Skiing On The Syrian Side Of Mt. Hermon In Israel's Hands

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                         

Syrian side of Mt. Hermon now in Israeli hands is a mountain range in Lebanon:  since 1967, partly under Israel rule.  The highest point is 9,232 ft above sea-level and is always snow capped.  It's ample streams and melting snow feed the Jordan and Huleh Plain throughout the year.   Skiing takes place on this mountain!  Mt. Hood in Oregon, USA is 11,249 feet high-highest in Oregon where people ski.  

In the wake of the collapse of the Syrian Assad regime, IDF forces have taken control of the Syrian side of Mount Hermon and the demilitarized zone beyond the Golan, after Syrian army forces vacated the areas. The IDF air force struck multiple strategic targets in and around Damascus, including Syria's main military research center, which Iran allegedly used for missile development. The strikes are continuing, in an effort to eliminate threats to Israel's security including chemical weapons, air bases, missile depots and launching sites and missile development sites. Israel is reportedly in talks with Russia to transfer parts of the territory near the Israeli border to Israeli control.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "The Assad regime, a central link in Iran's axis of evil, has fallen. This is a direct result of the blows we’ve dealt to Iran and Hezbollah, Assad’s main supporters. It has set off a chain reaction across the Middle East, as people seek to free themselves from oppressive tyranny. This creates significant new opportunities for Israel, though not without risks.                 

                                                

Our primary mission is to defend our borders. For nearly 50 years, this area was designated as a buffer zone under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. That agreement has now collapsed, with Syrian soldiers abandoning their positions. With full Cabinet approval, I instructed the IDF to seize the buffer zone and nearby commanding positions. We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself along our border. 

Simultaneously, we are pursuing a policy of good neighborliness, as we did during the Syrian civil war, when we established a field hospital here that treated thousands of wounded Syrians. Hundreds of Syrian children were even born here in Israel."

Gideon Moshe Sa'ar (Hebrew: גדעון משה סער; born 9 December 1966) is an Israeli politician currently serving as a member of the Knesset for New Hope and, since November 5, 2024, Israel's foreign minister.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said today that the presence of Israeli forces in Syrian territory is a “limited, temporary” step meant to ensure Israel’s security during the confusion after the fall of Assad.    

At the top, in the United Nations buffer zone between Syrian and Israeli-occupied territories, is the highest permanently manned UN position in the world, known as "Hermon Hotel", located at 2814 metres altitude (9,232 ft). The southern slopes of Mount Hermon extend to the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights, where the Mount Hermon ski resort is located with a top elevation of 2,040 metres (6,690 ft).

Resource:

Israel AM

The New Standard  Jewish Encyclopedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdr_m-Zzm_g

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hermon

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-releases-images-from-syrian-side-of-mount-hermon-after-it-was-captured-by-troops-yesterday/

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-696114     on skiing

Syria's Chemical Weapons a Threat Used Again on Syrian Civilians?

     Nadene Goldfoot                                             

Syria's position hasn't changed much since September 2013. Today, 5 years from his first attack, Assad has ordered a chemical attack on Idlib.   That means that Israel and the United States are still confronted with the same problems of being attacked or having to attack those in Syria.  The players are the president of Syria, Assad, Russia, Shiite Muslims (Iranian Islamic religion) , al-Qaeda terrorists, and the Free Syria Army (FSA).

For the USA, if Assad wins the war, it would mean that the Russian-backed Shiite axis would have a victory.  A rebel victory could mean that there would be a way for al-Qaeda power-sharing or even domination of Syria.  "Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country was collaborating with Russia and Iran "to prevent an Aleppo-like disaster" in Idlib."

Israel was honored with Obama's visit in late March 2013 and Netanyahu and Obama struck "a grand bargain."  Obama would do "whatever it takes," military action, to stop Iran from going nuclear.  Netanyahu carried out his side of the bargain:  "he freed 26 pre-Oslo Palestinian terrorists, enabling US Secretary of State John Kerry to announce resumption of peace talks in late July." Then Obama's part was not carried out. 

