T. Belman. We all know how dependant Israel is on the US veto in the UNSC. But even more important is Israel’s reliance on US resupply in the event of a protracted war. The year-long Ukraine War show’s how important resupply is. Israel has no one else to turn to for resupply unless a deal has been made with India for resupply of some things.
Herzi Halevi says it’s good to have the US ‘by our side’ but that Israel knows how to act alone; army spokesman quickly clarifies, ‘there’s no substitute’ for friendship with US
5 April 2023, 7:49 pm
This handout photo from March 3, 2023, shows IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, left, meeting with visiting Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Israel Defense Forces)
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said Wednesday that while security cooperation with the US is beneficial, it is not “essential” and Israel knows how to act on its own.
“Israel knows how to work alone in the face of any security challenge, but it is good to see the US by our side,” Halevi told Army Radio in a relatively rare interview.
“We know how to act alone, we are a sovereign country that reserves the right to make our own decisions and to act. It is good for the US to be by our side, but it is not essential,” he said.
Halevi also highlighted that security cooperation with the US has further increased in recent years, with the countries participating in joint planning and exercises.
But the chief of staff’s remarks ostensibly had the IDF worried that they might be seen as a slight at the US, leading IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari to clarify the comments later Wednesday.
“The importance of the strategic alliance between the US and Israel is demonstrated in the close cooperation and coordination between CENTCOM and the IDF,” Hagari tweeted, referring to the US military’s Central Command, of which Israel is a part. “There is no substitute for true friendships and special relationships, especially in our region and at this time. Happy Holidays to our friends at CENTCOM.”
The remarks came a day after Halevi spoke on the phone with CENTCOM chief Michael Kurilla, with the two wishing each other a happy Passover and Easter and expressing their mutual desire to continue bilateral military cooperation in order to maintain regional stability and security, the IDF said in a statement.
FASF Rafale fighter jets fly alongside an IAF F-16i aircraft over Israel during a drill, December 6, 2022. (Israel Defense Forces)
Also during Halevi’s Wednesday interview, the IDF chief discussed the Iran nuclear threat, saying Israel is “ready for action in Iran today. The IDF knows how to act [in places] far away and we also know how to act [against threats] at home.”
“In the coming years, the IDF will greatly strengthen its capabilities against Iran, despite the distance. Our response will be overwhelming,” he said.
On tensions with the Palestinians, Halevi noted that the first two weeks of Ramadan went by relatively calmly. “That changed last night,” he acknowledged, pointing to clashes between police and Muslim worshipers at the Temple Mount, subsequent rocket fire from Gaza and additional clashes in the West Bank.
“The IDF has hit back at the terror organizations. We make sure to respond with a meaningful, appropriate response,” Halevi said.
However, the IDF chief said that what has been more disturbing to him as of late has been societal divisions and their penetration into the army, an apparent reference to protests against the government’s judicial overhaul effort, which included hundreds of reservists threatening to refuse to report for duty if the proposals went through.
IDF reservists and activists protest against the government’s judicial overhaul, outside the Prime Ministers Office in Jerusalem, March 2, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
The fear led Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to call for the government to halt its overhaul effort due to the security consequences. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had decided to fire Gallant, then agreed to pause the legislation amid massive public protest. Netanyahu later said Gallant’s dismissal had been put on hold due to the security situation.
Halevi cautioned reservists against taking such extreme measures as not showing up in protest of the judicial legislation.
“We want [reservists] to report for duty without reservation and without conditions to any task they are called upon,” he said. “Most of the soldiers who train for war are reservists, and we need them fit and ready.”
“We want the reservists [with us]. They are wonderful and come to fulfill a duty that is also a right,” Halevi said, carefully striking a more balanced message that avoided criticism of those who have been protesting.
The IDF chief reportedly believes that coming down too hard on the anti-overhaul protesters could lead to the phenomenon expanding further. The vast majority have agreed to temporarily withdraw their threats not to serve after Netanyahu announced last week that he was pausing the overhaul effort to give a chance for negotiations with the opposition aimed at a compromise on judicial reform.
@Edgar You are misreading and getting everything mixed up.
https://warisboring.com/french-mirage-fighters-turned-israel-into-a-major-air-power/
Seb=
You said “France in the 1950s (can be 1950-1959) mostly until 1973”
Is that a secret code for saying “I never said France was helping Israel
etc…………” Warplanes are most generally made to last in normal use for about 20 years or so. It takes 7=8 years to draw plans for new mo dels and often they just improve the old blueprints with more modern technology. Look at how Israel remodeled the old British Centurion tank for desert warfare with a new turret etc, and used it for many years. These tanks appeared first in 1945 and Israel used them until 1982.
