Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 4-1-Israel-13

By Capt (Ret) C de Waart, feel free to share: in Confidence

Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 4-1-Israel-13

“Wipe Tel Aviv and Haifa off the map

The emergence of an uncertain and unstable strategic environment is conducive to strategic surprises.

” In a declaration of war, ISIS warned the Palestinian Hamas to “end its war against religion in Gaza or face the consequences.” June 2, Hamas has targeted Islamic State radicals in Gaza in recent weeks after a series of unclaimed bombings, prompting ISIS supporters Tuesday to set a 48-hour deadline for Hamas to cease its crackdown. The threat to Hamas sent to Middle East reporters on Monday did not specify what would happen if the crackdown continued.

“In the light of Hamas’ new crackdown, we renew our loyalty to [ISIS Caliph Abu Bakr] al-Baghdadi and call on him to strengthen his influence and to launch a campaign in Palestine,” said a statement from Supporters of the Islamic State in Jerusalem released after the destruction of the mosque.

Hamas also destroyed in May a mosque belonging to a group known as the “Supporters of the Islamic State in Jerusalem.” The Salafi group said Hamas had demolished the mosque “in a manner that even the Jewish and American occupation has not done,” the Egyptian daily newspaper Al-Masry al-Youm reported.

The Middle East is in great turmoil. The statist order that underpinned the region for a century has collapsed. Several states have lost their monopoly over the use of force and are no longer able to provide law and order. This is especially true of Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen and Syria. Even Egypt, the only historic Arab state, has had difficulties effectively enforcing its sovereignty over its territory.

The turmoil in the Arab world is also changing the strategic landscape in the Eastern Mediterranean basin, where elements of radical Islam are gaining control. Tunisia, Libya, Sinai in Egypt, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Turkey all play host to groups with Islamist tendencies, thereby threatening the currently unrestricted access to this area by Israel and the West.

Wipe Israel of the Map: Nov 2014, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took to Twitter1 to call for the destruction of Israel over the weekend. He first started with a string of vitriolic anti-Israel tweets that called for the destruction of the “barbaric, wolflike & infanticidal regime of Israel.” In the 1980s Khomeini gave a speech This occupation regime over Jerusalem must vanish from the arena of time.” But then anonymous wire service translators rendered Khomeini as saying that Israel “must be wiped off the face of the map,” which Cole and Nourouzi say is inaccurate.

Comparatively, recent developments in the Middle East and beyond have also allowed Tehran to establish a 'Shiite Crescent' stretching from Tehran to the eastern Mediterranean.

By contrast, US influence around the Middle East appears to be in decline, primarily as a result of the Obama administration's foreign policy outlook.

the strong armies of Iraq and Syria have disappeared, decreasing the chances for a large-scale conventional encounter with Israel. Moreover, the pro-Western Sunni

1 http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/11/09/iran_s_khamenei_israel_must_be_annihilated.html

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states such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia see Israel as an ally against a rising Iran, as well as against radical Islamist movements.

By contrast, low intensity challenges might intensify. The domestic problems plaguing weakened Arab states make them increasingly susceptible to radical Islam and more prone to terrorist violence.

Since the last military conflict in Gaza, in July-August 2014, Hamas has been working to restore and build up its strength in advance of the next conflict with Israel – renewing its excavation of tunnels and manufacture of rockets, building up its weapons stores , conducting military training exercises, and establishing army camps.

It is interesting to note that joint training was conducted for the first time by the military wings of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (the Al-Quds Brigades) and Hamas (the Al-Qassam Brigades).

Hamas also tried to expand the circle of violence to the entire West Bank, with the aim of sparking a new intifada. Its spokesmen harshly criticized the Palestinian Authority, demanding that it end security coordination with Israel and allow the Palestinian people to express their rage, resist the occupation, and launch a Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa intifada.

Alongside preparations for the next conflict, Hamas broke their tradition of not operating against Israel from Arab countries and called to open additional fronts.

"It seems that Hamas's leadership thinks, and is planning, that every future war against the Zionist enemy will be all-out, meaning that it will encompass every inch of land in Palestine, and make matters difficult for the enemy. The leadership began preparing for this immediately after the Gaza campaign, and possibly even during it.

Now Israel prepares for the day after – for the new reality that Iran is emerging as a regional power spreading its influence from the Indian Ocean to the Red Rea to the Mediterranean. However, Israel’s major concern is the growing influence of Iran over Hezbollah.

First Hamas-ISIS firefight in Gaza. “Islamic State of Jerusalem” supporters sighted on Israeli borderDEBKAfile Exclusive Report June 2, 2015, ISIS supporters were shot dead in Gaza Tuesday, June 2, in their first firefight with Hamas forces come to arrest them The Islamists had planted a bomb trap in their hideout. The showdown occurred 48 hours after the Ansar al Dawa al-Islamia, renamed “Supporters of the Islamic State of Jerusalem,” gave Hamas a 48-hour ultimatum to end its crackdown on the group and release dozens of Islamists held for a series of attacks. DEBKAfile: ISIS fighters were spotted for the first time this week on the Gazan-Israeli border. They have threatened to target Eilat Port. DEBKAfile first reported Monday, June 1, on the appearance of ISIS on the Israeli border with details.Followers of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant were spotted for the first time in the Gaza Strip this week, DEBKAfile’s military sources report. Their arrival on Israel's border was confirmed as a division-strength IDF force launched its large-scale “Turning Point 2015” exercise for repelling Islamist cross-border incursions. The Islamist group which has established a substantial anti-Hamas presence in the Gaza Strip is Ansar al Dawa al-Islamia, renamed “Supporters of the Islamic State of Jerusalem.”Israeli, Egyptian and Hamas’ military sources are all concerned to make light of this development. When asked, they say that the group’s nature and scope have not yet been evaluated. Western and Middle East governments took the same tack two years ago, when ISIS first embarked on its calamitous course in Syria.DEBKAfile’s military sources point to eight signs of the ISIS presence in the Gaza Strip:

