Intifadas, Wars, Conflicts, Campaigns Israel Has Fought

Matti Friedman, an award-winning Israeli Canadian journalist, tells the story of a group of young Israeli soldiers stationed near a hill in Lebanon called “the Pumpkin” during wartime in the late '90s. His book Pumpkinflowers: A Soldier’s Story has been compared to Tim O’Brien’s writings on the Vietnam War. He combines details from his own life with larger narrative of ongoing war in the Middle East. 

 Nadene Goldfoot

After 1982, Israel fought major wars, long-term insurgencies, and multiple military operations against regional states, militias, and Palestinian groups:  Gaza remained under Egyptian rule according to Armistice Agreement of 1949.  It was in focus in 1955.  Bv November 1956 it was captured by Israel forces in Sinai Operation.  The 1967 census had 352,260 in the Gaza Strip of which 172,520 were refugees.  

First Intifada (1987–1993):GAZA  A widespread Palestinian grass-roots uprising and stone-throwing revolt in the West Bank and Gaza Strip against Israeli rule. First Intifada, a mass Palestinian uprising against Israeli military occupation. The Trigger: On December 8–9, 1987, an Israeli military/truck driver collided with cars at the Erez checkpoint/Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, killing four Palestinian workers. Leaders had been brewing and led the charge;  Leadership: Grassroots movements organized under the clandestine United National Leadership of the Intifada (UNLU), alongside factions like Fatah, the PFLP, DFLP, and the emergence of Hamas."Iron Fist" Policy: Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Israeli military responded with curfews, mass arrests, tear gas, live ammunition, and harsh suppression tactics.  Over 1,000 to 1,162+ Palestinians (including hundreds of children) were killed by Israeli forces.;  numbers provided hy Palestinians blown up, : Roughly 179 to 200+ Israelis (civilians and soldiers) were killed.;  Tens of thousands of Palestinians were injured and over 100,000 imprisoned.  A political Outcome from high numhers were :  Madrid Conference (1991): International pressure and changing geopolitics brought Israeli and Arab/Palestinian delegations to a peace conference in Madrid. and finally, the Oslo Accords (1993): Secret talks in Norway culminated in the signing of the Declaration of Principles on September 13, 1993, by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), establishing mutual recognition and setting up the Palestinian Authority. However, not waiting was:                                           

                                                             Iraq Flag colors 

The Gulf War (1991): Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel; Israel stayed out of the active combat coalition under U.S. pressure while receiving Patriot missile defense support.

                                               Cedar tree of Lebanon

South Lebanon Conflict LEBANON (1985–2000): Happening at the same time and  continuing;  A prolonged 18-year guerrilla war in southern Lebanon between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Iran-backed Hezbollah/Amal fighters, ending with Israel's unilateral withdrawal in May 2000.

The term Judea and Samaria refers to the biblical and historical names for the central mountainous region of the Land of Israel, which corresponds administratively to the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) in modern terminology.

Second Intifada (2000–2005):JUDEA/SAMARIA: A non stop war with Hezbollah;   A intense period of armed Palestinian uprisings, suicide bombings, and urban combat (including Operation Defensive Shield in 2002).Operation Defensive Shield was a major military offensive launched by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the West Bank from March 29 to May 10, 2002, during the Second Intifada.  Trigger: The immediate catalyst was the March 27, 2002, suicide bombing at the Park Hotel in Netanya, which killed 30 Israeli civilians during a Passover Seder.Objectives: The IDF aimed to dismantle Palestinian militant and terrorist infrastructure, arrest or neutralize combatants and dispatchers, seize hidden weapons, and respond to a surge of suicide attacks .Locations: Operations focused across major West Bank population centers, including Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, Tulkarem, Qalqilya, and heavy urban fighting in Jenin.