Stop prevaricating, you said it, or at least wrote it. It’s just a couple of posts below. And you have the utter chutzpah to question my “reading comprehension” . I suppose your best defence is “attack”.
And to demolish another of your “excuses” the 1956 planes were NOT French. The F4 Phantom and Skyhawk were AMERICAN…..!! The French Mirage 3 first test flight was 1960 and Israel got a few in about 1965-66. used them in1967 and 73. But the vast majority were American and a few Israeli built Mirage imitations called Nesher.
Perhaps YOUR reading comprehension is hampered by too many quavers. Dots before your eyes.
When I said I was disappointed in you, I didn’t think you’d go to these lengths to extricate yourself……I know better now.
I need say no about this travesty.
@Ed I never said France was helping Israel until 1973. I said 1956. Obviously. That’s why they were old planes.What’s wrong with your reading comprehension. You don’t get to misquote me and walk away. having the last word. Doesn’t work that way. Not up to you.
pdale5
If you don’t know the advantages that the US gains from close association with Israel, there’s no point in talking further. They are well known and have been well discussed in the past.
Think back on what you’ve read about Israel’s benefits to the US.
SEB
Yes I know about the old planes but they’d had them already for some years, so you can’t say that France was helping Israel until 73. The planes used were Skyhawks and F 4 Phantoms, from 1956 and 60 respectively. They had a handful of Mirage 3s which were more up to date. Don’t know how they got them…Likely from a 3rd party.
.
Yes it is redundant, let’s stop talking about it.
Edgar G.
You say that there is a special interest for the US in Israel and that there are advantages to this interest. What, specifically, are those advantages for the U.S?
What I have said is not blowing off steam. I am quite serious in what I say. Why, specifically, is it of paramount importance that Israel be on as good terms with the US as possible? And what, specifically does that mean for Israel… allowing a foreign country to dictate which politicians can and should hold office? Allowing a foreign country to interfere in the conduct of elections? Allowing a foreign country to support mass opposition to the legitimately elected government’s policy by financing them? Tolerating intrusions by the US ambassador into Israeli internal affairs?
I wouldn’t describe this as subservient; I would call it a satrap.
As for size: bacteria and viruses are extremely small and yet they can do, and do do,a great deal of damage; they also kill.
As for Obama not going too far: his administration sent military equipment to Israel without all the parts so that the equipment was useless; his administration abstained from supporting Israel in the Security Council and his administration relayed any military intelligence received from the Israelis to Iran. I’d say that, short of all out war or the breaking of diplomatic relations, this was going more than way too far. And at the same time, Bibi”s courting of the American public and direct address to the US House of Representatives had no influence on American policy at all.
@Mr. Ed That was later. Israel was using mostly outdated French planes in 67 and 73 and illegally purchased and smuggled American planes in 48. I don’t think you read my earlier comments or looked at the links. This is redundant.
pdale5
Yes nations have interests, and a special, interest of the US is Israel. The advantages of the close Israeli relationship are far too great for them to regard us as just another country to “kick around”. Israel is subservient, of course because we must., …but not in everything.
It’s of paramount importance that, regardless of our blowing steam, we keep on as good terms as possible with the US.
I have to repeat that Israel is such a tiny country, with a tiny but advanced army, it could be overwhelmed by any number of enemies that abound, except for the US ‘special Interest”.
Obama was a Muslim Jew hater and our PM negotiated the rocky relationship by concentrating on the US public whilst keeping a wary eye on Obama. Obama, because of that “special relationship”, established long before he was President, also had to watch his step that he didn’t go too far.
Deb.
You are including the De Gaulle regime and he was NO lover of Israel.. He was more involved with Algeria and keeping France out of controversial Issues and also dealing about NATO. He became very anti UK as I recall, something to do with the EU. A type of megalomania.
Israel also got early help from the Czechs by permission of the Soviets.
And don’t forget the “Davidka”………
Regardless, France was a toothless tiger compared to the US. All roar and no bite. It was a second rate Power and has been since the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.
\
Pompidou was a bit better but still……
Deb.
You are including the De Gaulle regime and he was NO lover of Israel.. He was more involved with Algeria and keeping France out of controversial Issues and also dealing about NATO. He became very anti UK as I recall, something to do with the EU. A type of megalomania.
Regardless, France was a toothless tiger compared to the US. All roar and no bite. It was a second rate Power. Pompidou was a bit better but still
@Edgar France in the 1950s mostly until 1973.
