It's come to this: Egypt may spend $1+ billion in US aid money on Russian helicopters
It's come to this.... In March, US President Hussein Obama
restored some $1.5 billion in aid money to Egypt. Now, Egypt may be
spending $1+ billion of that money on 30 Russian-made Ka-52K helicopters (Hat Tip:
MFS - The Other News).
Russian state-run arms trader Rosoboronexport and the Russian
Helicopters holding are engaged in consultations with their Egyptian
partners concerning a possible acquisition of Kamov Ka-52 'Katran'
ship-based helicopters for the two Mistral-class helicopter carriers,
originally built for Russia, that Egypt has agreed to buy from France, a
source in an organization linked with arms exports told Interfax-AVN.
"Indeed, such consultations are in progress. They deal with a
possible acquisition by Cairo of some 30 Ka-52K 'Katran' ship-based
helicopters that were initially supposed to be placed on board the
French helicopter carriers and are 100 percent adapted for these ships,"
the source said.
"The price of the contract will stand at over $1 billion," he added.
More on the deal.
"Moscow will not impede this deal [the provision of the Mistral-class
helicopter carriers to Egypt] and is ready to offer Egypt the shipborne
helicopters developed specially for these vessels," the source told
Interfax.
He added that a flexible payment system is possible here, including the provision of a loan to buy the helicopters.
The Ka-52K is a shipborne helicopter based on the all-weather Ka-52
combat helicopter Alligator. It has two modernized VK-2500 engines (each
has a capacity of 2,400 hp). The forebody contains a two-seat cockpit
containing new generation equipment. The pilots' seats are equipped with
ejection mechanisms. The shipborne helicopter has folding blades.
On August 5, the presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Francois
Hollande of France made a final decision on the future of the two
helicopter carriers that the sides had tried to make for almost a year.
On that day over €1 billion in compensation was transferred to a
settlement account in one of the banks and then to the Russian Federal
Treasury (€950 million for the refusal to supply the vessels and €67.5
million for the garboards).
On September 23, the French paper La Tribune reported,
citing its sources, that an Egyptian delegation was having negotiations
on the purchase of the Mistral-class helicopter carriers and Gowind
corvettes. The Elysee Palace later confirmed it.
I guess the Russians need the money. After all, they didn't just get $100 billion in sanctions relief.
Maybe Obama ought to pay off the Russians? It's faster than growing....
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Egypt, helicopter, Russia, Vladimir Putin, weapons acquisition
There IS an 'anytime anywhere' provision in the Iran deal
There is an 'anytime anywhere' provision in President Hussein Obama's sellout to Iran. Unfortunately,
it's not the one you were hoping for.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said that he insisted
during the negotiations that Iran be able to purchase and ship military
hardware at any time and from any place, according to the comments made
on state-controlled television.
Araghchi vowed “to buy weapons from wherever possible, and [said that
Iran] is to provide weapons to whomever and whenever it considers
appropriate,” according to a translation of his comments made by the
Open Source Center.
...
“When they [the P5+1] said that they were not going to lift weapons
and missiles sanctions, or at least not immediately, we explicitly told
them that there could be no agreement because we will not sacrifice our
national security for anything,” Araghchi was quoted as saying during
the interview with an Iranian television network.
“With regards to our national security, our defense systems, and our
missiles systems, we are not even willing to negotiate, let alone
compromise,” Araghchi claimed he told the global powers in the
negotiating room.
Araghchi went on to insist that “if you want to have an agreement in
which sanctions imposed on us for weapons and missiles will continue,
then we will not agree.”
He continued: “Whenever we consider it necessary for our own
security, [or] to help our allies in the region we will provide weapons.
… We don’t feel shy. We will provide weapons to whomever and whenever
we consider appropriate. And we will buy weapons from wherever we can.”
This demand “was made clear to the other party,” according to the Open Source Center’s analysis.
...
Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon adviser and expert on rogue regimes,
expressed concern that less than a week after the deal was announced,
Iran is already challenging U.S. claims about what the agreement does.
...
“This nuclear accord will not bring peace; rather, it has simply opened
the floodgates to murder and mayhem on a scale the region hasn’t seen in
decades,” Rubin said. “The Iranians are basically saying they will
provide rocket-propelled grenades and explosively-formed projectiles
anytime, anywhere. Only when they say anytime, anywhere, they actually
mean it.”
So which version of the 'agreement' will be presented to Congress? The US one that the Iranians have disavowed, the UN one that the Iranians have disavowed, or the Iranian one that is a moving target?
What could go wrong?
Labels: arms sales, Barack Hussein Obama, Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iranian nuclear threat, John Kerry, United States Congress, weapons acquisition, weapons shipment
So much for ISIS not working with Hamas
Greetings from 38,000 feet above flyover country. I'm on my way from Boston to.... Chicago.