Assad used chemical weapons against his rebellious civilians in August 2013.   Obama had warned him that using chemical weapons would "cross the red line" and trigger an American response.  Obama did not carry through, like a parent warning children and then doing nothing.  He then referred the issue to Congress, and nothing happened.  This was seen as trying to backtrack on his threat.  It was his perceived weakness and caused others to question his credibility when making commitments on things said about Iran and Palestine by Netanyahu of Israel and others in the world.  They figured that if it took Congressional approval and having a broad international coalition for a limited strike against Syria, who had used weapons of mass destruction on his own people,  what would it take to launch a big operation against Iran who was on the brink of developing nuclear weapons and with the threats they had already made, would gladly and joyously use them on Israel immediately?                                                 

What about right now?  Assad is again known to be planning on using chemical weapons on civilians in northern Syria, Idlib.  The northern Syrian province of Idlib is the last remaining stronghold controlled by forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad..A pro-Assad Syrian MP, Fares Shehabi, told BBC Reality Check that there were as many as 100,000 "al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists" in Idlib, of whom 40,000 were what he called "hardcore radicals". Idlib: As Syrian government forces complete their offensive in southwestern Syria, attention has shifted to the northwest province of  Idlib, the last remaining rebel stronghold. 
                                                               

May 2016 , Residents inspect a site damaged by an airstrike in Hafsarja, in the insurgent stronghold of Idlib province, Syria 

         At least 24 raids - the first in three weeks - hit the area on Tuesday morning.
Air raids have pounded areas in Syria's last rebel-held province of Idlib, killing several civilians and raising further concerns that an all-out government offensive is only a matter of time.
                                                                  

"Idlib is home to some three million people — around half of them displaced from other parts of the country — and UN says an attack on the region could result in the worst humanitarian catastrophe with the biggest loss of life in the 21st century."

"The first signs of the predicted mass movement of Syrian civilians seeking to escape an imminent joint Russian-Syrian air assault emerged on Monday when the UN said 30,000 of the 3.5 million people in the opposition-run enclave of Idlib had already been internally displaced."

Russia 'resumes airstrikes' on Syria's Idlib despite Trump warning.

                                                                 

Idlib in May 2017

 

Back in 2013, a peace deal with the Palestinians and Israel seemed more remote than ever.  Iran was beating their drums towards Israel more than ever before.  How could Israel depend on help from the USA?  They knew if they were to be saved from this horrid end of life, they would have to depend in the end on themselves only to save them.

The USA gave them a 9 month deadline to come to peace accords.  The Palestinians were due to reach their expiration date in the coming Spring and the Iranians were expected to reach their nuclear breakout at the same time.  Netanyahu met with the French Foreign Minister, Larent Fabius in late August.  He talked of the stalled response of Obama that would cause Iran's nuclear ambitions to see a green light with the Ayatollah's zeal to use them.  "Assad's regime has become a full Iranian client and Syria has become Iran's testing ground."
                                                                   
Netanyahu had to set goals for Israel.
1.  Deter any possible Syrian, Iranian or Hezbollah retaliation against Israel if and when USA attacked.  To do this they had to make the results very clear:  Israel's response to attack would be devastating. "If Israel identified any attempt whatsoever to harm their tiny country, Israel would respond with great force."  Their enemy knew what they said, they meant.  

2. Israeli leaders were quietly pleading the case for an American strike for major strategic reasons.  Failure to act plays into the hands of their worst enemies, the Iranian-led Shiite axis which included Assad's Syria and Lebanese based Hezbollah Shiite militia, backed partly bankrolled and armed by Russia.    A successful strike would mean Assad's eventual ouster, could break the Iran-Hezbollah land connection through Syria, isolate Iran, and maybe force the Russians to leave this last Middle Eastern foothold they wanted.  It could strengthen USA's counter allianace with the Sunni Arab world of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and oil-rich Gulf States.  USA needs to show the world one cannot use chemical weapons-only conventional weapons in a battle.  The USA credibility and world leadership was in jeopardy. 
                                                                             