Ed Wow, it automatically deleted my reply. Israel purchased everything from a variety of countries. The only aid came from – mostly American – Jews. Eisenhower tried to criminalize it at home and abroad over Sinai but House speaker LBJ blocked him and negotiated a compromise: Israel would withdraw and UN peace keeping troops would go in. Lasted 11 years.
https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/front-page/who-was-the-first-genuinely-pro-israel-u-s-president/2017/08/30/
The U.S. didn’t come in to the picture until after the Six Day War.
“The US alliance didn’t make Israel strong but was because it already was.” Yoram Ettinger on the Turning points in the late 60s and early 70s.
https://youtu.be/MJ9nS6GBsEU
Ed Purchased it from a variety of countries. The only aid, apart from loans, came from voluntary contributions from American Jews, mostly.
The most devastating threat of sanctions Israel ever faced came from Eisenhower who wanted to criminalize voluntary contributions to Israel, domestically, and in the security council over Sinai. House Speaker, LBJ, blocked him and negotiated a compromise: Israel would withdraw and be replaced by UN peace keeping troops.
TED-
The US doesn’t love the “Palestinians” in any way shape or form.
Yet, however much the strong Arab Nations disregard the YESHA Arabs, and they do, the Saudi,s who were getting very close to us, won’t make full peace until a 2SS is established.
And our latest firm bosom buddies, rhe UAE, are downgrading their close Israel relationship because of the scuffling and arrests at El Aksa
When the chips are down they stick together and in now way do they “love ” Israel., whose only real supporter with teeth is the USA..
I’m just now editing afer just now reading Sebs and pdale’s comments above.
Everything mentioned in THIS comment is an answer to all the objections mentioned. {except when Israel got the old US planes etc}
Just think about it please. .
SEB-
Israel’s winning 5 wars with “no” assistance is wonderful, until ther are considered objectively.
Where did they get the materiel with which they conquered??. What quality (particularly this enem, was overcome??}. From whom were they resupplied.
Your assertion has large holes ,countering “unassisted”. Just no foreign boots on the ground…
The wonderful part was that a tiny Nation overcame a large group of vicious enemies with homegrown elan, strategies and tactics..
https://www.israpundit.org/will-the-us-attack-iran/
@Ted No link. The highlighted text is black not red. When I clicked it, it turned red briefly but didn’t go anywhere.
@Seb
I gave you the link in my comment.
@ Ted Couldn’t find it. Please post link. But, even without that I am sure the U.S. will attack Iran after negotiations led by Wendy Sherman have failed just like it attacked North Korea after negotiations led by Wendy Sherman failed. She claimed they were a success. Seems to have been a dry run for the Iran Deal later on. “Peace in our time.” Across the administrations, the same names keep popping up, such as Victoria Nuland, Wendy Sherman, Leon Panetta. Can you think of some others? Just like the old saying goes, “One good foreign policy disaster deserves another.” We need term limits for these Deep State hooligans since, at least at the highest levels, there is no such thing as performance review and evaluation. Oh, wait, that won’t work because they keep shuffling titles and departments. I guess we’re just screwed unless Trump gets a chance to work his magic, again.
Edgar G: nations have interests, so what? So everything. Fully appreciating what ‘nations have interests’ means is simply to avoid the wishful thinking that there is a ‘special relationship’ with the U.S. Other nations have this illusion as well: Britain and Canada come to mind. There are no ‘special’ relationships, as one of Obama’s advisors stated.
If there were one of these relationships, the U.S. could bring the Iranians and the Jordanian occupiers of Israeli lands to heel by shutting off the money supply not only from the government entities, but also from the NGO’s, especially those funded by George Soros. It has not done so and will not do so because doing this is not in its interest.
As for your point about weakening Israel but not destroying it, this is a description of a cat playing with a mouse. My point is that the sooner the mouse roars, the better for the mouse. The only way to get respect from the administration is to haul off and kick it, as for example the Saudis have done. Nothing less than that will bring respect. Israel has no need for continuing as a satrap and as the playground for the American ego.
@SEB
EXCELLENT.
I found the article by Francisco Gil White in which he argues that the US will never attack Iran.
@Ed Who has won more wars in the last 75 years? Even without all the little engagements that followed, Israel won 5 wars with no assistance, (apart from Czechoslovakia allowing Israeli pilots and plane smugglers use of land for a base in 1948 and 1973, when Nixon authorized an emergency arms shipment over the objections of Kissinger and the state department who didn’t want Israel to have too much of an advantage. Kissinger wanted Israel “to be bloodied a little.” Both wanted parity, stalemate. )
Can the U.S. say as much? U.S. has lost every single war but Korea since 1948, not counting shooting fish in a barrel expeditions like Grenada and Yugoslavia.
