A direct continuation of; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2018/12/operation-featherweight-month-54-week-5_4.html
The botched SOF raid into Gaza on November 11th (11/11/18) sent both literal and metaphorical shockwaves through Israeli society. As 460 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza in just two days the country's normally extremely complex internal politics ratcheted up a gear.
At the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israel's security cabinet declined to launch a full scale war in Gaza in response to the rocket fire. This prompted Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman to resign his post. Lieberman also withdrew his Yisrael Beiteinu's five members of Parliament/Knesset from the governing coalition. Leaving that coalition with a majority of one.
It long been known that the leader of the Jewish Home Party, Naftali Bennett wanted the job of Defence Minister. The expectation was that unless Prime Minister Netanyahu gave him the job Bennett would withdraw Jewish Home's eight members of the Knesset from the governing coalition. Bringing down the government and forcing an election a year earlier than scheduled.
On November 18th (18/11/18) Prime Minister Netanyahu scheduled a very ominous sounding televised address to the nation. He defied expectation by not giving the job of Defence Minister to Bennett. Instead taking it on for himself. Adding to his existing roles as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
Prime Minister Netanyahu ended his address by warning against an early election citing an unspecified but serious threat to Israel's security. More serious than the rocket fire from Gaza. By this I assume he meant the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Or possibly the massive war going on just across Israel's border with Syria.
Naftali Bennett then scheduled an ominous sounding press conference of his own for Monday, November 19th (19/11/18). Despite the hype he did not withdraw the Jewish Home Party from the governing coalition. Apparently heeding Prime Minister Netanyahu's warning about bringing down the government in the face of this serious, but still unspecified threat to Israel.
I sometimes think that western liberals rant about Prime Minister Netanyahu because he's the only Israeli politican they can name.
On Sunday, December 2nd (2/12/18) the US claimed that as part of CJTFOIR it had carried out a targeted airstrike close to Sukhah. This is deep within the Syrian controlled Central Syria area. It is where Syrian forces converged from Palmyra and Dalhah before launching their operation to liberate the cities, towns and villages on the south bank of the Euphrates River.
The US went on to claim that the airstrike had targeted Abu al-Umarayn. A senior figure within ISIL who was responsible for the execution of numerous hostages. Including Peter Kassig. The implication being that the Syrians had somehow been sheltering al-Umarayn.
Not only is the claim of Syria sheltering Umarayn untrue the entire claim of the US carrying out an airstrike to kill him is untrue.
What everyone else saw was US forces at the Bobby Sands base attack Syrian vehicles patrolling from a base on Mount al-Ghurab. Although I don't know the exact location of the vehicle patrol when it was attacked its base of origin is located around 95km (60 miles) south-west of Palmyra.
The weapon used by the US was the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). A type of Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) which is similar to but significantly more advanced than the Golan-1000 MLRS the Syrians recently debuted.
This incident was a very loud and aggressive way of the US sending the message that it has no intention of giving up the Bobby Sands base.
The incident also occurred on the first night of the Jewish High Holiday of Hanukkuh.
Hanukkah is a religious festival. However it is also a sort of celebration of a Jewish military victory. The victory of the Maccabean Revolt against the, essentially Syrian, Seleucid Empire in 165 B.C.
The Maccabean Revolt was begun by the Seleucid or Syrian Empire destroying the Jewish Temple which stood on the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary in Jerusalem. Victory really came with the re-opening of this Second Temple.
Within Jewish Temple's it is required that a menorah (literally; "Lamp") burns over the alter all throughout the night. That lamp has to be fuelled by pure, unadulterated olive oil which has been blessed by a High Priest.
When re-opening the Second Temple the Maccabees discovered they only had enough of this oil to last for one night. However by some miracle the oil lasted for eight nights. Providing time for them to source and bless a new supply of oil. During Hanukkah Jews commemorate this by adding a new light to a menorah over the course of eight nights.
Hanukkah is really a celebration of God rewarding the Jews for their faith. Both with victory in the revolt and with the miracle of the oil. So while it is a celebration with families gathering to eat and exchange gifts it also has this strong element of reflection, prayer and renewing ones faith.
For example the typical Hanukkah menorah actually has nine lights. One to mark each night plus another one to actually provide light. The eight other lights are supposed to be used only as a focus for prayer and thanks giving to God.
Officially Jews do not get time off work for Hanukkah. However with it being one of the winter festival of lights which seem common to all cultures they are expected to be at home with their families before dusk. In order to light the menorah and pray.
So for Jews life does tend to slow down quite a bit during Hunukkah. In areas with large Jewish populations a lot of schools and businesses do close during Hanukkah anyway.
With its focus on the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary in Jerusalem Hanukkah is obviously a huge deal within Israel. Particularly amongst the very religious, Zionist Jews. The sort of people who vote for Naftali Bennett's Jewish Home Party.
Sunday's (2/12/18) incident also occurred on the eve of a NATO meeting. This was attended by Prime Minister Netanyahu. Who met up with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to mark the first night of Hunukkah.
Israel seemed to prepare for this period of reflection with the police recommending Prime Minister Netanyahu be indicted in the Case-4000 corruption investigation. That is not to be confused with the Case-1000, Case-1270, Case-2000 or Case-3000 corruption investigations swirling around Prime Minister Netanyahu.
I started writing this series of posts on Monday (3/12/18). Immediately after Sunday's (2/12/18) incident. However, perhaps appropriately given the references to Hanukkuh, it has lasted for much longer then I thought it would.
On Tuesday (4/12/18) Israel launched Operation: Northern Shield. This aims to destroy attack tunnels built by Lebanese Hezbollah from Lebanon into Israel. They seem similar to the type of tunnels Hamas built from Gaza into Israel in order to attack and kidnap Israeli citizens during the 2016 Gaza War.
This could well be the unspecified threat to Israel that both Prime Minister Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett referenced when acting to avoid an early election. However with Israel being surrounded by either conflict or the threat of conflict on three sides it is hard to narrow the security threats down to just one.
The timing of the operation does rather help to underline to America that its continued presence at the Bobby Sands doesn't seem to be working in terms of eliminating the threat to Israel posed by Iran and by extension Lebanese Hezbollah.
20:30 on 5/12/18 (UK date).
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