Truth be told, I had expected Prime Minister Netanyahu to focus on Iran in
his AIPAC talk yesterday. I had been planning to use his speech as a
kick-off point for a discussion about Iran. Instead, yesterday, I went in
various other directions. And today, there is a different, decidedly more
ominous kick-off point for focus on Iran.
I am going to make this brief because, not knowing how broadly this
information will be broadcast outside of Israel, I want this out:
The information has surfaced that early this morning Israeli naval
commandos from the elite unit Shayetet 13 seized a ship in the Red Sea that was
carrying dozens of advanced Iranian rockets intended for delivery to terrorists
in Gaza.
The cargo ship, the Klos C, was sailing under a Panamanian flag. Its
17-man crew did not resist when their ship – which is now being brought to Eilat
– was boarded in international waters. The crew was comprised of several
nationalities (none Iranian) who were apparently oblivious to the nature of the
cargo the ship was carrying.
According to Israeli military spokesman Lt.-Col. Peter Lerner, dozens of
M302 rockets – hidden behind bags of cement that were labeled in English “Made
in Iran” - were found on-board. They would have had the capacity to strike
deep into Israel.
Credit: IDF
The blood runs cold when one considers what might have happened, had the
ship not have been intercepted. All credit is due the IDF, which carried out
what Lerner referred to as a “complex, covert operation.” It met with success
because of a “combination of in-depth intelligence
and enhanced operational capabilities.”
IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz, who
supervised the operation, gave the order to Major General Ram Rothberg, head of
the Israeli navy, to seize the ship.
~~~~~~~~~~
If the IDF tracking of the weapon cache was “complex,” it is because the
route of the rockets covered a great deal of ground: The rockets were flown from Syria - where they had
been assembled according to Iranian technology - to Iran, where they were loaded
on the ship. From there they were went first to Iraq (why, is not clear) and
when intercepted were headed towards Sudan, which was still 1,500 miles
away. It is anticipated that, had they reached Sudan, the rockets would
have been smuggled overland through Egypt to Gaza. This route from Sudan
to Gaza is hardly a new one.
Brigadier General Moti Almoz, spokesman for the Israeli
Navy,made it clear at a special press conference today: “Iran was behind the
shipment.”
~~~~~~~~~~Netanyahu, who is currently in LA, made a brief, clear statement following the release of this information (emphasis added):
“As it conducts talks with
[world] powers, as Iran smiles and utters pleasantries, the same Iran is
sending lethal weapons to terror organizations…via an intricate network of
clandestine global operations…in order to hurt innocent
civilians.”
“This is the real
Iran and this country must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. We
will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect Israeli
citizens.”
Take the time to see this brief video of Netanyahu in a
similar expression of concern: it is in his tone of voice that the seriousness
and import of the issue is conveyed;
~~~~~~~~~~
I will return in another posting with more on Iran,
including information on how Obama and other heads of state who are
“negotiating” with Iran respond to this. I want to see how they reconcile
this with their image of a new, more “moderate” Iran.
~~~~~~~~~~
© Arlene Kushner.
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