Loyal citizens?
We keep hearing how we should treat 'Israeli-Arabs' as loyal citizens of the State of Israel. Every once in a while - in fact quite often - we are reminded that they are anything but loyal citizens. Just last week, I reported on Deputy Knesset Speaker Ahmed Tibi's meetings with Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar and PLO 'leader in exile' Farouk Kaddumi. These meetings are not intended to advance the imaginary 'peace process,' but rather to conspire against the State of Israel. The rank and file follows the leaders.The JPost is reporting this afternoon that twelve Arab citizens of Israel have been arrested and charged with selling weapons to Palestinian terror groups in Judea and Samaria. They were apparently arrested some time ago but the gag order on the arrests was lifted today. The twelve were arrested last month, during the Succot holiday after a six-month operation by the Amakim police district and the General Security Services (Shin Bet). As you will see at the end of this report, there is a major question that remains open.
The suspects - residents of Umm el-Fahm, Nazareth, and the villages Zalafa and Ma'awiya - allegedly sold dozens of various types of automatic guns, including M-16s and Kalashnikovs, to terror groups in the West Bank. Initial reports also indicated that the suspects may have had Israeli clients.Now this last sentence is curious. M-16's are US-made automatic weapons that are standard issue in the IDF. Kalashnikov's are the Russian equivalent and most of them were captured from terrorists. Is the source of the weapons someone within the IDF? Or is the source in Gaza - and the security forces (and the government) don't want to admit that such a massive smuggling operation between Judea and Samaria on the one hand, and Gaza on the other hand, exists?
The group also dealt in grenades and ammunition, and at least 8,000 bullets were seized by police, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
Rosenfeld refused to disclose the source of the group's stock of weapons.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:28 PM
2 Comments:
I wouldn't be surprised if there is a lot of smuggling between Gaza and the West Bank.
After all, Israeli Arabs are the perfect conduit.
Michael,
I'm sure there is a lot of smuggling between Gaza and Judea and Samaria. In fact, I have alluded to it several times on this blog. But the government doesn't want to admit it, because it would be another argument against convergence.
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