Editorial Note
The forces representing national sovereignty and self-determination, the Lebanese Opposition and Resistance, are in a face-off confrontation against the US-backed Lebanese government, dominated by the Future Movement. The latter represents the interests of the United States, Israel, Britain, and Saudi Arabia amongst others.
The evolving situation in Lebanon and the Middle East has been compounded by the Baker-Hamilton ISG Report on Iraq. This report has set the stage for a “solution” of the Iraq war as part of a broader and escalating Middle Eastern “game plan.”
In the context of this broader military road-map, Israel now contends without evidence that Syria is preparing to wage war on Israel, while also tacitly acknowledging that Syria is anxious to reach a settlement with the United States and Israel.
Syria’s alleged war plans against Israel seem to be part of an evolving media disinformatIon campaign
We bring to the attention of Global Research readers three reports on the issue of these Israeli allegations regarding Syria’s alleged threats, respectively from Lebanon, the UK and Israel.
It is also worth noting that the Israeli military is claiming that “jihadist forces” are gaining strength in Lebanon (an indirect reference to the members of the Lebanese Opposition), and are likely to attack U.N. and international troops in Lebanon.
Global Research, 11 December 2006
Israeli official claims Syria preparing for War
Al-Manar TV
December 10, 2006
A senior intelligence official was quoted as saying Sunday that Israel believes Syria is preparing for war by stepping up missile production and deploying anti-tank rockets along the border.
General Yossi Beidetz, the head of the military intelligence research division told the weekly cabinet meeting that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was “preparing his forces for a military conflict” with Israel. “Syria has accelerated the production of long-range missiles and has deployed anti-tank rockets on its border with Israel,” which runs along the occupied Golan Heights, Beidetz said. A military source said he believed Syria wants to incorporate lessons learned from the July-August war against Lebanon, where Hezbollah had put up stiff resistance to the Jewish state’s military.
“Syria has learnt a lot from Hezbollah which managed to inflict a lot of damage to Israeli forces, especially its tanks and armored vehicles, by using guerrilla warfare,” he said. The warning came days after a report by a high-level US panel recommended Israel relaunch talks with Syria, which have been frozen since 2000.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said last week that restarting talks with Syria was unlikely in the near future.
copyright Al-Manar TV, 2006
Israel claims Syria is preparing for war
Belfast Telegraph
December 10, 2006
A top military official told the Israeli Cabinet today that Syria had moved its missile batteries closer to the border with Israel and was preparing its forces for a military conflict, a senior government official said.
However, Brig. Gen. Yossi Baidatz, head of research in military intelligence, said that Syrian President Bashar Assad was also considering the path of peace, according to a participant in the weekly Cabinet meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
“Assad is working in two parallel tracks,” Baidatz said. “On the one hand he is not ruling out a diplomatic solution with Israel and on the other hand he is preparing his forces for military conflict.”
Baidatz said Syria had increased its production of long-range missiles and had also moved its anti-aircraft missile batteries closer to the border on the Golan Heights.
Baidatz added that Syria was still active in Lebanon, supporting the Hezbollah guerrilla group’s efforts to overthrow Prime Minister Fuad Saniora’s government. Syria was forced to pull its forces out of Lebanon last year.
Meanwhile, Baidatz also warned that global jihad was gaining strength in Lebanon, especially in the refugee camps, and the international forces stationed in Lebanon after Israel’s summer war there were possible targets.
Copyright Belfast Telegraph, 2006
MI Officer: Syria preparing its army for war with Israel
Haaretz
December 10, 2006
by Gideon Alon and Amos Harel
The head of the research division of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Yossi Baidatz, said Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad is preparing for a war with Israel.
He said that Assad has ordered increased production of long-range missiles and instructed the Syrian army to position its anti-tank missiles closer to the Syrian border with Israel, on the Golan Heights.
But, Baidatz told the cabinet, while Assad is “preparing the Syrian army for the possibility of a military conflict with Israel, on the other hand, he is not ruling out the possibility of reaching a political settlement with Israel.”
He stressed that in Assad’s view, his actions on the military front do not contradict his actions in the political realm.
“Assad is working in two parallel tracks,” Baidatz said. “On the one hand he is not ruling out a diplomatic solution with Israel and on the other hand he is preparing his forces for military conflict.”
He added that the Syrian president has been conducting extensive diplomatic activity over the past two weeks.
Baidatz said that Assad feels a window has been opened for peace talks on the international level, and he plans to take advantage of that opporunity.
Baidatz also said that tensions in Iran have been rising in preparation for the United Nations Security Council’s decision on whether to impose sanctions on the country. The decision is slated to be made by December 25.
According to Baidatz, Iran is continuously operating in Lebanon to reinforce Hezbollah, while also working to strengthen Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Palestinian territories.
On the issue of Lebanon, Baidatz said Hezbollah is planning to bring down Prime Minister Fouad Siniora’s government by conducting mass demonstrations and sit-in strikes in city squares. Hezbollah will turn to violence in their struggle only if the strikes and demonstrations fail, Baidatz said.
Baidatz also said that certain signs indicate the rise of international Jihad forces in south Lebanon, especially in refugee camps. These forces aim to counter the multi-national force in the area.
He told ministers that Al-Qaida was recruiting mainly in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
“There are major signs of a Global Jihad [al-Qaida] presence in Lebanon, especially the refugee camps, and one of their intentions is to attack the foreign peacekeepers,” Baidatz was quoted as saying in the briefing. “They see the peacekeepers as symbols of the West.”
Baidatz also commented on the situation in Gaza, saying that the Palestinian security forces have deployed throughout the Gaza Strip, but their operations do not appear to be effective.
On the opposing side, Hamas has begun operating in areas in which the organization has not been active in the past, such as the area that used to house the Gush Katif greenhouses, Baidatz said. He added that Hamas officials are working to boost their political power.
Beiditz said that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has reached a political dead-end, explaining that the chairman is unable to reach an understanding with Hamas on the possibility of establishing a national unity government.
IDF planning to be war-ready by summer
A high-ranking source in the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday that the IDF is aiming to have reached a high level of preparedness on the northern front by next summer.
In order to reach this target, military reserve units have conducted combat training with live ammunition over the last two months, and division level exercises based on a scenario of war in the north are planned for the next several months.
The program is not in response to assessments by military intelligence, the source added. Hezbollah and Syria have not indicated that they are planning for a war next summer, he said.
Concerns are growing, however, among IDF officials regarding Syria’s continued shipment of arms to Hezbollah in Lebanon, although it seems the terror organization is not yet in possession of the kinds of missiles it had during the war.
There is also a possibility that sources affiliated with global Jihad, who have been increasing their presence, will try to create provocations leading to war.
The IDF has been extensively criticized over the level of training of ground troops and for its lack of preparedness during the July-August war with Hezbollah.
Copyright Haaretz, 2006