And, unlike the U.S., Israel won with no assistance.
No allies except in Lebanon and that ally, the Christian Falangists, turned out to be a liability rather than an asset and France in ’56, who weren’t much help either, unless you count selling aircraft to Israel, and who later imposed an arms embargo on Israel in ’67.)
Plus, among other things, this partial list:i
https://theettingerreport.com/israel-from-a-strategic-liability-to-a-strategic-asset/
Who is learning more from whom, do you suppose?
What’s more, unless Trump corrects the terrible damage Biden has done to the U.S. military, will it be a good model to learn from or a disastrous one, moving forward?
Like Stalin on the eve of WWII, Biden has purged many of the best officers and promoted incompetents on ideological grounds in addition to shipping oil reserves to China, and un-replenished weapons stores to Ukraine. Like Obama on steroids.
related: Biden FAA nominee can’t answer a single technical question. Watch.
https://youtu.be/iEj2Yq0okzU
Interesting discussion. .Just a few points..
1. The US has shown from 1948 on, that it will not let Israel win. It keeps protecting the “Palestinians” even to this day. That’s what the Muslim’s want. The only time it assisted Israel was in the Yom Kippur War, thanks to Nixon as Seb mentioned.
2. Francisco Gil White wrote a major article in which he said that the US will never attack Iran. So far he has been right.
3. Regarding a UN veto, Its less important than we think. Even Obama’s no veto of Res 2334 and the end of his term wasn’t acted upon. But it was used diplomatically to make demands on Israel. The UNSC so far has only passed Chap VI resolutions which have no teeth in them.
Were they to pass a Chap VII resolution which authorizes the use of force, it could give rise to the formation of a coalition of the willing due to the fact that the UN has no army. But who would be willing to attack Israel?
ISRAEL MUST BREAK THE US STANGLEHOLD IT IS SUBJECTED TO PREVENTING A VICTORY OVER THE “PALESTINIANS”. WHAT WOULD THE US RESPONSE BE IF ISRAEL DEFEATED HAMAS CONTRARY TO US THREATS. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
SEB=
Just taking a point in your comment, about Reagan. It was pure politics for Reagan to send the 200 who were blown up.. It was barely a token splinter group and really could do nothing except hint, by their presence. The PLO was is such disarray and dire situation, that any thinking person would consider them to be a completely spent force that would dribble away into nothingness.
And, but for Peres, Rabin, Beilin Clinton & Co. That’s exactly what would have happened. Lebanon was , and I can be corrected, a majority Christian country then, with a Civil War going.
As for your claim that he was “appeasing the Muslims”,, Very likely he was, and why not ?? They had an oil grip on civilisation, as well as being about 1 1/2 billion strong, nearly 30% of the world’s population.
One more thing, The US, say what you will, is the most powerful and militarily advanced country in the world. So that Israel sends it’s promising military men over there for study and has joint exercises can only benefit Israel.
It has been a custom for hundreds of years to send ‘observers” to study the military prowess and weapons of other countries. Many of the greatest soldiers in European past history learned their “trade” in foreign armies.
Yes, Reagan made a big mistake in not going after Iran,
I think his motto was “Peace through Strength” I recall, not “Peace through War” , and to a large degree he lived up to that.
Bush was right in asking Israel not to become involved in Iraq. It was a large Muslim country and it s enough that the US was doing the dirty work, which had much support, even from other Muslim countries. If Israel had joined in much of that support might have made a turnaround. Shamir made the positively correct decision.
I recall that about 35-40 missiles were fired at Israel and around 60-70 people died, nearly all from heart attacks., or suffocating in gas masks. There were also 30 maybe 40 buildings badly damaged.
@Ted
Ever since the US refused to resupply missiles during the 2014 Gaza war, the IDF has been developing parallel redundant systems, Israeli alongside American, because the U.S. showed itself to be an unreliable ally. And I recently read that an American company closed it’s factory in Israel. What did it make? Airplane propellers. Honestly, I don’t think it’s in Israel’s best interests for the IDF to be integrated with the U.S. military. The F-35 originally had an abort switch in Washington. The U.S. will never fight for Israel, but it could sabotage her in war as she has so often done in the past. Nixon’s emergency arms shipment in ’73 is the only exception I can think of but that was just because the Soviet Union was arming Egypt. Moreover, the U.S. got access to captured Soviet weapons.