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1. In the last 48 hours, Hamas security authorities have suddenly set up scores of roadblocks across the Strip, including Gaza City.2. They acted after senior Hamas security officer Sabah Siam was murdered Saturday, May 30, by a gang of five gunmen sporting ISIS insignia. Hamas tried pretending that the officer died in a bomb planted in his vehicle by a local rival faction. But the attack was too public to be concealed. The ISIS gunmen burst into a shop owned by the officer’s family in the center of Gaza City while he was visiting. They cut him down in front of his relatives and dozens of passersby, none of whom made any move to stop them as they made off in two vehicles.The terrorists later issued a communiqué saying: “Sabah Siam was liquidated because he was a partner in a war declared against religion and against Muslims working for the heretical government in the Gaza Strip.” In a declaration of war, ISIS warned the Palestinian Hamas to “end its war against religion in Gaza or face the consequences.”3. Israeli and Egyptian security services, most likely in conjunction with Hamas, set up a tight ring of bodyguards to protect German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier against possible assassins when he visited Gaza Monday, June 1. He insisted on going through with his visit in the face of the internecine Islamist fighting which had erupted in the Palestinian-ruled territory.4. On the day of the visit, Ansar al Dawa al-Islamia posted a social media notice calling on Gazans to discontinue their cooperation with the “heretical Hamas regime.”5. The same group also claimed responsibility for a string of bombings outside Hamas headquarters and offices in Gaza during the month of May.6. On May 8, the ISIS Sinai branch Ansar Bait Maqdis shelled the Hamas facility in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.7. On May 28, ISIS-Sinai threatened to “target Eilat Port in the coming days,” as a joint project with the ISIS wing in the Gaza Strip, which would also attack Hamas’s military arm, Ezz e-din Al-Qassam, and take control of the Gaza Strip.8. DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report that Ansar al Dawa is preparing to declare the Gaza Strip a province of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

DEBKA reveals: Hizballah officers land in Tehran with Syrian defense chief. Iran OKs anti-Israel strategyDEBKAfile Special Report April 29, 2015 A high-level Hizballah delegation arrived secretly in Tehran Tuesday, April 28, along with the large military group led by Syrian Defense Minister Fahad Jassim al-Freij, DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources report exclusively. Both are taking part in the four days of military and intelligence consultations with Iranian officials on the war situation in Syria and the steps planned against Israel. According to a senior Gulf intelligence official, “The parties quickly finalized their plans of action against Israel, and the IDF will no doubt face on the Golan a far more active and intense front than they have seen yet.” The failed attempt Sunday, April 26, by a Druze squad to plant a bomb near an Israeli military border post in northern Golan was just a foretaste of the coming offensive, according to the source.He found Hizballah’s active participation in the Syrian-Iranian military talks in Tehran entirely natural, in view of the doubling of the Lebanese Shiite organization’s combat troops fighting alongside the Syrian army to roughly 7,000. This figure is over and above the missile, intelligence and logistics units assisting the Syrian war effort now in its fifth year.DEBKAfile reported earlier that the Syrian rocket-mortar fire on Golan Tuesday was timed for Gen. Freij’s arrival in Tehran to collect his next orders.The two rockets or mortar shells from Syria which exploded on the Golan at noon Tuesday, April 28, followed by alerts along the Galilee border with Syria, were timed to coincide exactly with the arrival in Tehran of a large Syrian military delegation led by Defense

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Minister Fahad Jassim al-Freij. High on the agenda of his consultations with Iranian leaders was no doubt the explosive situation developing on the Syrian-Israeli border.Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hizballah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah are reported by DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources to have held urgent discussions in the last few days on how to react to the two Israeli air strikes reported by Arab media to have been conducted Wednesday, April 22 and Friday, April 24, on their Qalamoun mountain missile bases. Both needed to hear from Tehran how far they could count on Iranian support in the event of a military showdown with Israel. Israeli military spokesmen have gone out of their way to play down the risk of any further security deterioration. After the fragments of at least two rockets or mortar shells were discovered Tuesday on the land of Kibbutz Ein Zivan near the border fence opposite Quneitra, military sources tried to calm people by attributing them to “spillover” from the fighting on the Syrian side of the border. The farmers were nonetheless advised to stop work in the apple and cherry orchards, and would not be surprised if the Syrians kept up their cross-border fire to provide “background music” for their defense minister’s discussions in Tehran.The IDF also omitted mentioning that the squad of four terrorists which tried Sunday, April 26, to plant an explosive device near an Israeli border post in this same area – and was liquidated by the Israeli Air Force – were Druze militiamen, recruited and trained by Hizballah and given their assignment by Syria’s southern intelligence chief, Wafeeq Naser.DEBKAfile’s military sources calculate that the coming hours may be critical for Israel’s northern front against Syria and Hizballah. If Tehran gives the nod, both are liable to ratchet up their assaults on northern Israel’s Golan and Galilee regions. They won’t have to wait for Gen. Al-Freij’s return to learn about this decision. The appropriate directives may be flashed directly from Tehran to the Iranian officers based at Syrian staff headquarters in Damascus and serving in the military facilities in southern Syria and opposite the Golan. Assad may welcome this outlet to vent his frustration as his army licks its wounds from the loss Saturday, April 25, of the strategic town of Jisr al-Shukjhour in the northern Syrian Idlib province, to a coalition of opposition forces calling itself the Army of Conquest. This puts the rebels in position to threaten one of Assad’s most important strongholds, Latakia. The Syrian ruler, if he wants to survive, can’t hope to weather both the Idlib defeat and Israeli air strikes in less than a week, without hitting back.