So much for that story about
ISIS wanting to throw Hamas out of Gaza. Now, they're the best of friends. In fact, according to at least one Israeli General,
Hamas provided the weapons used by ISIS to kill more than 70 Egyptians earlier this week.
Israel has "clear information that Hamas is supporting the Wilayat
Sinai, which belongs to Daesh," Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, the
coordinator of government activities in the territories, claimed,
referring to the Islamic State group in one of its acronyms.
He added that Hamas provided the Islamist group
weapons and logistical support, and even smuggled wounded militants for
treatment in the Gaza Strip. "I am confident in this [information] and I
have proof," he said.
The IDF has decided that this entire story is too close for comfort: Route 12 near the Egyptian border will be closed from 5:00 am Friday Israel time.
The decision was made by Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon with the
recommendation of IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot. The closing
of the road was defined by the military as temporary.
One of the attacks was carried out only four
kilometers from the border with Israel, an officer in the IDF Southern
Command said on Thursday. In response, the Israeli military has
intensified its intelligence gathering efforts in the area.
Temporary until what? Until ISIS is defeated? Until Hamas stops supporting them? Doesn't sound like much of a plan, does it?
The Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Egypt reopened on
Thursday after it was closed for 24 hours due to the battles raging in
Sinai. However, the Nitzana crossing remained closed.
The real question is whether the Gaza crossings are open - and if yes, why?
Labels: Egypt, Egyptian-Israeli border, Eilat, Hamas, IDF, ISIS, Islamic State, Sinai, weapons acquisition
Hamas' Marzouk threatens new war if 'blockade' is not lifted
In an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, Hamas deputy politburo leader Moussa Abu Marzouk
threatened another war with Israel if the 'blockade' of the Gaza Strip is not lifted. The current truce expires next Thursday. Israel refuses to lift the 'blockade' from its side unless Hamas is disarmed. And no one is even asking about lifting the 'blockade' from the Egyptian side.
The
deputy leader of Hamas, Moussa Abu Marzouk, insisted Thursday that
Hamas won the war, despite the apparent military setbacks.
He
said his group's popularity among Palestinians has increased and that
it would likely defeat Abbas and his Fatah movement if elections were
held today.
Early
this month, a survey conducted by a prominent West Bank pollster found a
significant increase in support for Hamas after the war.
Abu Marzouk warned that failure to negotiate a new Gaza deal and a lifting of the blockade would "lead to another war."
"We
don't want that, and the Israelis, I guess, don't like to see that
(war) again," he said in halting English, speaking in an office in a
Gaza City high-rise overlooking the Mediterranean.
Abu
Marzouk, the deputy of exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal, said the
people of Gaza lived in a difficult situation before the war as a result
of the blockade.
"We
can't put the Palestinians after the war in the same situation," said
Abu Marzouk, who has lived in Egypt for the past three years but has
visited Gaza several times. "They (the Israelis) have to change their
policy."
There are a lot of people in Israel who would love another crack at finishing Hamas off. Hmmm.
Labels: Gaza blockade, Gaza plenty, Hamas, Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, Mousa Abu Marzouk, Operation Protective Edge, weapons acquisition
Israel's other weapons sources
Those of you who recall the story from 10 days or so ago when it was disclosed that the United States had
denied Israel Hellfire missiles for use in Gaza, and who are aware that Britain and Spain have placed an embargo on weapons sales to us, might be wondering whether Israel has sources for weapons other than the United States and Western Europe. Unfortunately, while we have such sales
they are negligible.
According to Defense Ministry figures, around one-quarter of the
output of the Israeli defense industry is intended for IDF use. The rest
is exported.
Despite official Israel’s reluctance to get specific
about its arms trade, reports submitted by various states to the UN’s
Register of Conventional Arms shed some light on the matter. For
example, Ukraine’s official reports state that two years ago, Ukraine
sold Israel 193 missiles and 32 launchers. According to reports made as
part of the voluntary disclosure mechanism, in 2010 Ukraine sold Israel
four Strella (SA-7) missiles and two launchers, about 75 Igla missiles
of various models and 10 launchers for them. It is not clear why Israel
purchased so many Russian-made shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles.
The assumption is that they are being acquired as part of Israel’s
development of systems to counter them, such as the aircraft-defense
system. As recently as February, Defense Ministry officials and Elbit
Systems announced the successful completion of tests of the Sky Shield
system, which is intended to protects civilian aircraft from
shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. Arms experts have said it likely
that Russian-made missiles were used in the test. Still, the number of
missiles Ukraine reported selling to Israel is relatively large even for
that purpose. Defense Ministry officials declined to comment for this
report.
