Syria, Lebanon, West Bank, Gaza Strip shouldn't test Israel’s Patience, warns Israel Military Intelligence chief

Jerusalem: Major General Herzl Halevi, Chief of Israeli Military Intelligence has issued a stern warning saying that, ‘The enemies in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza Strip and West Bank who are aware of the Israeli strength, should not test Israel’s patience. The enemy should think twice before making a decision of attacking Israel’.

The tension between Israel and its neighbouring countries has increased greatly over the past few months. In view of this, a meeting of the current and former chiefs of the Israeli Military Intelligence services was convened recently. Other than Major General Halevi, the former Military Intelligence Chiefs Ehud Barak, Moshe Yaalon, Shlomo Gazit, Yehoshua Sagi, Uri Sagi, Amos Malka, Aharon Zeevi and Amos Yadlin attended the meeting. The issues like challenges faced by the Military Intelligence Agency and the changing equations in the Middle East, were discussed at the meeting.

Israeli intelligence agencies have claimed that the military tunnels in the Gaza Strip are a challenge for Israel’s security. Israel has destroyed five such large tunnels in the Gaza Strip over the past few months. The Israeli agencies have claimed that the extent of the rocket attacks increases in the month of May every year.

The Israeli intelligence agencies have claimed that along with the military tunnels, the political movements of Hamas in the Gaza Strip can also pose a challenge for Israel’s security. Hamas has announced strong protests against the declaration of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital that was made by the United States President Donald Trump, in the month of May.

Israel’s Independence Day is in the month of May. In view of this, the United States is moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. There are reports of the extremists being armed in the West Bank to protest this. An official from the French Embassy was detained in connection with this matter. Whereas, the incidents of attacks on the Israeli security personnel and the Jewish citizens are also on the rise.

Hezbollah has increased the deployment of missiles along northern border with Lebanon and additional Lebanese forces are claimed to have been moved to the areas near the Israeli border. At the same time, there have been incidents of rocket attacks in the Golan Heights area from Syria. Reports of an Iranian base which has been set up within 10 Km of the Golan Heights, along with photographs have been published.

Therefore, the current and the former intelligence chiefs reached a conclusion that there was a threat to the Israel security from Syria, Lebanon as well as from Gaza Strip and West Bank in the vacation season between April and May. Major General Halevi said, ‘Israel is passing through a period of major tensions’ and issued the warning to the neighbouring countries. ‘If any of the neighbours poses any kind of challenge for Israel’s security in this period, Israel will retaliate with its full might’, warned Halevi. The former Israel intelligence chiefs supported Halevi’s warning and said that Israel’s enemies will not be spared.