The Middle East Turmoil and Israel's Securityby Efraim Inbar International Relations and Security Network (ISN)April 13, 2015 http://www.meforum.org/5174/israel-middle-east-security

The Middle East is in great turmoil. The statist order that underpinned the region for a century has collapsed. Several states have lost their monopoly over the use of force and are no longer able to provide law and order. This is especially true of Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, and Syria. Even Egypt, the only historic Arab state, has had difficulties effectively enforcing its sovereignty over its territory.Many of the militias challenging these state entities have a radical Islamist ideology, reflecting the rise in appeal of

political Islam in the Arab world. In contrast to the leaders of these states, who are inefficient and corrupt, the Islamists actually deliver services to the people and have a reputation for being brutal but honest. However, the likes of Al Qaida in Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) or the so called Islamic State (IS) are hardly the proper agents for modernizing their environments and their popularity dooms the Arab world to continuous ignorance and poverty.For this and other reasons, Israel will need to remain vigilant in the years ahead.

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http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Articles/Detail/?lng=en&id=189808


Outside Looking In The decline of the Arab world has been paralleled by the rise of non-Arab Muslim powers – Turkey and Iran. Both countries fare better on development indices and display nowadays an ambitious foreign policy fueled by imperial and Islamist impulses. Under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his 'zero problems' approach to foreign policy, Turkey has gradually distanced itself from the West. In 2003, for example, Ankara rejected the United States' request to open a "northern front" against Iraqi forces. More recently, Turkey has opposed sanctions levied by the United Nations and the West against Russia and Iran.For its part, Iran has successfully advanced its nuclear program despite the displeasure of the international community. Comparatively, recent developments in the Middle East and beyond have also allowed Tehran to establish a 'Shiite Crescent' stretching from Tehran to the eastern Mediterranean. This has provided Iran with countless opportunities to project power into the Middle East and Balkans, much to the chagrin of Saudi Arabia and others. Indeed, the successes of Iranian Shiite proxies in Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus and Sanaa underscore the Tehran quest for hegemony in the Middle East.

By contrast, US influence around the Middle East appears to be in decline, primarily as a result of the Obama administration's foreign policy outlook. Correcting Washington's

overextension in the Islamic world is indeed necessary, but insensitivity to the concerns of its allies such as Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia is destructive to the regional balance of power.In this respect, Washington's efforts to strike a deal with Iran that basically legitimizes its nuclear breakout status and awards Tehran the role of the regional policeman will be viewed by Cairo, Riyadh and Jerusalem as a colossal strategic mistake. The inevitable result will be further nuclear proliferation as none of these countries are likely to want to stay behind in uranium enrichment capabilities. Moreover, the regional instability could lead to more bloodshed. Relying on a radical and revisionist regime in Tehran to provide stability is the height of strategic folly.

The View from Jerusalem The implications of the Middle East's ongoing turmoil for Israel's security are mixed. Like Iran and Turkey, a democratic and politically stable Israel is also a rising non-Arab power and a player in the regional balance of power. The power differential between Israel's national might and its neighbors has further increased, given that it has managed to prosper economically and develop a high-tech powerful military. In addition, the strong armies of Iraq and Syria have disappeared, decreasing the chances for a large-scale conventional encounter with Israel. Moreover, the pro-Western Sunni states such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia see Israel as an ally against a rising Iran, as well as against radical Islamist movements. This also comes at a time when the United States is viewed in many quarters as a less dependable ally.By contrast, low intensity challenges might intensify. The domestic problems plaguing weakened Arab states make them increasingly susceptible to radical Islam and more prone to terrorist violence. As their leaders lose their grip over state territory and borders become more porous, armed groups and terrorists gain greater freedom of action. Moreover, as weakened states lose control over their security apparatus, national arsenals of conventional (and non-conventional) arms become increasingly vulnerable, which may result in the emergence of increasingly well-armed, politically dissatisfied groups that seek to harm Israel. For example, following the fall of Gaddafi, Libyan SA-7 anti-air missiles and anti-tank RPGs have reached Hamas in Gaza. The IS even fights with American weapons captured from the Iraqi army.

Similarly, in the event of the Assad regime collapsing, Syria's advanced arsenal of

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Arab decline has been paralleled by the rise of non-Arab Muslim powers – Turkey and Iran.

As Arab leaders lose their grip on power, armed groups and terrorists gain greater freedom of action.


conventional weapons could easily end up in the hands of Hizballah or other radical elements. This, in turn, raises the prospect of an emboldened Hizballah and Hamas – both of whom are Iranian proxies located along Israel's borders – renewing their campaigns of violence. In recent years, the fallout from the Arab Spring has helped to detract attention away from the Palestinian issue. In addition, the Palestinian Authority's (PA) ability to harm Israel in order to reignite international interest is also very limited. As a result, a weak PA has come under increasing pressure from the popular Hamas. A Palestinian strategic miscalculation, leading to the eruption of another round of violence, is a possibility that Israel cannot ignore. Nevertheless, so far Israel has been successful in containing the threats from sub-state groups and in limiting their potential damage.The emergence of an uncertain and unstable strategic environment is conducive to strategic surprises. Israeli intelligence is challenged by a plethora of new actors and leaders whose modus operandi is far from clear. Israel has a large and sophisticated intelligence apparatus. Yet it is not immune to surprises. Therefore, it would be wise to prepare for worst-case scenarios, rather than succumb to rosy assessments.