Reports in the UN Register that were examined in recent
years point to some more interesting acquisitions, mainly for
Soviet-made arms that are not considered at the forefront of technology.
For example, in 2008 Ukraine reported that it sold Israel a launcher
for BM-21 rockets — a launcher that the Israeli army used in the past
after it was captured as booty in the Yom Kippur War and used during the
first Lebanon War. Hezbollah uses it to fire Grad rockets. In 2006, the
Czech Republic sold Tochka tactical missile systems to Israel. Two
years previously, Bulgaria sold Israel six 130 mm artillery systems
about which no further details were provided.
Against the backdrop of reports about Britain and Spain examining their
arms sales to Israel, an expert characterized the amount of arms that
Israel purchases from countries other than the United States as
“negligible.”
...
Israel has signed several significant defense contracts with other
countries in recent years. Germany provides Israel with submarines from
its HDW shipyards in Kiel. Israel has purchased six submarines so far,
three of which are in use by the Israel navy. The IDF has taken delivery
of two submarines, with additional deliveries scheduled through the end
of 2019.
Italy last year arranged to sell 30 M-346 training
aircraft to Israel. The first of these are already making their first
flights. As part of the deal, Israel sold Italy several defense
products, an Israeli-made satellite and a deterrent aircraft produced by
Israel Aerospace Industries in a deal estimated at $2 billion dollars.
Last
month, the Defense Ministry issued an international tender for the
purchase of “defense ships,” which will be used to protect the offshore
natural-gas drilling rigs in the Mediterranean Sea. According to an
Israeli Navy plan for the protection of the rigs that the defense
minister and the chief of staff approved about two years ago, four more
large vessels will be required to secure the area properly, at a cost of
roughly 100 million dollars per ship. The names of several foreign
shipyards — in Germany, Italy, the United States and South Korea — were
mentioned in the past as possible makers of the ships that would protect
the natural-gas fields.
There are two answers. In the short term, export less and use our own arms. That will help only when the arms in question are arms that we produce domestically. Obviously, there are things (like submarines) that we do not produce domestically, and for which we will still be dependent on other countries.
But in the long run we should be developing our own military industry more than we have been. If we have learned nothing else in the last six years, we should have learned that there are even situations where we cannot count on the United States. We should not be dependent on anyone. Not even the United States. What if Hillary Clinton - or possibly worse Elizabeth Warren is the next President? We would have 4-8 more years of pressure and unreliability. It's time that we learn to cope on our own. We're a big enough economy to pull it off.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Britain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Elizabeth Warren, Germany, Hillary Clinton, Italy, military equipment, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, United States, weapons acquisition
Gaza airport not a new issue - concrete from runways was used to construct terror tunnels
Supporting the claim that Israel, Egypt and the 'Palestinian Authority' are
pressuring Hamas to accept the Egyptian cease fire proposal Haaretz reports on the
pressure coming out of Ramallah.
A senior Palestinian official told Haaretz that Ramallah is pushing
for acceptance of the Egyptian initiative even if it does not
immediately answer Palestinian demands. The official said any
international resolution would be weak and Israel would evade it, as has
happened with UN resolutions.
“Only an agreement mediated by
Egypt that has international support can achieve positive results in the
short term,” the official said, adding that Israel’s proposals did not
come close to the Palestinians’ minimum demands.
Under Egypt’s
proposal, Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza commit not to take any
action against the other by “sea, air or land,” while the Palestinians
promise not to dig tunnels into Israel, Egyptian newspaper Al-Shorouk
reported Friday.
Haaretz also reports that the 'Palestinians' don't think that Israel should be making such a big deal out of Gaza having an airport and seaport.
According to Palestinian officials, Israel is depicting the airport and
safe-passage issues as if they were new. An airport operated in Gaza
from 1998 to 2001.
Not exactly
until 2001....
The airline was grounded in October 2000 following the start of
the Al-Aqsa Intifada and was forced to move to El Arish
International Airport in December 2001, after destruction by
Israeli military forces. of the runway at its previous base,
Yasser Arafat International Airport, where it operated limited
services.
...
On December 12th 2001 GZA was bombed by the Israeli army, which
warplanes hit the control tower. In January 10th 2002, the 60
million USD runway was competely destroyed by the Israeli army,
shattering hopes for the resumption of flights to the airport in
the forseeable future.
Umm....
Not exactly....
ONE ISRAELI KILLED, ONE INJURED BY PALESTINIAN GUNFIRE IN GAZA
Noa Dahan, 25, of Mivtachim, was killed and her Nephew, Oz
Parishta, 18, was wounded, when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on
their vehicle near the town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip,
YEDIOT
AHARONOT ON-LINE reported.