Damascus, the capital where Assad lives

The leaders of the Free Syria Army told the USA to take out the key targets in and around Damascus, which were 6 air bases and 3 rocket-launching batteries, then their army of 30,000 men would be stationed around the city and could take the capital and end the war.  They gave the USA a detailed plan for handling the leadership in case the Assad regime would collapse.    Obama feared, probably quite rightly so, that he could not trust this group either.  Weapons of theirs could easily fall into the hands of al-Qaeda rebels fighting with them.  There were also reports that American personnel were training FSA fighters in Jordan.  Siding with the FSA would alter the course of the civil war in Syria and that would change the balance of power in the Middle East.
                                                                        

President Assad

This was the fear of the Russians and why they didn't want the USA to strike.  They had a huge investment here in Assad's Syria.  Russia sells billions of dollars worth of weapons to them.  Russia has a port at Tartous which is their only naval base in the Mediterranean-their only naval base outside of the former Soviet Union.  

For Israel, 2 questions remain:
   1. Would Obama have the gumption to act with or without Congress?
   2.  If he acted, would he get the scope of the operation right?  
A little attack would be as bad as no attack at all or worse.  Assad could become strengthened and embolden Iran. 
A big attack could trigger a wider regional war.  Did Obama want to tip the balance in Syria against the Assad regime?  Israel figured that Syria after being attacked would not attack Israel and would also not use chemical weapons.  He would know that if he did, his own life would be on the line.  If Assad did attack Israel, Israel would retaliate and change the regional balance of power.  Israel has to be sure when and when not to take a risk for peace, when to bite the bullet and when to trust the USA.                                                            

Today, President" Donald Trump says slaughter in Idlib would make US 'very angry." As it remains, Russian and Syrian places have bombed densely populated enclave hours after President Trump warned Assad not to "recklessly attack Idlib."

The White House on Tuesday threatened military intervention if the Syrian government used chemical weapons.

Magazine:  The Jerusalem Report, September 23, 2013.  (2 years after USA's 9/11. 

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/10/thousands-of-syrians-displaced-as-threat-of-idlib-attack-grows                                                   

 https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/idlib-assault-could-spark-worst-catastrophe-of-21st-century-un-20102

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-45401474
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2015/05/syria-country-divided-150529144229467.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/05/syria-donald-trump-idlib-slaughter-very-angry
Book: Messages From A Syrian Jew Trapped in Egypt -tells of the chemical attack on his own people of Syria
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1015640/world-war-3-syria-civil-war-assad-chemical-weapons-donald-trump-us-intervention
https://www.trtworld.com/mea/assad-regime-to-go-all-the-way-in-syria-s-idlib-19898

     

IRAN: 6 Months From Bomb Making

Nadene Goldfoot                                                               

Forget the media spin that is coming out about Iran.  Iran is only 6 months away from developing a bomb, and that would be  a nuclear one.  So pronounced Yuval Steinitz, Israel's minister for strategic affairs on Friday.  There is no more time to hold negotiations.

Evidently Washington's "all options on the table" hasn't done it.  Iran knows they have room to maneuver.  They're sending out their "moderate" president, Hasan Rouhani,  to calm everyone down and stop chomping at their heels. He doesn't come up with those horrid adjectives to describe Israel like Ahmadinejad did.   He's snowing many people, but not Israel. A leopard doesn't change his spots, and we all know that it's the Ayatollah who rules this country.  

One who seems to be  buying into the suggestion that Iran is just using nuclear energy to make medical devices or whatnot is President Barack Hussein Obama II who sent Rouhani a private letter.  He has also renewed discussions in Washington about negotiations to lift sanctions against Iran.  Giving up, already?  
                                                                     

Therefore, Rouhani was interviewed this week by NBC.  He sounds like he is so willing to engage in diplomacy about it.  Netanyahu's comment was that he wasn't fooled by his words.  "The test is not in what Rouhani says, but in the deeds of the Iranian regime, which continues to advance its nuclear program with vigor."  Netanyahu had said earlier that he thought Rouhani was a wolf in sheep's clothing.  

Netanyahu has a September 30th meeting with Obama in Washington and has to make a speech to the UN General Assembly.  He'll make Iran's nuclear development his focus.  The USA and Israel have had the same goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.  They do disagree on the timetable and how to prevent this, though.