Looking West (in more ways than one) The turmoil in the Arab world is also changing the strategic landscape in the Eastern Mediterranean basin, where elements of radical Islam are gaining control. Tunisia, Libya, Sinai in Egypt, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey all play host to groups with Islamist tendencies, thereby threatening the currently unrestricted access to this area by Israel and the West.Approximately 90 percent of Israel's foreign trade is carried out via the Mediterranean, making freedom of navigation in this area critical for Israel's economic well-being. Moreover, its chances of becoming energy independent and a significant exporter of gas is linked to Israel's ability to secure free passage for its maritime trade and to defend its newly discovered hydrocarbon fields, Leviathan and Tamar. These developments require greater Israeli efforts in the naval arena. Indeed, Israel is engaged in building a robust security system for the gas fields and has procurement plans for additional vessels. As with other parts of the Middle East, the assessment in Jerusalem is that the key factor in the developing regional balance of power is Iran's nuclearization. This would be a "game changer" that only Israel has the capability to prevent. Netanyahu's recent electoral victory left in power the only leader that might have the political courage to order a military strike to obstruct the Iranian progress towards acquiring nuclear weapons. Indeed, his victory was quietly welcomed in the capitals of the moderate Arab states that are terrified of Iran and have little time for Obama. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are good examples.Accordingly, Israel is watching with growing bewilderment the endeavor of the Obama administration to implement a "grand bargain" with Iran. This puts Jerusalem on an inevitable collision course with its most important ally. Israel continues to benefit from a large reservoir of sympathy among the populace of the United States, and most notably within the Republican controlled Congress. Yet, while Obama is not popular, as president he can extract heavy costs in the military, diplomatic and strategic arenas. The remaining 22 months until he leaves office must be weathered with minimum damage to the American-Israeli strategic partnership, particularly if Israel chooses to make good on its threat not to allow Iran to become a nuclear power. With this in mind, the American-Iranian nexus is the most dangerous challenge for Israel's national security in the near future. Efraim Inbar is director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, a professor of political studies at Bar-Ilan University, and a Shillman-Ginsburg fellow at the Middle East Forum.

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For Jerusalem, the key factor in the developing regional balance of power is Iran's nuclearization.


Top security officials admit that you cannot deter the enemy from its desire to equip itself; you can only try to deter it from using the weapons in its possession.

If Arab media reports that the air force once again attacked targets in Syria are to believed, it can be interpreted as a new Israeli policy.According to the Al Jazeera and Al Arabia TV channels and Syrian opposition social media, the targets attacked last Wednesday and overnight Friday were Syrian Scud missiles – but the messages sent were to Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah. This policy is intended to draw new and clear redlines vis-

a-vis Iran to slow down its rush for regional hegemony. Until recently, the Israeli diplomatic and covert operations were directed against Tehran’s nuclear program. It seems that despite the Israeli rhetoric expressed mainly by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the government and the security establishments have come to terms with the likelihood that a nuclear deal between Iran and the international community is a fait accompli. In that sense, Israeli diplomacy failed to persuade the US and the international community that any deal that would try to curb Iran’s nuclear capabilities in return for lifting the sanctions is a bad deal. Now Israel prepares for the day after – for the new reality that Iran is emerging as a regional power spreading its influence from the Indian Ocean to the Red Rea to the Mediterranean.To slow down Tehran’s regional aspirations, Israel needs to join forces with other concerned parties such as Saudi Arabia, the Gulf emirates and Egypt. And, indeed, the cooperation and coordination in the Riyadh-Cairo- Jerusalem axis have improved in the last year. However, Israel’s major concern is the growing influence of Iran over Hezbollah. On this front, Israel acts alone. The closeness between Iran and Hezbollah, the master patron and his obedient servant, was evidenced in the effort to establish a clandestine presence on the Golan Heights, to have the capability of opening a second front if and when another Israel- Hezbollah war erupts. This effort was foiled, or so it seems, in January when Israeli planes killed Jihad Mughniyeh, an Iranian general and a few other Hezbollah operatives who were on a reconnaissance mission near the Israeli border.Foreign reports have attributed at least 10 attacks in Syria and one on Lebanese soil in the past two years to the Israel Air Force. These attacks were aimed against convoys carrying sophisticated long-distance missiles – either Syrian or Iranian – to Hezbollah. But Hezbollah already has accumulated since the Second Lebanon War in 2006 almost 100,000 missiles and rockets – who counts – of all sorts that cover every spot and corner in Israel, including strategic sites such as the Dimona nuclear reactor, power stations, air fields, military bases and so on.

So, why bother? The answer is that, in contrast to the interpretation of the past attacks attributed to Israel, it is no longer trying to stop the shipments of missiles for the sake of prevention. Top security officials admit that you cannot deter the enemy from its desire to equip itself; you can only try to deter it from using the weapons in its possession. In that sense, Israel has succeeded so far, as neither Iran nor Hezbollah wishes to open a new round against Israel. But the Israeli game can turn out to be a dangerous double-edged sword. Iran and Hezbollah may decide that what they may define as Israeli chutzpah is too much for them and say to themselves, “Enough is enough. No more. It’s time to retaliate even if we are seen to be weakened on the bloody fields of Syria.” In such a scenario, they may respond just in an effort to restore their own deterrence against Israel, and events may escalate and get out of hand

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http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/IAF-struck-missile-bases-in-Syria-Al-Jazeera-report-says-399126


Arab sources report Israel air strikes against Syrian-Hizballah missile bases, Hizballah arms convoys. DEBKAfile: Hizballah secret airstrip possible target DEBKAfile Special Report April 25, 2015, 11:23 AM (IDT) Unofficial sources in Syria and Lebanon, cited by the Arab TV channels Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, reported Saturday, April 25, that the Israeli Air Force struck Hizballah and Syrian military targets in the Qalamoun mountains on the Syrian-Lebanese border from Wednesday, April 22, to Friday night April 24. There is no official word on these reports from Israel or Syria. In the Wednesday attack, one person was said to have been killed. The picture taking shape from these reports shows the targets to have been the 155th, 65th and 92nd Brigades of the Syrian army and Hizballah, two Hizballah arms convoys and Syrian long-range missile bases or batteries.