The two were driving from the Kerem Shalom checkpoint to the
Rafiah border passage when they were ambushed by at least three Palestinian gunmen. Dahan, who was hit in the head, died
instantly. In response to the attack, the Israel Defense Forces
closed the Rafiah crossing terminal to Egypt. The Palestinian
airport in Dahaniya was also shut down. The airport was reopened
on Tuesday under an agreement with the Palestinians, after having
been closed last month as a result of a Palestinian ambush attack
on an Israeli bus, wounding ten people.
I have a vague memory that Dahan actually worked at the airport, but I haven't been able to confirm that. Maybe what I'm remembering is that the bus in that story was carrying airport workers? (The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs site only lists incidents in which people were killed.
And then there's the little matter of how the 'Palestinians' used the airport. This is from the same link.
IDF Chief-of-Staff
Maj.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz told the Knesset’s Committee on Security
and Diplomatic Affairs on Tuesday that the Palestinians are using
Arafat’s private plane to smuggle weapons into the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip.
And of course that's exactly why the 'Palestinians' are pushing to
have the airport reopened.
One of the main sticking points is the
Hamas terrorist group’s demands to be allowed to build a seaport and
airport, in their words, to offer “more freedom for the Palestinian
people who are stuck in Gaza.”
But Israel and the west knows that any type of port of this nature,
controlled by terrorists whose charter calls for the destruction of the
state of Israel and its inhabitants, would be nothing more than a way to
import weapons to use in its armed struggle against the Jewish State.
Oh - and one other thing the media is forgetting to tell you about the airport. Here's an al-Jazeera English video from August 2010.
Hey - you don't think they used all that concrete to construct terror tunnels - do you? That would be another reason not to rebuild the airport, wouldn't it? 'Scavengers,' eh?
Labels: Egypt, Gaza, Gaza Airport, Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, Palestinian Authority, Saeb Erekat, weapons acquisition
Miklaszewski: There was no end-around
On Morning Joe in the US this morning, NBC's Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski questioned the part of
this morning's Wall Street Journal story that had Israel doing an end-around around the Obama administration in order to acquire weapons without approval
Let's go to the videotape (Hat Tip:
Yid with Lid).
So Obama just decided to block the transfer? I'm shocked. Just shocked.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, weapons acquisition
'Most pro-Israel administration ever' blocks missile shipment to Israel
In yet another sign of the cool relations between the Obama administration and the State of Israel, the Obama administration has blocked a shipment of hellfire missiles to the Jewish state and has ordered that
future requests be approved by the administration and not just by the military.
White House and State Department officials who were leading U.S. efforts to rein in Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip were caught off guard last month when they learned that the Israeli military had been quietly securing supplies of ammunition from the Pentagon without their approval.
Since then the Obama administration has tightened its control on arms transfers to Israel. But Israeli and U.S. officials say that the adroit bureaucratic maneuvering made it plain how little influence the White House and State Department have with the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu —and that both sides know it.
The munitions surprise and previously unreported U.S. response added to a string of slights and arguments that have bubbled behind the scenes during the Gaza conflict, according to events related by senior American, Palestinian and Israeli officials involved.
In addition, current and former American officials say, U.S.-Israel ties have been hurt by leaks that they believe were meant to undercut the administration's standing by mischaracterizing its position and delay a cease-fire. The battles have driven U.S.-Israeli relations to the lowest point since President Barack Obama took office.
Now, as Egyptian officials shuttle between representatives of Israel and Hamas seeking a long-term deal to end the fighting, U.S. officials are bystanders instead of in their historic role as mediators. The White House finds itself largely on the outside looking in.
U.S. officials said Mr. Obama had a particularly combative phone call on Wednesday with Mr. Netanyahu, who they say has pushed the administration aside but wants it to provide Israel with security assurances in exchange for signing onto a long-term deal.
As a 72-hour pause in the fighting expired at midnight Wednesday, a senior Hamas official said negotiators agreed to another cease-fire, this one of five days. There was no immediate confirmation from Israel or Egypt.
Well, there was another five-day cease fire, but
Hamas has already breached it.
Hamas already breached
the last 72-hour ceasefire three hours ahead of its conclusion
Wednesday at midnight; on Thursday morning it proved that it does not
intend to honor the newly achieved five-day ceasefire either.
Rocket warning sirens were sounded around 10 a.m. on Thursday in the Eshkol Regional Council and Hof Ashkelon region.
Shortly afterwards reports came in that a rocket fell in open ground
in the Hof Ashkelon region, apparently causing no injuries or damage.
The attack comes after Hamas fired at least one rocket at the Hof Ashkelon region on Wednesday night around 9 p.m., where it hit open ground.
