IDF on alert, cancels weekend breaks over Syria
IDF on alert, cancels weekend breaks over Syri… JPost – Defense.
( Over Syria? Really? The first concrete indication that “something” may actually be up. – JW )
Photo: IDF Spokesman’s Office
The IDF raised its level of alert on Thursday and called off weekend furloughs for officers and soldiers due to concern over the ongoing fighting in Syria.
On Wednesday, a bomb in a Damascus security building on Wednesday killed Defense Minister Daoud Rajha, former defense minister and senior military official General Hassan Turkmani and Assad’s brother-in-law Assef Shawkat. Syria’s Interior Minister as well as several other officials were seriously wounded in the attack.
Israel is concerned with three different scenarios. The first is concern about the transfer of Syria’s chemical weapons to a third party like Hezbollah.
The second worrisome scenario is the fragmentation of the country, whereby certain parties or even a lone gunmen may gain access to bases with chemical weapons or other weapons systems, and then try to use them against Israel. For example, there is concern about tanks, or even airplanes, falling into the hands of a rogue actor who will decide to use it against Israel.
And the third scenario is the possibility that Assad – feeling his back against the wall – will decides to take Israel with him, and as a result fire everything he has toward Israel.
On Thursday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak toured the border with Syria and warned of the possibility that Hezbollah will try to move Syria’s chemical weapons out of the country and into Lebanon.
“There are also people who came to Syria from outside – from Global Jihad and al-Qaida and other Islamists – meaning that as long as the fighting carries on we will have even greater chaos in Syria the day after Assad,” Barak said.
On Wednesday night, Barak spoke with US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and updated him on Israel’s concerns regarding the situation in Syria.
“We believe that the assassination of the top Syrian government officials will speed up Assad’s downfall,” Barak told Panetta, who is scheduled to visit Israel later this month. “We are also closely tracking the possibility that Hezbollah will try to move advanced military platforms or chemical weapons from Syria to Lebanon.”
WarSclerotic 
July 19, 2012 at 3:28 PM
We failed to control the movement of WMD’s when Iraq fell. We will fail to do the same with Syria. So what’s going to happen to the nukes when Pakistan bites the dust??
July 19, 2012 at 4:54 PM
I just have heard the military analyst Amir Oren – ” Erev Hadash”. Israeli TV – being worried about the fact that Netanyahu can ” use ” the terrorist act to launch the long expected strike against Iran.
I dont agree with Oren’s spirit and conceptions, but his ” worries” are, in fact, our hopes.
The real Middle East war will start in Syria; it will start with an israeli – american action against the syrian WMD and will be followed by the ” real thing ” , the campaign against Iran. It can be a matter of days. The syrian chemical war arsenal is critical and the israeli pilots may be already in their seats .
July 19, 2012 at 5:27 PM
Ron Ben Yshai, the ynet analyst, also expressed his concerns about an israeli action of punishment right now, against Iran.
All these analysts are, practically, mirroring the general spirit here, in Israel, that Iran must be held accountable for the terrorist attack in Bulgaria against israeli innocent citizens which, as we previously said, was an act of war.
July 19, 2012 at 6:07 PM
The chemical weapons in Syria is, i hope, top priority.
July 19, 2012 at 6:23 PM
There are countries that exchange power with the vote, and there are countries that exchange power with the bullet. The later should never be allowed to have WMD.
July 19, 2012 at 6:41 PM
Syria: Israel considers strike at chemical weapons
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9411483/Syria-Israel-considers-strike-at-chemical-weapons.html
Washington has held talks with Israel about a possible strike at Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile, which is thought to be the largest in the world.
The Pentagon is not advocating military action, particularly while President Bashar al-Assad still clings to power, but US officials told the New York Times that the option had been presented by Israel.
July 19, 2012 at 9:31 PM
Obama cares little for Israel. He sees it as an illigitimate country that is occupying land not rightfully claimed or taken by european outsiders. He is worried more about Israeli action than a nuclear Iran or terrorists with chemical weapons.
Obama fears Israel, not Iran.
July 19, 2012 at 11:09 PM
Well and good spoken, Thunderbunny. Especially the last line.
And, by the way, he has deadly serious reasons to fear from Israel.
July 22, 2012 at 9:05 AM
Damascus wiped out as predicted by the scriptures – looks like this will
be done by the syrian dictatorship with the support of the iranian, russian and chinese dictatorships…..How amazing, how tragical – but : Syria was for decades the bitterst enemy of Israel and therefore another scripture is naturalizing before our very eyes : ”He who curses Israel will be cursed!” . ”He who watches over Israel never slumbers nor sleeps” – this is our hope and our strength !