Bush jr. pressured Israel to stay out of the Iraq war even while being attacked with scud missiles.
In the article you just posted by Victor Davis Hansen, he points out that Reagan displayed weakness by not retaliating against Iran for the murder of hundreds of American marines in Lebanon who were blown up in their barracks in Lebanon, but he fails to point out that he sent them in the first place to keep the IDF from destroying the PLO in retreat which was also a display of U.S. appeasement to the Muslims.
Eisenhower threatened Israel with sanctions over Sinai, Truman imposed an arms embargo, JFK introduced sanctions in the UNSC over retaliatory military action in Syria, gave aid to Egypt, pressured Israel to reveal Nuclear program and accept Arab refugees while selling defensive only missiles to Israel. While giving the typical pro-Israel speeches. And on and on.
In my opinion, The big thing is the veto. And the big question is how can Israel make herself effectively sanction-proof no matter what she does or does not do?
And the second thing, is to demote officers who are too closely influenced by their peers in Washington to the point where we have seen it lead to insubordination. This appears to be already underway.
This pause does not appear to be more than a tactical retreat.
pDale5
So nations have interests…so what?? It’s in the US interest to strongly support Israel, and it’s in Israel’s interest to be deeply involved with the US.
The only real criticism is that far too often the dog wags the tail, showing its overbearing “muscle”, to Israel’s detriment, but never close to fatally.
Israel must show a bit more independence at certain times.
Internal affairs or instance, like today’s “Judicial Reform”. And restricting missionaries from the US loaded with US cash.
As for your comments on the UN perfidious activities, I strongly agree with ALL. However, the facts remain ;Israel is {symbiotically} tied to the US for the far distant future.
I don’t exactly with the Chief of Staff on this matter. There are of course, many localised situations where we are totally self-sufficient and don’t need US involvement. At the same time, even in these matters, materiel from the US is very likely to be used.. We DO need the US for UN support when the Security Council meets to inevitably condemn Israel.
No other nation has stepped into this permanent protection slot.
And….. Israel and the US are so locked together in R&D, as well as development partners in a myriad of items from military to protected species succor.
It’s really a Gordian Knot.
If a major conflict occurred; from whom would we be re-supplied. Israel is not capable of manufacturing and storing the amount of military equipment which would be needed.
The CoS’ remarks necessarily have to be “qualified”. And, lest we forget, even with all the “Anti-Semitic” Jews there are in the UD, there are many Jews in important and influential positions, They undoubtedly have a strong positive impact on the partnership, along with the massive Evangelical Christian support.
All wars can’t be won in “6 Days”.
Three cheers for the IDF chief. He is articulating a point of view which should predominate in Israel.
As for the friendship and special relationship that supposedly characterise the relations between the U.S. and Israel: neither exists. Nations have interests, not friends.
If the information available to Israeli officials suggests that they should attack Iran, they should do it without informing the U.S. or asking for its permission.
As for the results of this assertive attitude, would the U.S. withdraw its veto in the Security Council. It has already abstained in the December vote during the last month of the Obama presidency. Was that the end of the world? I still see a country called Israel on the map. Even with the U.S. veto, has the U.N. been less anti-semtic? What about its agencies? The U.N. and its agencies are staffed by frauds, hucksters and mountebanks. Why would Israel, or indeed any self-respecting country pay the slightest attention to the sludge that belches forth from the U.N. or any of its agencies?
As for obtaining supplies during a war: Israeli officials should cultivate close relationships with American companies who supply the parts needed and let them use their muscle in Washington to make the U.S. administration see matters as they see them. Simply put: no sales, no election money.
He is correct. Ties with the US are non-essential. It’s about time someone spoke the truth!! As for resupply, Israel should be able to do what it needs to domestically. Ties to the US are constraining to Israel and confine it from best pursuing its just interests in my considered opinion.
The IDF chief is saying one thing only to Joe Biden (as in “Let’s go Brandon”)the corrupt State Department and the woke Pentagon:
” We don’t need your permission to attack Iran and take out its nuclear weapons program. We took out Iraq’s and Syria’s nuke programs and informed you after the fact. Same thing here with Iran. You want to help us, that’s fine, but we will act on our own whenever want and wherever we want. Is that clear, Brandon?”
It’s good to hear that the commanding officer of the IDF is still awake and not woke.
Dealing with the insubordination of reservists is a tough nut to crack, but the response should match the rank. Putting a reservist soldier in prison is not the right answer if his officer is not dealt with appropriately. Pilots, who are mostly seen as demi-gods, need very special treatment.