The terrorist organization then continued firing into the night even after the ceasefire extension was announced, with the Iron
Dome anti-missile system intercepting one rocket over the city of
Netivot. Two other rockets exploded in the Sdot Negev region.
Is anyone really surprised that Israel doesn't trust Obama? This is from the first link again.
Today, many administration officials say the Gaza conflict—the third between Israel and Hamas in under six years—has persuaded them that Mr. Netanyahu and his national security team are both reckless and untrustworthy.
Israeli officials, in turn, describe the Obama administration as weak and naive, and are doing as much as they can to bypass the White House in favor of allies in Congress and elsewhere in the administration.
While Israeli officials have privately told their U.S. counterparts the poor state of relations isn't in Israel's interest long term, they also said they believed Mr. Netanyahu wasn't too worried about the tensions. The reason is that he can rely on the firmness of Israeli support in Congress, even if he doesn't have the White House's full approval for his policies. The prime minister thinks he can simply wait out the current administration, they say.
Yeah, 'attacking' Hamas after thousands of rockets is 'reckless and untrustworthy.' I would say that the one who is 'reckless and untrustworthy' is Obama. Is he behaving like an ally?
Of course, the official Israeli response (as opposed to the 'privately' one) is a lot tamer.
"The allegations are unfounded," said Israel's ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer. "Israel deeply appreciates the support we have received during the recent conflict in Gaza from both the Obama administration and the Congress for Israel's right to defend itself and for increased funding of Iron Dome."
Blah, blah, blah. Obama is clearly ticked off. It's hard to run a war from a golf course.
A senior Obama administration official said the White House didn't intend to get into a "tit for tat" with the Israelis when the war broke out in Gaza. "We have many, many friends around the world. The United States is their strongest friend," the official said. "The notion that they are playing the United States, or that they're manipulating us publicly, completely miscalculates their place in the world."
American officials say they believe they have been able to exert at least some influence over Mr. Netanyahu during the Gaza conflict. But they admit their influence has been weakened as he has used his sway in Washington, from the Pentagon and Congress to lobby groups, to defuse U.S. diplomatic pressure on his government over the past month.
And for the record, Israel did nothing wrong! It's Obama who's changing the rules in the middle of the game.
On July 20, Israel's defense ministry asked the U.S. military for a range of munitions, including 120-mm mortar shells and 40-mm illuminating rounds, which were already kept stored at a pre-positioned weapons stockpile in Israel.
The request was approved through military channels three days later but not made public. Under the terms of the deal, the Israelis used U.S. financing to pay for $3 million in tank rounds. No presidential approval or signoff by the secretary of state was required or sought, according to officials.
...
A U.S. defense official said the standard review process was properly followed.
"There was no intent to blindside anyone. The process for this transfer was followed precisely along the lines that it should have," another U.S. defense official said.
Then the officials learned that, in addition to asking for tank shells and other munitions, Israel had submitted a request through military-to-military channels for a large number of Hellfire missiles, according to Israeli and American officials.
The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, or DSCA, was about to release an initial batch of the Hellfires, according to Israeli and congressional officials. It was immediately put on hold by the Pentagon, and top officials at the White House instructed the DSCA, the U.S. military's European Command and other agencies to consult with policy makers at the White House and the State Department before approving any additional requests.
A senior Obama administration official said the weapons transfers shouldn't have been a routine "check-the-box approval" process, given the context. The official said the decision to scrutinize future transfers at the highest levels amounted to "the United States saying 'The buck stops here. Wait a second… It's not OK anymore.' "
White House and State Department officials were worried about public reaction.
The Palestinians, in particular, were angry, according to U.S. diplomats.
"The U.S. is a partner in this crime," Jibril Rajoub, a leader in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Western-backed Fatah party, said of the decision to provide arms to Israel during the conflict.
Even as tensions with the White House and the State Department were spilling over, Israeli officials worked to expedite the Iron Dome money on Capitol Hill.
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said Israeli officials told lawmakers the money was urgently needed because they were running out of interceptors and couldn't hold out for a month or more.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said Congress's goal in approving the money quickly on Aug. 1 was to send a message to the administration to stop calling Israel out about civilian casualties.
A senior Republican congressional aide said Israeli officials told senators they wanted the money sooner rather than later. He said Israel's main purpose in accelerating the vote in Congress to before legislators' August recess was to provide an overwhelming "show of support" for the military operation.
The last straw for many U.S. diplomats came on Aug. 2 when they say Israeli officials leaked to the media that Mr. Netanyahu had told the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, that the Obama administration was "not to ever second-guess me again" about how to deal with Hamas.
The White House and State Department have sought to regain greater control over U.S.-Israeli policy. They decided to require White House and State Department approval for even routine munitions requests by Israel, officials say.