                                                       Flag of Hezbollah 

Second Lebanon War (2006): LEBANON-HEZBOLLAH:  A 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon following cross-border raids, ending in a stalemate/ceasefire.  The Second Lebanon War was a 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that lasted from July 12 to August 14, 2006.  Hezbollah launched a cross-border raid from Lebanon into Israel, killing several Israeli soldiers and abducting two reservists, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. Israel's Response: Israel launched extensive air strikes, naval bombardments, and a ground offensive (Operation Change of Direction) into southern Lebanon to free the soldiers and stop rocket fire.  Hezbollah's Actions: Hezbollah fired roughly 4,000 Katyusha rockets into northern Israeli population centers.  The conflict ended under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ordered a ceasefire, the disarmament of militias in southern Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese Army and UN peacekeepers.   Casualties & Impact:  Israel: 121 IDF soldiers and 43 to 44 civilians were killed; around 300,000 to 400,000 Israelis were displaced. Lebanon: Over 1,000 Lebanese were killed and approximately 800,000 to 1,000,000 were displaced. (A big difference in casualties is that in Israel, most people have bomb shelters they are to get to while in Lebanon, it is doubtful if any people have bomb shelters.) 

                                     Hamas known for their tunnel digging to get ammunition 

***  Israel–Hamas War GAZA-HEZBOLLAH-HOUTHIS-IRAN  (2023–Present): Triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, leading to a full-scale ground and air campaign in Gaza alongside multi-front hostilities with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and direct exchanges with Iran.               

          3 years ago was the attack, still in mourning for  son one does not forget

On October 7, 2023, the outdoor dancing event in Israel was the Supernova Sukkot Gathering (often called the Nova Music Festival)  The event was a large outdoor trance music rave organized to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot as well as Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah, a festival traditionally associated with joy, community, and dancing. Thousands of young people gathered near Kibbutz Re'im in the Western Negev desert, close to the Gaza border, to dance through the night and welcome the sunrise.  The celebration was abruptly cut short at 6:29 AM when Hamas launched a massive rocket barrage followed by a cross-border terrorist attack, killing over 360 festivalgoers and abducting dozens of others.

Smoke rises following Israeli attacks in Gaza. The Palestinian Ministry of Health says at least one person has been killed in an Israeli air raid that hit the Indonesian Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip. [Mohammed Salem/Reuters]

Israel launched numerous significant air and ground campaigns against militant factions in THE GAZA STRIP.     BUT LET'S US GO BACK TO 2008.

                                     

• Operation Cast Lead (2008–2009) GAZA-HAMAS  Dates: December 27, 2008 – January 18, 2009 (ending with unilateral ceasefires).  (also known as the First Gaza War or the Gaza Massacre) was a 22-day military conflict fought between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinian armed groups (led by Hamas) in the Gaza Strip from December 27, 2008, to January 18, 2009. 
• Stated Objective: Stated Israeli Objective: To stop ongoing rocket and mortar fire from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel and curb weapons smuggling. Israel aimed to halt rocket and mortar fire from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel and degrade Hamas's military and governing infrastructure. Phase 1: Intensive air and naval strikes starting December 27, 2008, targeting Hamas facilities, police stations, tunnels, and rocket launch sites. Phase 2: A ground invasion launched by the IDF on January 3, 2009. Began with an intensive 7-day aerial, artillery, and naval bombardment campaign targeting Hamas infrastructure, government buildings, police stations, and launch sites. Expanded into a ground invasion by IDF troops on January 3, 2009, Conclusion: Israel and Hamas declared unilateral ceasefires on January 18, 2009.  
• Operation Pillar of Defense (2012) GAZA-HAMAS Operation Pillar of Defense was an eight-day military campaign launched by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip from November 14 to November 21, 2012.Start Date: November 14, 2012 (initiated with an airstrike that killed Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari) PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:  To stop cross-border rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel and degrade the military capabilities of Hamas and other militant groups.  End Date: November 21, 2012 (following an Egypt- and U.S.-brokered ceasefire).                