Hizballah's first drone airstrip in Beqaa Valley

DEBKAfile’s military sources add that it is hardly credible that Israeli air raids spread over three days went unnoticed by the Syrian and Lebanese media. The Arab TV reports if confirmed may therefore be exaggerated in scope. Friday, our own sources reported that Syrian and Hizballah forces under Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers were fighting to flush out the last rebel pockets on the strategic Qalamoun mountains, to clear the highway to Lebanon for unhindered military movements - most importantly, the weapons and personnel flowing regularly across the border between the two allies.

In past reports, DEBKAfile disclosed that Hizballah had transferred the bulk of its personnel and a large store of missiles from northern Lebanon to a protected enclave in Qalamoun under its control. The Iranian-backed Lebanese militia calculated that this base would be safer from Israeli attack than in Lebanon. And, in the event of war, Israel would be obliged to extend its front to Syria. According to Western intelligence sources, long-range missiles are part of the store Hizballah relocated to the Syrian mountains, whence they can be aimed at Israel.The putative Israeli air strikes this week would therefore have aimed at

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http://www.debka.com/article/24556


thwarting Hizballah’s scheme to set up another war base in the Syrian-Lebanese mountains area.Another likely target would be Hizballah’s first air strip for drones established in the northern Lebanese Beqaa Valley south of Hermel. Jane’s, a British publication specializing in military affairs, this week ran satellite images showing the airstrip to be 670 m long and 20 m wide, too short for most transport aircraft, excepting the Iranian Revolutionary Guards short take-off An-74T-200 transports, which carry arms for Hizballah – although landing with a load on this mountain strip would be considered dangerous. The runway was apparently built to accommodate drones, such as the Ababil-3 and Shahed-129 types which Iran has delivered to Hizballah.

April 13, 2015 Special Dispatch No.6020 Hamas Prepares For Next Military Confrontation With IsraelSince the last military conflict in Gaza, in July-August 2014, Hamas has been working to restore and build up its strength in advance of the next conflict with Israel – renewing its excavation of tunnels and manufacture of rockets, building up its weapons stores , conducting military training exercises, and establishing army camps. Senior movement officials are calling repeatedly for liberating all of Palestine, praising and encouraging jihad, martyrdom, and armed resistance, and threatening to expand their attacks into a full-blown intifada in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Some Hamas officials have called for opening additional fronts against Israel. Underlining this, Abu 'Ubaida, the spokesman for Hamas's 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, said at a ceremony honoring the Rafah martyrs: "The battle is not yet over... The arrogance of the occupation will force upon it new wars, whose shape and character it cannot foresee... Every day, our people are capable of refreshing the [flow of the] blood in the arteries of the resistance, in numerous ways."[1]In a speech marking the 27th anniversary of Hamas' founding, former Hamas interior minister Fathi Hammad said: "Thousands have joined the Al-Qassam Brigades since the last Gaza war... The West Bank will [also] rise up [in an intifada] against the occupation, and the resistance in Jerusalem must be escalated."[2] It should be noted that at the same time, Hamas leaders are saying that they are not interested in an escalation in Gaza.

Ongoing Rearmament: "The Al-Qassam Factories Are Operating Night And Day'' While Hamas is taking care not to slide into a military escalation against Israel at this time, senior Hamas officials are reiterating the need for ongoing weapons development, and are even boasting that their factories are doing so without letup. At a meeting with public figures in Khan Younis, Hamas political bureau member Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said: "The Palestinians must develop their weaponry so they can strike every inch of Palestine. This is our mission, and if we fail to carry it out, we will be betraying you [Palestinians]."[3] At a closing ceremony for youth training camps, Al-Zahhar said: "Every year until Palestine is liberated, thousands will join the training camps..." He added: "These youths will be standing behind the rockets, firing them at every inch of Palestine in the war of Judgment Day – the war for the liberation of Palestine. We pledge not to withhold anything from you – not our weapons, not our money, not our efforts, and not our sweat. Generation by generation... whenever there is a school holiday, you will be on the military training grounds, until we accomplish our goal."[4] In a similar vein, Hamas political bureau deputy head Isma'il Haniya said in a Friday sermon: "Hamas will continue to gradually build up its weapons, its means of resistance, and its strength, and will maintain them until Palestine is fully liberated."[5] Also, former Hamas interior minister Fathi Hammad said: "The resistance is planning and preparing, and will continue the jihad always, in preparation for the next liberation battle...