Instead of being handled as a military-to-military matter, each case is now subject to review—slowing the approval process and signaling to Israel that military assistance once taken for granted is now under closer scrutiny.
A senior U.S. official said the U.S. and Israel clashed mainly because the U.S. wanted a cease-fire before Mr. Netanyahu was ready to accept one. "Now we both want one," one of the officials said.
A top Israeli official said the rift runs deeper than that. "We've been there before with a lot of tension with us and Washington. What we have now, on top of that, is mistrust and a collision of different perspectives on the Middle East," the official said. "It's become very personal."
We have to become more reliant on our defense and weapons capabilities and less on the United States, at least so long as this administration is in power. 'Most pro-Israel administration evah'? You got to be kidding.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Dan Shapiro, Egypt, Gaza, Hamas, Hellfire missiles, John Kerry, Michael Oren, Operation Protective Edge, Qatar, Ron Dermer, Turkey, weapons acquisition
Hamas' biggest financier is a US ally
Here's Jonathan Schanzer discussing Qatar's financing of Hamas.
Let's go to the videotape.
US officials have made it clear that they consider Hamas a terrorist organization? In what way? Does the Obama administration really consider Hamas a terrorist organization? If yes, why are they still trying to prod Israel into negotiating with the 'Palestinian' unity government?
Labels: financing terror, Hamas, Qatar, US foreign policy, weapons acquisition
Hamas negotiating 'secret' arms deal with North Korea, US to provide funding?
Hamas is in the process of negotiating an
arms deal with North Korea which will provide lots of cupcakes for Kim Jong-Um (Hat Tip:
Memeorandum).
Security officials say the deal between Hamas and North Korea is worth
hundreds of thousands of dollars and is being handled by a Lebanese-based
trading company with close ties to the militant Palestinian organisation
based in east Beirut.
Hamas officials are believed to have already made an initial cash down payment
to secure the deal, and are now hoping that North Korea will soon begin
shipping extra supplies of weapons to Gaza.
“Hamas is looking for ways to replenish its stocks of missiles because of the
large numbers it has fired at Israel in recent weeks,” explained a security
official. “North Korea is an obvious place to seek supplies because
Pyongyang already has close ties with a number of militant Islamist groups
in the Middle East.”
Using intermediaries based in Lebanon, Hamas officials are said to be
intensifying their efforts to sign a new agreement with Pyongyang to provide
hundreds of missiles together with communications equipment that will
improve the ability of Hamas fighters to coordinate operations against
Israeli forces.
...
Israeli military commanders supervising operations against Gaza believe North
Korean experts have given Hamas advice on building the extensive network of
tunnels in Gaza that has enabled fighters to move weapons without detection
by Israeli drones, which maintain a constant monitoring operation over Gaza.
The North Koreans have one of the world’s most sophisticated network of
tunnels running beneath the demilitarised zone with South Korea, and Israeli
commanders believe Hamas has used this expertise to improve their own tunnel
network.
The Hamas arsenal has become increasing sophisticated with foreign assistance
and now boasts five variants of rockets and missiles. Its basic weapon is
the Iranian-designed Qassam rocket with a range of less than ten miles but
it also has a large stockpile of the 122mm Katyushas which boast a range of
up to 30 miles.
The introduction of the M-75 and Syrian-made M0302 missiles means Hamas boast
offensive weapons with a longer range of up to 100 miles and a much greater
explosive impact.
In other news, US Secretary of State John FN Kerry announced on Monday that the United States will
provide $47 million in aid to Hamas to rebuild
the Gaza Strip its rocket and tunneling supplies.
Do you think there's a connection?
Labels: Gaza, Hamas, Hamas rockets, IDF, John Kerry, North Korea, Operation Protective Edge, terror tunnels, weapons acquisition
If they knew it was there, why did they wait so long?
The picture above is one of many of weapons seized by the IDF from 'Palestinians' in Judea and Samaria. After having looked through
the pictures, I cannot help but wonder why the government waited so long to send the IDF in.
Labels: IDF, Judea and Samaria, Palestinian terrorism, weapons acquisition
'Home decoration,' 'Palestinian' style
Two 'Palestinians' in the Samaria village of A-Taibe has some very interesting '
home decorations.' One of them is pictured above.
After searching for a few hours through several houses in A-Taibe,
just north of the Jewish community Moledet, to the east of Afula, police
forces reached the house. One of the border police picked up a closed bag placed on top of a tall closet.
Inside were 2 Carl Gustav recoilless rifles, ammunition magazines,
dozens of 9 millimeter bullets, and dozens of 5.56 millimeter bullets.
"The rifles are a decoration for the house," said the suspect when
questioned by police over the presence of lethal weapons in his house.
Canine units from the Northern Command border police took part in the
weapons bust. Minutes after the bag was found, one of the dogs pointed
towards a garbage pile placed in another house.