Israel sees such a bomb a great threat to their existence and is for a more forceful and immediate military option.  

One would have thought that Obama was pressing for a military option on Syria's chemical warfare that has killed so many children, but he backed out of that deal already, giving Syria time to do something with the arsenal.  One has to remember that he was a contender for the presidency that was against war.  What was odd was that he was willing to strike and run  in Syria with the "no boots on the ground."

Of all the horrible threats that Israel is up against, the Iranian A bomb is the most lethal.  Netanyahu knows that no one will come to help Israel if they lose the ability to defend themselves.  Israel has the 4th best army in the world.  One A bomb could wipe them out.  This is  more than a serious situation because Iran has threatened Israel in the worst ways.  
                                                                      

One thing hanging over our heads in the USA is that by October we'll have run out of our spending money.  That does curtail any activity.  Our Senate and House just aren't seeing things the same way, either.  This is another first in our country.  Obama's trying to create a Utopia for us all  as far as health insurance goes which is very expensive.  He can't accomplish what Israel has for its citizens, but then Israel is only as big as  New Jersey, 5th smallest of the 50 states in the USA.  .  

Resource:  Oregonian newspaper, 9/21/13 page A4, Israeli leader scoffs at Iran's overtures by Jodi Rudgren, NY Times, and Syria meets first deadline in chemical weapons deal by Nick Cumming-Bruce NY Times
http://www.iris.org.il/sizemaps/new_jersey.htm

Yom Kippur 1973 and 2013 in Israel

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                      

Tonight is the eve of Yom Kippur the most holy observance in the Jewish religion.  Jews will be attending services tonight and tomorrow.  Israel is about 10 hour ahead of the West Coast of the USA, so it is already being observed right now.

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke at a Naval Cadet Graduation and said the following about Syria and her use of chemical warfare.

"Not far north of here, dozens and sometimes hundreds of innocent civilians are being slaughtered on a daily basis. Some of them have been killed with gas - chemical weapons. This is a serious crime, a crime against humanity. Now, it must be ensured that the Syrian regime will be disarmed of its chemical weapons and the world needs to make certain that those who use weapons of mass destruction will pay the price for it. 

"The message that Syria receives will be received in Iran. Today, the rule that has guided me in my most of my actions as Prime Minister and which I adhere to very carefully, is perhaps more valid than ever: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If we are not for ourselves, who will be for us? We are for us. And the practical translation of this rule is that Israel will always be able to defend itself by itself against any threat. President Obama said this morning "Israel, can defend itself with overwhelming force' and this is true. This is the basis of our security." 

With Israel in good hands from G-d and Knesset members and their Armed forces, I wish everyone an easy fast along with a peaceful observance, unlike 1973's Yom Kippur War.  "When the fourth Arab-Israeli war began on October 6, 1973, many of Israel's soldiers were away from their posts observing Yom Kippur (or Day of Atonement), and the Arab armies made impressive advances with their up-to-date Soviet weaponry. Iraqi forces soon joined the war, and Syria received support from Jordan. After several days, Israel was fully mobilized, and the Israel Defense Forces began beating back the Arab gains at a heavy cost to soldiers and equipment. A U.S. airlift of arms aided Israel's cause, but President Richard Nixon (1913-94) delayed the emergency military aid for a week as a tacit signal of U.S. sympathy for Egypt. On October 25, an Egyptian-Israeli cease-fire was secured by the United Nations."

Resource:Embassy of Israel www.israelemb.org

 http://www.history.com/topics/yom-kippur-war

Syria's Chemicals Topic of Netanyahu and Obama in TV Coverage

Nadene Goldfoot                                                             Emblem of Jerusalem 
The first day of Spring found that Netanyahu met Obama at the airport today for Obama's first trip to Israel as president.  I hope this time he learns how close things are to Israel.  It just happened that somebody used chemical weapons in a northern village near Aleppo.  Both sides accused each other of using it.   A US official said there was no evidence of any such attack, but everyone was talking about it.    Obama thought the rebels would never use this.  He said this needs investigation.  He wants evidence.  The regime (army) was backed up by Russia in their allegations and said that 31 people were killed including 21 civilians and 10 soldiers.  There are tight media restrictions in Syria so could not be independently verified.  Obama said that this would change the picture if true.  .