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http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/8516.htm#_edn5






Our hands are on the trigger and the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam factories are operating night and day. The day will come and Israel will pay a high price."[6]At a conference at Al-Rabat College, Marwan 'Issa, the deputy to 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam brigades commander Muhammad Deif, further confirmed that rocket manufacture was continuing: "We do not want a conflict with the Israeli occupation at this time, but we are working to double our strength for any eventual conflict that may come. We are continuing to manufacture rockets, and the enemy's statements on this matter do not interest us... We are allying with anyone who can provide us with weapons."[7]

Re-Launching Tunnel Excavations Hamas has not suspended its excavation of attack tunnels. As early as September 2014, mere weeks after the last round of fighting ended, Al-Zahhar declared, "Hamas has begun rebuilding and [further] developing the tunnels."[8] On October 19, 2014, the Hamas mouthpiece Al-Risalah reported on the renewal of work on one of Gaza's attack tunnels in Gaza, citing the commander of a squad specializing in tunnel digging. According to the report, Al-Qassam members are secretly digging around the clock,

dozens of meters underground; some tunnels are strategic attack tunnels for killing and kidnapping soldiers and carrying out "quality" attacks in Israel, and others are defensive tactical tunnels for concealing rocket launchers and mortars from Israeli aircraft. The report added that the tunnel viewed by the reporter had been rebuilt during one of the humanitarian truces

declared during the actual fighting, and that the Al-Qassam members who were conducting the excavations knew that the work was dangerous but said that they were prepared for martyrdom for the sake of Allah, the religion, and Palestine.[9]

A rebuilt tunnel (source: Al-Risalah, Gaza, October 19, 2014)As for the impact of the restrictions on bringing cement into Gaza, an Al-Qassam Brigades member said that Hamas would overcome the shortage by using brick instead.[10]Military Training For YouthIn further preparations for the next conflict, on January 20-27, 2015 in the Gaza Strip, the Al-Qassam Brigades conducted military training for some 17,000 young people, ages 15-21, at dozens of "Talai' Al-Tahrir" (Pioneers of Liberation) camps. According to the Hamas-affiliated Palinfo.com, so many signed up for the training camps that the Al-Qassam Brigades ran two sessions per day, one in the morning and one in the evening.[11]The Al-Qassam Brigades advertised the camps in mosques and public places, and on its official website. Registration was conducted at stands on Gaza's main streets; the stands, which had signs reading "The Nucleus Of The Next Liberation Army," were manned by masked fighters. An Al-Qassam Brigades commander said that the brigades were recruiting as many teens as possible so they could acquire military skills, train with live ammunition, and practice civil defense and first aid. He added, "The Al-Qassam Brigades are working to prepare a thousands-strong liberation army, based on an Islamic education."[12]Training With Live Ammunition

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(Source: Facebook.com/camps.gaza/photos, January 25-29, 2015)The training at the camps included drilling with live ammunition; Hamas officials were present during the training. According to the Arab news website noonpost.net, the effort is aimed at forming the core of a popular army comprising members from all sectors of society, and at preparing the teens both ideologically and militarily for jihad and for the fight against Israel. Youths who participated in the camps stated that they had come to learn how to kidnap Israeli soldiers and liberate Jerusalem.Youths participating in the camps said they wanted to learn how to kidnap soldiers, and wanted to join the commando forces and realize the right of return. Muhammad, 17, from the Nuseirat refugee camp said: "Resistance is our pride and strength. I joined the camp to become part of the elite youth of the Al-Qassam Brigades and kidnap Zionist soldiers in order to liberate my cousin from the occupation's prisons." Ahmad Al-Hosni, 19, said: "I joined the camps in order to become a soldier in the Palestinian liberation army, and therefore I want to train with every kind of weapon and military equipment. I am an excellent swimmer and will ask the camp administration to join the naval commandoes." He added that he dreamed of diving in the sea "until [I] reach the Jaffa coast."[13]

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Training in tunnels (source: Facebook.com/camps.gaza/photos, January 27, 2015)At the camps' January 27, 2015 closing ceremony, Hamas political bureau deputy director Isma'il Haniya said: "The people's rallying around the resistance will thwart all of [Israel's] plans to harm the image of Hamas and of the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades... The Al-Qassam Brigades' camps are a strategic enterprise [aimed at] raising the generation of victory and liberation. Resistance and preparations for bearing arms against the enemy are no longer optional, but have become a culture embraced not only by Hamas, but by every Palestinian home and every Palestinian sector."[14]

Poster announcing the camps' closing ceremony (source:

Facebook.com/camps.gaza/photos, January 29, 2015)Establishing Training Camps In Advance Of The Formation Of A Regular Popular ArmyThe Al-Qassam Brigades are also preparing for the next conflict with Israel by establishing military camps. Recently, the Al-Qassam Brigades' preparation and training division began constructing two camps, named Al-Yarmouk and Filastin, near the Israel-Gaza border. A department official said: "The brigades will continue to train, with no fear of Israel." He added, "The training is also meant to assure the residents that the resistance is in good shape, that it has not ceased operations as the occupation claims, and that it is on the frontlines to defend the people."[15]Hamas political bureau head Isma'il Haniya recently visited a training camp located one kilometer from the Israeli border and looked through binoculars at the Israeli moshav of Netiv Haasara. He said: "Hamas's enterprise focuses on resistance as a strategic option for [realizing the goal of] liberation and return and not [the goal of establishing] a temporary state or a state in the Gaza Strip."[16] It is interesting to note that joint training was conducted for the first time by the military wings of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (the Al-Quds Brigades) and Hamas (the Al-Qassam Brigades). The Hamas website Al-Majd explained: "The training is a deterring message to the occupation from the resistance, as well as a message of strength for the domestic Palestinian front."[17]