There police found sacks filled with 7.62 millimeter bullets. Both
suspects, one 25 and the other 31, were arrested on the spot, and taken
for investigation to the police station in Ariel.
'Home decorations'.... Right....
Labels: Palestinian terrorists, weapons acquisition
Picture of weapons cache from 'Palestinian embassy' in the Czech Republic
Whom were they
planning to kill?
Labels: Czech Republic, Palestinian ambassadors, Palestinian Authority, weapons acquisition
Turkey's little Nazi: 'We hate Syria but we hate Israel even more'
Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has
denied allegations that Turkey gave Israel intelligence information that was used in an October 31 attack on a Syrian weapons shipment to Hezbullah.
“There is an attempt to give the impression that Turkey has coordinated
with Israel. We have issues with Syria, an issue based on a principle.
But let me say it clearly: The Turkish government has never cooperated
with Israel
against any Muslim country, and it never will,” Davutoğlu told reporters
during a joint press conference in Istanbul Nov. 1 with his visiting
Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Several reports said, citing unnamed U.S. officials, that Israel
targeted a missile storage center with Russian-made SA-125 missiles,
likely to be supplied to Hezbollah, the Shiite Lebanese militant group.
Reports
relayed by Israeli media claimed that Turkey was behind the attack in
Latakia by disclosing critical information to Israel.
Davutoğlu
slammed the reports, describing them as “black propaganda.” “Those
[reports] are attempts to cast a shadow on the Syrian people’s rightful
struggle and Turkey’s attitude with principles. It is out of the
question for us to participate in any common operation,” he said.
Davutoğlu
also added that Turkey would stand against such Israeli operation, but
emphasized that the information on the strikes was not confirmed yet.
Of course, none of this would have come to light if Israel's enemies in Washington had kept their mouths shut.
Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, Barack Hussein Obama, Hezbullah weapons, Syria, Turkish anti-Semitism, Turkish obsession with Israel, weapons acquisition
Israel: US causing us damage
This is Friday's front page of Yedioth Aharonoth, Israel's largest paid daily newspaper:
Translation: "Israel: United States is causing us damage." (Thanks to
Oren Kessler for posting. Saw this in a taxi this morning and have been looking to post it ever since).
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Hezbullah, Hezbullah weapons, IAF, strategic weapons, surface-to-air missiles, Syria, weapons acquisition
Video: Israel Radio anchor slams US for disclosing Israeli strike on Syria
There's a lot of anger at the United States in Israel this morning, because the Obama administration has once again
told the world that Israel is responsible for a strike on Syrian weapons being transferred to Hezbullah. This is Israel Radio's Aryeh Golan, the anchor of the drive time news hour. The tape is in Hebrew but there's an English translation.
Let's go to the videotape.
Barack Hussein Obama is Israel's enemy. There is no more pretense. That's the explanation for why his administration is doing this. If only the Israeli government (which pays Golan's salary) would admit it....
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Hezbullah, Hezbullah weapons, IAF, Israel Radio, strategic weapons, surface-to-air missiles, Syria, weapons acquisition
And again: Obama administration confirms Israeli attack on Syrian arms supply
This
isn't the first time that American officials have confirmed an Israeli strike on Syrian arms supplies to Hezbullah
in the face of Israeli silence, and if the previous time is any indication, Israeli officials are going to be
awfully ticked off about it.
This is from the second link.
Israel conducted air raids against a Syrian missile base near the port
city of Latakia on Thursday night according to a leak by an anonymous US
administration official, speaking to CNN.
The US official said
that Israel targeted missiles and related equipment out of fear that
they would be transferred to Hezbollah.
It is unclear why the US would leak such information as it could put more pressure on Syria to retaliate against Israel.
It's unclear? It's awfully clear to me: Obama is our enemy!
Meanwhile,
al-Arabiya is reporting
details of the attack.
The bombing targeted a shipment of surface-to-air missiles (SAM) that was headed for Hezbollah in Lebanon, the sources said.
The
Associated Press quoted U.S. officials confirming that Israel was
behind the attacks, which they said targeted Russian missiles, without
giving further details.
And you think Israel is going to give Obama
advance notice before attacking Iran's nuclear weapons? Have you gone mad?
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Hezbullah, Hezbullah weapons, IAF, strategic weapons, surface-to-air missiles, Syria, weapons acquisition
Peres plans to live forever, agrees with arming al-Qaeda backed rebels
Israel's 90-year old President, Shimon Peres, remains convinced that there will be 'peace' with the 'Palestinians' in his lifetime. I would bet that there are very few Israelis who agree with that statement....
Let's go to the videotape.
Peres also agrees with President Obama's decision to
arm the al-Qaeda backed rebels in Syria.