  

  Biggest Hamas tunnel discovered by IDF;  Big enough to drive a large vehicle through, tunnels like this are 'one of the main reasons why war is still going on'

  
  
• Operation Protective Edge (2014) GAZA-HAMAS was a 50-day military campaign launched by Israel in the Gaza Strip from July 8 to August 26, 2014.  Triggers: Escalating cross-border projectile fire and the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank.  Three Israeli teenagers—Eyal Yifrach (19), Gilad Shaer (16), and Naftali Frenkel (16)—were kidnapped and murdered in the West Bank in June 2014  Stated Israeli Objectives: Stop ongoing rocket and mortar attacks by Hamas and other militant groups from Gaza, and destroy their network of cross-border infiltration and assault tunnels.  End Date: August 26, 2014, following an Egyptian-brokered unconditional ceasefire.                               
• Operation Guardian of the Walls (2021) GAZA-HAMAS-JERUSALEM Operation Guardian of the Walls was an 11-day military campaign launched by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) against Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip from May 10 to May 21, 2021.   Escalating tensions in Jerusalem, clashes on the Temple Mount, threats regarding the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, and subsequent rocket fire toward Jerusalem by Hamas on May 10. Hamas termed their side of the action the "Sword of Jerusalem". Rocket Attacks from Gaza: Hamas and the PIJ fired over 4,360 to 4,400 rockets and mortar shells toward Israeli population centers (including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem). Roughly 680 misfired and landed inside Gaza, while Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system intercepted about 90% of the rockets that crossed into Israeli airspace.   IDF Response: The IDF carried out extensive airstrikes and naval/artillery bombardments, targeting over 1,500 military and-terror sites in Gaza. This included destroying over 100 kilometers of Hamas's underground tunnel network ("the Metro"), rocket-manufacturing workshops, command hubs, and launch sites.CASUALTIES:  In Israel: 13 people were killed (12 civilians, including children and foreign workers, and 1 IDF soldier). In Gaza: According to the Gaza Health Ministry and IDF reports, over 200 to 248 Palestinians were killed, including senior military commanders from Hamas and the PIJ alongside civilian casualties.  Resolution: A mutual, unconditional ceasefire brokered by Egypt went into effect at 2:00 AM on May 21, 2021.
• Wikipedia

Latest News About Israel From AM

Nadene Goldfoot

IsraelAM

The IDF launched a limited ground operation in Lebanon overnight. According to a statement by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, "The Israel Defense Forces is conducting limited and targeted raids along Israel’s northern border against the threat that Hezbollah poses to civilians in northern Israel. These localized ground raids will target Hezbollah strongholds that threaten Israeli towns, kibbutzim and communities along our border."

He added,"Hezbollah turned Lebanese villages next to Israeli villages into military bases all ready for an attack on Israel. Hezbollah had prepared to use those villages as staging grounds for an October 7-style invasion into Israeli homes. Hezbollah planned to invade Israel, attack Israeli communities and massacre innocent men, women and children. They called this plan ‘Conquer the Galilee'." He also emphasized that Israel's war was with Hezbollah, not the Lebanese people.

Since the start of the year, the IDF has conducted 700 convert operations against Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Loyd Austin spoke with Defense Minister Gallant and agreed "on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel's northern communities." Austin also warned Iran of serious consequences if it launched a direct attack on Israel. The U.S. is keeping 2 carrier battle groups in the region.

Hezbollah fired between 3 and 5 missiles at central Israel, claiming to be targeting Mossad headquarters in north Tel Aviv. Most of the missiles were intercepted, but 1 landed on a major highway near the West Bank partition wall. Three people were injured by shrapnel from the interceptions. Hezbollah also fired around 30 missiles at northern Israel today. The air force continues to strike Hezbollah launching sites and other targets in Lebanon, including Beirut.

The Syrian Defense Ministry said that Israeli warplanes and drones attacked several locations in Damascus shortly after 2 a.m. It said air defenses shot down most of the missiles and drones, but three civilians were killed and nine others wounded.

An IDF soldier was seriously wounded and three others suffered moderate injuries during an anti-terror operation in Nablus that began on Sunday. Forces killed at least 1 wanted terrorist. Since August, the IDF has eliminated at least 100 terrorists in West Bank operations. The IDF is reinforcing its troop deployments and anti-terror raids ahead of the upcoming Jewish High Holidays. Rosh Hashana starts Wednesday night at sundown.  

Israel: Continuous Jewish Presence in Their Land and Enduring Wars Against Her

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                             

Hills of Judah, southern part of Israel
where tribe of Judah lived

King David 1010-
970 BCE

For over 3,000 years, Jews lived in Eretz Yisrael as proven by archeological and historical evidence.  It's civilization was already over 1,000 years old when Rome destroyed the Holy Temple and conquered the Jewish nation in the 70 CE-the 1st century that nations of today count from in their calendar.