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Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members join hands (Source: Felesteen.ps, Almajd.ps, March 8, 2015)As part of its preparation for a future conflict, Hamas is making it clear that it aims to transform its militias into a regular popular army that will train recruits to use light arms and

mortars. An Al-Qassam Brigades statement posted in the 'Abdallah 'Azzam mosque in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza called on youth to register with a brigades representative to begin training as part of the popular army. A brigades representative said: "Thousands of youths have already registered for training."[18] Hamas later announced the graduation of the first class, of 2,500 activists, of its popular army. At the

commencement ceremony, several of the graduating activists held signs with a photo of Ibrahim Akari, the perpetrator of the November 5, 2014 vehicular terrorist attack in Jerusalem.[19]

Hamas Marks Anniversary With Large-Scale Military Display Hamas marked the December 14, 2014 anniversary of its founding with a show of strength. In a large-scale military parade – the first since the July-August fighting – it showed off its units as well as the various weapons in its possession, among them long range R-160 rockets, J-80 missiles, and Iranian-made Ababil drones.[20] Following the parade, Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu 'Ubeida said: "The history of Hamas and its fighting brigades sets before us a glorious and honorable picture of preparing and producing weapons and excavating through rock to resist the occupier and cause it pain. Today, after many years, this picture has produced the Al-Qassam Army, as you and the world see, with its fighting units that participate today in this impressive display: artillery units, marine units, the elite unit, the tunnel unit, the sniper unit, the armored unit, the infantry unit, and the aerial defense unit. These are not [mere] names and nicknames – they are fighting units that subdued the enemy on Gaza's doorstep, broke its arrogant pretense, and humiliated their opponents on the land, in the sea, and in the air, with the grace of Allah the Almighty."[21]

Encouraging Terrorist Attacks, Intifada In West Bank And JerusalemAlong with the buildup of Hamas forces in Gaza, the movement is encouraging terror attacks in Jerusalem. Taking advantage of the tension in the city that spiked due to rumors that Israel aimed to change the existing status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque, it called for resisting the occupation by all available means and at any time. Hamas spokesmen praised previous attackers, some of them Hamas members or affiliates, and called on the Palestinian people to continue such operations. Articles in Hamas newspapers and websites also praised the attacks,

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and promised even more qualitative and creative attacks in the future; some stressed that the conflict was religious, not political.Hamas also tried to expand the circle of violence to the entire West Bank, with the aim of sparking a new intifada. Its spokesmen harshly criticized the Palestinian Authority, demanding that it end security coordination with Israel and allow the Palestinian people to express their rage, resist the occupation, and launch a Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa intifada. Hamas political bureau head Khaled Mash'al called on all Palestinian factions to resist the occupation's activity in Jerusalem, and criticized the political weakness of the PA. In an interview with the Qatar daily Al-Sharq, Mash'al said: "[The response should be] resistance and inciting the people against the occupation, since this deters the enemy. This matter is not just the responsibility of Hamas, but rather of all factions together and of the Palestinian leadership. Every Palestinian official should accept national, political, and historic responsibility in light of the unprecedented dangers faced by the Al-Aqsa Mosque."[22] Addressing the possibility of a third intifada, Mash'al said that "things are boiling below the surface, and some of this is already above the ground. All the obstacles and attempts to bury and thwart this will fail, Allah willing. The Palestinian volcano will not tarry, and will erupt in the face of the occupation."[23]The Hamas information office also incited demonstrations, with a campaign called "Al-Aqsa is Ours." Hamas deputy information minister Ihab Al-Ghussein said: "We respect and appreciate the stand of East Jerusalem residents who bravely face the occupation." He went on to call on all Arabs and Muslims to join the campaign for Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem.[24] The information office set November 23 as a day of sympathy with Al-Aqsa.[25]At a meeting in Khan Younis, Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said: "We can rely on the reservoir of resistance in the West Bank. Vehicular attacks are one of its inventions."[26] In a November 25, 2014 press release, Hamas spokesman Hussam Badran called on the PA to join the people: "This could be its final chance to change its path and policy; otherwise, history will have no mercy for it, and the people will not forgive anyone who prevents the right of resisting the occupation."[27]Glorifying Jihad And Suicide Attacks Hamas's preparation for the next conflict also includes preaching and inciting jihad and suicide attacks. As stated, the Hamas leadership praised recent terrorist attacks, especially those in Jerusalem, and called their perpetrators hero martyrs who serve as role models for courage and creativity because they carried out brave operations and gave their lives for Al-Aqsa Mosque.[28] Thus, for example, Hamas praised 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Shaludi, who carried out a vehicular attack on a Jerusalem light rail station on October 22, calling him "a hero martyr."[29] Hamas also praised "the Al-Shaludi family for its jihad and the sacrifices it made in its brave stand."[30] Hussam Badran even said that the operation was "a heroic act and a natural right that should be emulated."[31]Hamas also praised the November 5, 2014 Jerusalem vehicular attack by Ibrahim Al-Akari, whom they called "the hero martyrdom attacker... who avenged his people and the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem..."[32] The 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades also praised "the holy warriors of Hamas and the heroes of Jerusalem, who mobilized to defend Jerusalem with their lives and sacrificed their blood on its doorstep."[33]Hamas official Younis Al-Astal also spoke in praise of jihad, at a conference in honor of the martyrs in Khan Younis: "Armed resistance is the only way to liberate Palestine... The Israelis think that, by means of siege and [promises of] rebuilding, they can blackmail us with regards to the resistance and its weapons. They are daydreaming... These are our weapons, this is our spirit, and jihad for the sake of Allah is our life."[34]