I don't know about that.  I spent 5 years from 1980 to 85 in Israel watching the Syrian army do despicable things on TV showing how tough and mean they were, things they did to little animals.  How the rebels managed to fight against them and to have the guts to face such a mean army is more than I can imagine.  How it must have affected the general  population seeing such grotesque behavior by their to be admired army has to have shaped their minds and behaviors as well.  So maybe it would be possible for them to put an end to 2 years of fighting such an army that has already taken 70,000 of their people.

The point for Israel is that these horrid chemical weapons can easily fall into the hands of even worse terrorists to be used against Israel.  Netanyahu pointed out that Damascus is only 100 miles away from Israel.  It's like from Boston to Chicago, Obama said.

Obama, an eloquent speaker, spoke a little more haltingly this time, I thought, but took his time to answer questions.  He was such an eloquent speaker that this is what got such a young man and new senator elected the first time.  He lost Israel's approval when he made a bee line to Egypt and told them that the USA would have a new approach and that's what made me nervous, that and the friendships he had back in Chicago with people who were definitely anti-Semitic.  His actions have spoken louder than his words, and so the 10 times that he has met with Netanyahu haven't always been so hot, especially when on TV Obama wanted Netanyahu to go back to the 67 lines which is what the Palestinians want, and then it'll be the 48 lines, and so on.  I think he'll find that Netanyahu is a gracious host.  Obama was smart enough to mention Netanyahu's brother who had died fighting for Israel which brought a few tears to Benyamin's eyes, as I saw they glistened a little then.  We are an emotional people.

Obama was joking that he was happy to be away from the Senate and Netanyahu and he kept saying how close the USA and Israel were, which was a good message for the neighbors of Israel to realize.

Of course they spoke about Iran, and have different opinions when the window will be shut so that action might have to be taken.  I understand that Iran is very close to completion of getting the uranium grade level enriched where it must be to use in weapons .    Obama figures that they won't be ready till the weapon itself is made.  I'm wondering why they couldn't be working on both at the same time, so that when the uranium is ready,  the weapon will be, too.  If so, time is awasting!  Obama thinks they won't be ready for another year.  It's plain that Obama understands that if Israel feels they must defend themself, they will do so, and that's okay with him.  As I remember, Netanyahu really would like to do this together and not have to go it alone.   Plans are in the works for the 2 countries to work together for many more years, hopefully past 2017.  .

Obama's mother taught him to listen before he talks.  This time he plans on following her advice and do a lot of listening.  Still, he didn't talk to heads of state at the Knesset, which is a downer.  He spoke at a hall in Jerusalem, though, where there were plenty of news reporters and Secretary of State, John Kerry,  and a few got to ask questions.  Obama mentioned the blue line.  I thought there was the green line to consider.  Then, Iran is almost at Netanyahu's red line.  The USA will be giving Israel some $200 million for defense.

Chuck T of NBC asked a question of Obama that I thought showed that Chuck didn't know much about the interactions between the Palestinians and the Israelis.  He asked why Obama hadn't got a peace program accomplished in his first 4 years.  Obama had to say it wasn't an easy thing to do.  Oh Chuck, there's so much to inform you about.  Chuck asked what went wrong!  I was amazed.  Yes Chuck, the Palestinians certainly would be healthier if they came to a peace.  So would the Israelis, and it isn't as if they don't want peace.  How would you like it it the USA were attacked almost constantly for 65 years by people 100 miles away or less?

In the meantime, all the women in Israel were busy doing their Passover cleaning and trying to shop and get ready for their first night of the Seder.  It's an all encompassing job.  I hope the people in the old city of Jerusalem can get out and shop.  They have been so blocked because of Obama's visit that they haven't been able to do the things they must get done.

Resource:  Oregonian newspaper 3/20/13 page A8 Syrians trade accusations of chemical use by the Associated Press
NBC TV
CNN TV