Solomon's Temple

Rome exiled only a portion of the population.  The remaining Jews were banned by Rome from living in Jerusalem, so they flourished for centuries in other Jewish towns such as Yavne, Rafah, Gaza, Ashkelon, Jaffa and Caesarea.
                                                     

Christian Crusaders of the 12th century CE decimated the Jewish population they had found when they invaded the land.  However, the Jewish population managed to rebound in the next centuries as Jews returned in waves of immigration and settled in Safed, Jerusalem, Tiberius and Hebron, the 4 sacred and holy cities of Judaism.  Today Hebron has been taken over by Muslims.
                                                                               

After 1850, the Jewish population grew even more.  By the 1870's, Jews were the majority religious group in Jerusalem.  Early modern Zionists began purchasing land and created thriving communities like Tel Aviv in 1909, even while the land was being ruled by the Ottoman Empire who by the 1st World War had held it for the past 400 years.  The 1880's had brought on 5 Jewish immigration groups from Russia and the surrounding area called Alliyahs.  They had had enough suffering from pogroms in Russia that were continuous.

1920-1921 In Palestine there were Arab Riots and Terrorism against Jews led by Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Sherif of Jerusalem.  This is when Britain was given the mandate by the League of Nations (1st United Nations).  Jews were killed and wounded.  Jews organized a defensive force to protection as had none from English there.  Beginnings of Haganah-first IDF soldiering.
                                                                             

1929  Continued massacres against Jews, Hebron Jews attacked, 67 slaughtered.  Jews were raped, tortured, babies beheaded and mutilated.  135 Jews killed, 30 maimed/wounded.
                                                                               
1936-1939  Nazi Germany developed causing rebellion against British in Great Arab Revolt with Haj Amin al-Husseini visiting Hitler in Germany, plotting against Jews.  415 Jews, 200 Brits and 5,000 Arab killed.
                                                                       

1948-1949: Israel's War of Independence-Mandate ended on May 14, 1948 so State of Israel then established.  
                                                                             
1949-1956 Egypt trained Arab terrorists (fedayeen) attacked Jews in Lebanon, Gaza and Jordan.  1,300 Jewish Israelis killed or wounded in attacks.  Nasser in charge of Gaza attacks.

1956 The Sinai/Suez War blockage Israeli shipping in Suez Canal, port of Eilat.  Israel then captured Sinai Peninsula and Gaza.  Egypt peace and so Israel withdrew-assured Israel of safety.
                                                 

1959  Al Fatah Raids:  Yasser Arafat formed Fatah with guerrilla warfare against Israel and they planned animosity between Israel and Arab neighbors.
                                                             

Hillary Clinton known of admiration for Arafat

1964  {Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) formed in Egypt, supported by Arab League, anti Israel militant groups.  Fatah and PLO united..  PLO made thousands of attacks against Israelis, others around world.  Committed the 1st airplane hijackings.
                                                                         

1967 The Six-Day War:  Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq with Egypt keeping international water from Israel, expelled UN peace-keeping forces easily.  Full scale invasion planned to turn Jews into dust.  Israel pre-empted in a defensive war, captured Judea and Samaria (was to be part of Jewish Homeland plan of League of Nations when Jordan captured them in 1948.)  Also took back Gaza and Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and Golan Heights from Syria.  
                                                                             

Meeting Halevy, Commander of Galilee Division of IDF

    1967-1970 The War of Attrition  After 67 Ceasefire-Egypt broke it and attacked Israelis in Sinai; lasted 3 years with 1,424 Israeli soldiers and over 100 Israeli civilians killed.  Jordan expelled PLO-had war with them in 1970.  
                                                                               

1972 The Munich Massacre  Palestinians terrorists act worldwide.  Black September group held hostages and murdered 11 of Israel's Olympic Team at 1972 Munich Olympics.  Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction of PLO responsible.                                              

Moshe Dayan (1915-1981) in Haganah, founder of Palmah, lost eye in 1941
in British Army in Lebanon; In War of Independence, repelled Syrian army from Jordan Valley,
Commander of Jerusalem region, chief of general staff from 1953-1958, in 1956 responsibvle for Sinai Operation, in Knesset  in 1959, Minister of Defense before 6 Day War, resigned in 1974 because of
Yom Kippur War's setbacks.  

