned” an inside Palestinian source; perhaps a member of the tunnelling crew, who ratted on his fellow workers. In the process, Israel was not only able to destroy the tunnel, but to kill the leader of the entire project and seven of his co-workers.
Destruction of tunnel by new technology near Khan Younis. Screenshot from Channel 2
When asked whether the informant had arranged for the senior commander to be present and Israel deliberately detonated the tunnel intending to kill him, the source would only say “the timing of the bombing wasn’t coincidental.”
The Palestinian turncoat who caused the death of his comrades has been spirited out of harm’s way (presumably extracted from Gaza and moved either to Israel or some other safe haven). This is why Israeli developed the false cover story…to throw Islamic Jihad off the tracks of its betrayer. But while Shabak wanted to protect its asset and spirit him to safety, it must be annoyed that it can’t take credit for this intelligence coup. As a result of this lie offered the public, the IDF comes out smelling like a rose for both detecting the tunnel and destroying it, while all Shabak gets is nothing but a lousy t-shirt.
Some readers may recall that Shabak performed a similar trick back in 2016, when it used the same HUMINT, a Palestinian double agent, to identify a tunnel which it destroyed. Then too Israel falsely claimed the project was discovered through magnificent ‘Start-up nation’ technology, when a spy was the cause.
The IDF’s old tunnel detector/destroyer.This one managed to find and destroy a cross-border attack tunnel from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Youtube screenshot/IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
This interdiction is a coup both for the IDF and Bibi Netanyahu, who has faced an incessant onslaught of bad news in the form of three separate corruption investigations, any one of which could end his prime ministership. Nothing helps burnish an Israeli pol’s reputation than murdering “terrorists” trying to kill Israelis. And nothing helps the IDF in its efforts to secure ever larger chunks of the Israeli budget than such an achievement. Undoubtedly, the pictures of the tunnel exploding will be played on Israeli TVs for days on end (unless the IDF prefers to keep this aspect of the operation secret as part of its “work product“).
Palestinians killed in Israeli tunnel blast. Photo by Mohammed Salem/ Reuters
Further, the Palestinian reconciliation talks between Hamas and the PA have unnerved Netanyahu and his U.S. ally. Both counted on continuing dysfunction on the part of Palestinian leaders which would permit Trump and Bibi to outmanoeuvre them and maintain the Occupation status quo. When Egypt brokered a seeming success in devising a formula for a new unity government, this set Bibi back on his heels. He resorted to trying to impose ridiculous conditions on the new unity agreement as if he was a direct party to it.
Now that Israel has discovered a Gaza “terror plot” it can trumpet this to show that Hamas cannot be a fit partner for any legitimate Palestinian government. It doesn’t matter that Islamic Jihad was responsible for the tunnel, since Israel blames everything happening in Gaza on Hamas. The irony of this is that while Israel blames Hamas as the reigning power in Gaza for all hostile acts that emanate from the enclave, the former refuses to recognize Hamas as a legitimate Palestinian political entity for the purposes of negotiation. And you can’t have it both ways: if Hamas rules Gaza and is responsible for what happens there, then it’s also a worthy interlocutor as a legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
The long-term benefits to Bibi from this incident will be nil. Like almost everything he does, it offers exceedingly short-term gains with no long-term upside.
____________________________________
On a related subject, Jared Kushner and his mini-me, Jason Greenblatt, secretly travelled to Saudi Arabia to plot with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on behalf of a so-called Palestinian peace plan. From the Saudi kingdom they travelled to Ramallah, where they midwived a meeting between Israel’s treasury minister, Moshe Kahlon, and the Palestinian prime minister. This confirms that what the U.S and Saudis are cooking up is not a political agreement that will empower Palestinians, but an economic deal that will offer a few breadcrumbs to the Palestinians in return for their reneging on anything that would offer real national sovereignty:
Greenblatt…reported “important progress” was made in the meeting and that there were “meaningful steps forward on key economic issues — revenues, customs, and investment — that help support the search for peace.”
For years, Bibi has been offering this snake oil to anyone pressuring him for real concessions to the Palestinians. He claims that Palestinians don’t really need or want political power. They want a better life…and Israel can give them that. It’s a cheap, tawdry way to avoid the real issues. And it condescends to the Palestinians, turning them into children who can be pacified with a lollipop, rather than a full meal.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!
No comments:
Post a Comment