If any leftist complains about what the settlement enterprise is costing Israelis, remind them what all the withdrawals are costing us. There is no comparison. Ted Belman.
The IDF is preparing for a “new era” on Israel’s southern border, which actually is a rewind of history back to the days before the Camp David Accords. With the rise of what appears to be a hostile regime in Egypt, the IDF will be beefing up forces all along the Sinai border, and is asking the government for NIS 15 billion ($3.8 billion) for the construction of bases, installation of security equipment, and establishment of new training areas.
Analysts said that the new situation in Egypt necessitates the opening of a “fourth front” for the IDF. For decades, security along the southern border has been more relaxed, because of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, and the IDF was able to concentrate on trouble spots like Gaza and the northern border, as well as “distance missions.” Egypt’s new President, Mohammed Morsi, who is identified with the Muslim Brotherhood, has said several times that he wishes to “reexamine” the Camp David Accords. Given his party’s open hostility to Israel and its strong support for Hamas, Israel has decided that it can no longer regard the Egyptian border as a “normal” one.
A senior IDF official told the Israeli daily Ma’ariv that while no one expects Egypt to abrogate the Camp David Accords, the new situation requires extreme caution. And thanks to three decades of American military aid and support, the Egyptian army today is extremely sophisticated, and is equipped with the latest equipment, making it, for all purposes, a Western-type army, the official said. Egypt also has the largest army in Africa; it has about 470,000 regular troops and some 480,000 reserve troops. The IDF, by way of comparison, has 180,000 active duty soldiers, and about 560,000 reserve troops.
The IDF will ask for the NIS 15 billion increase to be funded over a five year period. Without this money, officials said, it will be impossible to upgrade the IDF’s souther flank, making the country dependent on the graces of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. In a statement, an IDF official would not comment directly on the funding issue, saying that “as a matter of course the IDF is studying the changes in the region, and specifically in Egypt.”
Perhaps the cost of being prepared for war is more expensive than being at war and annexation. Being prepared does not allow the use of enemy assets or resources and the enemy is allowed stability. The real question is the will to deal with how to repudiate the geneva conventions regarding population transfer and asset/resource seizure. It is my understanding that a law or agreement not applied, or waived, sets precedents: e.g. transfer of Jews from arab lands after geneva conventions went unadressed. Israel might be in a much better position if it retook the Sinai, Suez canal and gaza. Saudi oilfields are then closer and waterways to west controlled. It would be politically difficult for a US president to continue supplying Egypt arms in a conflict with Israel. If Israel states new principles now, prior to violations by enemies, that agreement violations will render prior agreements null and void and that future conflict will result in permanent annexation and transfer. The prime problem internationally is not “moral” but one of power. International morality accommodates to power and money and then “morals” become fluid.
We hope for peace and prepare for war. Regarding Gaza, we should invade, conquer, deport all Arabs into Sanai, close off the Philadelphia Corridor,build super barriers to prevent Egyptian forces and declare a buffer zone between us and them. These are not the Arab forces of ’73 because now they have American equipment. Prepare for war.
Gaza will soon be Egypt again:
Egypt owned Gaza from 1949 to 1967. Israel took over Gaza and the Sinai in 1967. It attempted to incorporate Gaza into Israel by putting small Jewish settlements within Gaza, and tried to put a larger Jewish town (Yamit) just south of Gaza, to separate Gaza from el Arish (30 miles west), a large Egyptian city (pop. 100,000).
Yamit was too far from Israel proper, and did not attract many settlers. Israel gave it, and the Sinai, back to Egypt in 1979, but held onto Gaza. Gaza became a hotbed of Jew-hating muslim terrorism, and Jewish Israel was stretched too thin to defend it, given that the Jew-hating “international community” forbad (and still forbids) Jewish Israel from taking firm measures against the terrorists.
Israel gave up, and evacuated Gaza in 2005. Egypt under Mubarak did not want it, but used it to torture Jewish Israel through ongoing low-level terrorism.
Now, the Muslim Brotherhood has taken over Egypt through fair and free elections. Hamas is the palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Jewish Israel should now sever all connections with Gaza (water, electricity, fuel) and hold Egypt responsible for it.
Israel should keep the Sinai demilitarized, and destroy any Egyptian forces which try to enter the Sinai. If necessary, Jewish Israel should retake the southern half of the Sinai, and leave the northern half plus Gaza to Egypt.
Terrorist attacks from Gaza should be considered as acts of war by Egypt against Jewish Israel. Israel should respond by destroying the Gaza infrastructure (roads, bridges, electricity, cell phone towers), over and over until the Gazans are deterred.
“A senior IDF official told the Israeli daily Ma’ariv that while no one expects Egypt to abrogate the Camp David Accords, the new situation requires extreme caution.”
I fully agree with the above statement. The sooner all necessary steps are taken the better. Let us face the reality. I don’t think Morsi could change the agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood. It is advisable not to buy any propaganda and is better to always remain on guard.