1973  The Yom Kippur War when Egypt and Syria's surprise attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year when all were in the synagogues praying and fasting.  IDF pushed Syrian troops back from Golan Heights.  2,688 Israeli soldiers killed in 3 weeks of fighting.  Egypt claimed its honor again because of 1st 48 hours.
                                                

Lived in Safed from 1981 to November 1985 in apartment
in northern Galilee close to Lebanon.

1982-1985 The Lebanon War (I had immigrated in 1980) PLO now in Lebanon who had Civil War from 1975 to 1990.  PLO attacked northern Israel. (I lived in Safed-very close to Lebanon.) Israel entered Lebanon in 1982 to root out PLO who later relocated in Tunis. By then 95,000 people had died by 1982.  In 1985 Israel withdrew to a 4 miles wide  area along border; unilaterally withdrew in 2000.  Civil War had Lebanese Christian Phalangists entering PLO refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla and massacred about 460 to 700 people including 200 PLO fighters.  Israeli court said that Israel and General Ariel Sharon had indirect responsibility because of not stopping Phalangists from entering into the camps. They had asked, Sharon and agreed that they did the entering.  They were our friends, had been guarding our border, did R&R in Israel.
1987-1991-First Intifada by PLO with 27 Israelis killed, over 1,400 civilians and 1,700 soldiers injured.  Palestinian casualties from other PLOs in the Intifada-internal fighting among PLO factions.
                                                                       

1991  Persian Gulf War:  USA led coalition to get Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait and he tried to draw Israel into the war and fired 39 Scud missiles into Israel.  Israel din't retaliate, helping coalition this way.  

1994  First suicide bombing in Israel: 8 civilians were killed while on a bus in Central Israel, followed up repeatedly by radical Islamic terrorist factions all over the world.
                                                             

Israeli patrol near Jenin, Palestinian town from bible days
of En Gannim mentioned in Joshua, or Ginaea in Roman days.  Center of Arab
nationalistic fanaticism in the 1930s.  Part of Jordan from 1948 to 1967, In 1967-
population was 8,346 apart from 5,019 Arab refugees in the vicinity.  

2000-2006 2nd Al Aqsa Intifada  suicide bombings and terrorist attacks started September 29, 2000 and in 5 years left over 1,068 Israelis dead and over 7,000 injured--69% civilians.  About 3,k000 Palestinians were killed in this conflict.  2005 saw Israel withdraw from Gaza.
                                                       

Black Jew, Druze, Christian and Muslim IDF soldiers

2006-2008  Acts of War against Israel with Hamas and other terrorists attack daily with rockets 6 months after withdrawal from Gaza.  June 2006 saw Gaza terrorists tunnel into Israel, killing 2 soldiers and kidnapping 1.  Hezbollah-helped by Iran and Syria, attacked Israel across the Lebanese border, killed 8 soldiers and kidnapped 2, shooting rockets into civilian towns in northern Israel.  Israel had military operation that lasted 34 days to end it.  

Fatah-Hamas Leaders United into Their Palestine

                                                     

Women IDF soldiers

2008-2009  Operation Cast Lead-Hamas rocket fire from Gaza reduced
2012  Operation Pillar of Defense-Hamas rocket fire from Gaza stopped
2014  Operation Protective Edge-destruction of Hamas tunnels
                                                     

And UNESCO says that Israel does not have a presence in Jerusalem?  We have a presence in all of this land going back to Abraham and to Moses who re-entered with 6 million in 1271 BCE.  We've shed blood and tears over this land to bring about a normal  and morally good life that others had had for over 2,000 years.  Evidently their idea of morality did not include the rights of Jews. 
Research:  Israel 101 magazine by StandWithUs, page 42, 12-13.
The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia 1992 edition/FactsOnFile-New York/Oxford
Letters From Israel by Nadene Goldfoot-amazon.com