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When the murderers of the three youths who were kidnapped in Hebron area were killed, columnist Khaled Ma'ali praised their "martyrdom" on a Hamas website: "Martyrdom is the wish of any fighter. Martyrdom for the sake of Allah is a goal for which [fighters] impatiently yearn."[35]On the 11th anniversary of the death of Hamas founder Ahmad Yassin, the organization inaugurated a monument in his honor and declared that it would "never lay down its arms of resistance or stop resisting the Zionist occupation."[36] Hamas Attempts To Launch Additional Fronts Alongside preparations for the next conflict, Hamas broke their tradition of not operating against Israel from Arab countries and called to open additional fronts. At a February 4, 2015 political conference in Gaza, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, from the Hamas political leadership, called on Syria and Lebanon to enable the establishment of military cells subordinate to Hamas's military wing, the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, in refugee camps on their soil "so that they can run the resistance from [the lands] north of Palestine [as well] and participate with us in its liberation." This statement by a high-ranking Hamas official shows that the movement intends to open a second front against Israel from Syria and Lebanon, which it has thus far refrained from doing.Following Al-Zahhar's statements, 'Emad Zaqout, news division chief at Hamas's Al-Aqsa TV, wrote in an article titled "What is the Secret behind Dr. Al-Zahhar's Statement?" that Hamas wants every conflict with Israel to be an all-out conflict, and to include attacks on Israel from its northern border as well. Zaqout even revealed that during the recent Gaza conflict, rockets had been launched into Israel from Lebanon by elements operated by the Al-Qassam Brigades: "In the recent Gaza war, which lasted some two months, the Al-Qassam Brigades operated several groups in Arab countries bordering occupied Palestine, so that they could launch some rockets at cities in northern occupied Palestine and cause confusion in the assessments of the Zionist enemy. "It seems that Hamas's leadership thinks, and is planning, that every future war against the Zionist enemy will be all-out, meaning that it will encompass every inch of land in Palestine, and make matters difficult for the enemy. The leadership began preparing for this immediately after the Gaza campaign, and possibly even during it."In this context, ties were renewed between Hamas and Hizbullah, which motivated Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, a member of Hamas's political leadership, to state at a political conference recently held by Hamas's information office in northern Gaza that the movement is working to establish groups belonging to the Al-Qassam Brigades in Lebanese refugee camps close to northern Palestine."I believe that Al-Zahhar's statements were made in coordination with high-ranking Hizbullah officials. Also worthy of mention is the letter sent by the fighting [Al-Qassam Brigades commander] Muhammad Deif to Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, asking the [Lebanese] resistance to [complement] the fire in occupied Palestine with crossfire from Lebanon. "The question is whether Dr. Al-Zahhar's statements also apply to the Palestinian presence in Syria, Jordan, and even Egypt."[37] Also, on February 23, 2015, Hamas official Fathi Hammad said at a conference that was also attended by Hamas political bureau deputy head Haniya: "We must open new fronts from all the countries surrounding Israel, and also from those that do not share a border with it."[38] Endnotes: [1] Palinfo.com, November 13, 2014.[2] Paltimes.net December 12, 2014.[3] Palinfo.com, November 15, 2014.[4] Al-Risalah (Gaza), January 29, 2015.[5] Palinfo.com, October 4, 2014.

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[6] Alzaytouna.net, November 2, 2014.[7] Palinfo.com, March 2, 2015.[8] Al-Ayyam (PA), September 20, 2014.[9] Al-Risalah (Gaza), October 19, 2014's; See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 5863,"Hamas' Construction Of Gaza Tunnels Continues," October 23, 2014.[10] Paltoday.ps, October 29, 2014.[11] Palinfo.com, January 23, 2015.[12] Noonpost.net, January 22, 2015.[13] Noonpost.net, January 22, 2015.[14] Palinfo.com, January 27, 2015.[15] Alqassam,ps, March 14, 2015.[16] Al-Hayat (London), April 6, 2014.[17] Felesteen.ps, almajd.ps, March 8, 2015.[18] Felesteen.ps, September 25, 2014.[19] Al-Ayyam (PA), November 8, 2014; Al-Risalah (Gaza), November 7, 2014.[20] Palinfo.com, December 14, 2014; Felesteen.ps, December 15, 2014. Also see MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 5905, Hamas Senior Officials At Movement's 27th Anniversary Celebrations: We Will Not Recognize Zionist Entity Or Be Satisfied With A Palestinian State Within 1967 Borders; We Thank Iran For Supplying Us With Weapons, Missiles, December 16, 2014.[21] Palinfo.com, December 14, 2014.[22] Al-Sharq (Qatar), November 9, 2014.[23] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 5886, Hamas Praises Recent Terror Attacks In Israel, Calls For Escalation And Launch Of New Intifada, Threatens: 'The Palestinian Volcano Will... Erupt In Occupation's Face', November 19, 2014.[24] Paltoday.ps, November 23, 2014.[25] Palinfo.com, December 21, 2014.[26] Palinfo.com, November 25, 2014.[27] Palinfo.com, November 25, 2014.[28] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 5886, Hamas Praises Recent Terror Attacks In Israel, Calls For Escalation And Launch Of New Intifada, Threatens: 'The Palestinian Volcano Will... Erupt In Occupation's Face', November 19, 2014.[29] Palinfo.com, November 23, 2014.[30] Paltoday.ps, October 23, 2014.[31] Alresalah.ps, October 23, 2014.[32] Israj.net, November 5, 2014.[33] Palinfo.com, November 5, 2014.[34] Al-Risalah (Gaza), October 23, 2014.[35] Felesteen.ps, September 23, 2015.[36] Palinfo.com, March 21, 2015.[37] Alwatanvoice.com, February 6, 2015.[38] Palinfo.com, February 24, 2015.

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Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 4-1-Israel-13

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