Many Israeli politicians have cautioned against giving weapons to the
increasingly radicalized rebel fighters, fearful that the arms would
sooner or later used against Israel, which shares a tense frontier with
its old foe Syria.
But asked if the US decision was wise, Peres said "Yes."
"They
didn't have a choice," he added, sitting in the sun-soaked garden of
his tranquil Jerusalem residence and speaking in quiet, measured tones.
"Unfortunately
it is becoming more of a confrontation between two superpowers and
(there is) a growing intervention of outside forces ... It is a
tragedy," he said.
While Russia, Iran and Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah have thrown their weight behind Assad,
radicalized Islamist groups allied to al Qaeda have increasingly taken
over the rebel cause, marginalizing more moderate forces backed by
Washington.
Peres said all the world's "unemployed terrorists" were heading to the region, bringing ruin in their wake.
"They
are killing Lebanon, they are killing Syria, they are killing Iraq.
Wherever they are around, they are endangering the Arab identities,
their nationalities."
Hey Shimon - they're killing Lebanon, they're killing Syria and they're killing Iraq, so Israel's number one ally should give them weapons so that they can kill Israel when they're done? Why?
Labels: al-Qaeda, Barack Hussein Obama, Bashar al-Assad, Free Syrian Army, Muslim Brotherhood, Nusra Front, Shimon Peres, Syria, Syrian uprising, weapons acquisition
If you believe this one....
The Assad regime and Iran must be getting desperate to associate the Sunni side of the Muslim war in Syria with Israel.
Iran's FARS News is reporting that
Israel and Qatar are cooperating to provide weapons to the Syrian rebels. Fat chance.
Security sources in the Qatari government disclosed that Israel has sent its Coordinator on Syrian Affairs Afif Shavit to a meeting with Qatari officials in London late in May to discuss supply of more arms to the rebel groups fighting the Syrian government.
"The 4-hour meeting was held in a house in Braum House in London
belonging to Khalid a-Abeed, a Qatari citizen residing in Britain, on
May 20," the source, who asked to remain anonymous due to the
sensitivity of his information and for fear of his life, told FNA.
"During the meeting, It was decided that Israel prepare and supply
the weapons needed by the terrorists in Syria and enter negotiations
with European arms manufacturing companies on arms purchases and money
transfer methods, and the Qatari side cover the funds and needed budget
for purchases," added the source.
The meeting was held at a time when the EU decided to lift the arms
embargo on foreign-backed militants in Syria. British Foreign Secretary
William Hague said on May 28 that European Union foreign ministers
meeting in Brussels have reached an agreement to lift the arms embargo
on militants in Syria, while maintaining other sanctions on the country.
The EU also decided to allow the European banks to open branches and
accounts in Syria for use by the opposition.
It also coincided with US Republican Senator John McCain's surprise
visit to Syria in late May during which he urged the administration of
President Barack Obama to send heavy arms and logistic aid to Syrian
rebels.
On the other side, the Qatari government plays the role of a
facilitator and the financial supporter of the rebel and terrorist
groups in Syria. The British newspaper Financial Times published an
investigation in May which revealed that Qatar spent billions of dollars
in the past two years to fund the Syrian terrorist and rebel groups.
Qatar is in fact the largest donor to the Syrian rebels. But working with Israel? Not a chance.
Labels: Bashar al-Assad, Free Syrian Army, Iran, Nusra Front, Qatar, Syrian uprising, weapons acquisition
Abu Mazen: 'Give us guns and we'll talk'
'
Moderate' '
Palestinian' President
Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen told French President Francois Hollande on Friday that the 'Palestinians' are willing to 'negotiate' with Israel, provided that Israel first
gives guns to the 'Palestinian Authority' and releases from prison the terrorists who know how to use them (Translation via
IMRA).
President Mahmoud Abbas said that "if Israel
agreed to release prisoners, and allowed us to import weapons to the police,
we can sit down with Mr. Netanyahu."
The President said in a joint press conference with his French counterpart
Friday that he briefed the French President on contacts with the Israeli
government, and where things have come, noting that "it is known to everyone
that our first choice is negotiations, so we focus on the negotiations
between us and the Israelis...The issue of prisoners is very sensitive,
before more than a month there were hundreds or even thousands of prisoners
on hunger strike and their lives are all at risk and now we have some of the
prisoners on hunger strike like Mahmoud Sarsak a football player who is
hunger strike for 86 days, as well as Akram Alrichawi on hunger strike for
58 days."
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the 'Palestinians' to be provided with guns.
Unless, of course, the Supreme Court tells Netanyahu otherwise....
Labels: Abu Mazen, Palestinian prisoners, Palestinian terrorists, weapons acquisition
