Nothing’s ever that black and white.

Traffic all across Israel has ground to a snarl as police are checking cars looking for an IDF soldier that may have been kidnapped today at noon. Stay tuned as we’ll try to update you with the latest news as it becomes available. The police have yet to reveal any details to the press and have not officially mentioned any potential kidnappings.

UPDATE: The Jerusalem Post now reports that there was a nationwide roll call of all soldiers after a female soldier reported seeing 2 civilians forcing a soldier into a car last night near an air force base. A Palestinian group has already claimed to have successfully kidnapped a soldier:

The Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported that a previously unknown group calling itself the “Al-Quds Army” claimed responsibility for the reported capture in a statement sent to it… “A group of our resistance fighters captured an Israeli soldier near Ben Gurion Airport and withdrew with the soldier without incident . we will provide details about the captured soldier later,” the statement quoted on Ma’an’s Web site said.

FINAL UPDATE: False alarm! Thank goodness. Though I must say, having had to slog through all that traffic, I can’t help but be impressed by the efforts expended at saving just one soldier from the fate currently suffered by Gilad Shalit who has been held in captivity by Hamas for just over three years now, without a single visit from the Red Cross.

UNIFIL – the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. They are the peace keeping force in Southern Lebanon. Part of their job is to monitor what Hezbollah does in the South of the country. While they often attest that it is not their job to stop Hezbollah from doing things (and what could they possibly do to stop them even if they acknowledged that its their job), yet they are supposed to watch and if violations occur, report them.

The IDF Speakers Unit has released footage from 7 months ago which demonstrates that Hezbollah was creating and maintaining a series of store houses connected by tunnels, despite the fact that UNIFIL has claimed, since 2006, that no such activity has occured.
IDF Footage of Hezbollah Resuming Activities in Violation of UN Resolution 1701

On Tuesday morning (July 14, 2009), according to the IDF, a house in “Hirbet Salim in Southern Lebanon, approximately 7 km from the Israeli border, exploded on 14 July 2009 at 0730 exposing the large quantity of munitions stored in the building. The many holes on the roof and walls attest to the destructive power of the weapons being stored and accumulated by the Iran-backed Hizbullah in Southern Lebanon. This is a clear and blatant violation of UN Resolution 1701, which prohibits the use and storage of weaponry south of the Litani River in Lebanon.” The footage attached is of the house, prior to its explosion.
Hezbollah Munitions Store House

Imagine how UNIFIL feels now. UNIFIL, on Wednesday, stated that this incident was a “serious violation.” Lebanese Security Services have confirmed the explosion, but Hezbollah has not yet commented. It would appear that UNIFIL is not doing a very good job at watching. If things are going on under their watch, one must question what it is that they are actually doing. Hezbollah is clearly stockpiling arms and munitions, many of them gifts from their friends in Iran, as well as training their “soldiers” for a not-too-future war. It is rather dubious that the United Nations’ Force is unaware of this. Between tacit compliance and simple incompetence the options are not too great.

Hamas Map (Ynet)

Earlier today, the IDF unveiled a Hamas map found by a unit of the Paratroopers Brigade in the al-Atatra neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip. The map is hand-drawn, and depicts the neighborhood being broken down into three color-coded sections. According to Chief IDF Intelligence Officer Brigadier-General Yuval Halamish, “Inside the map, the terrorists also marked sniper positions, as well as the location of roadside bombs, anti-tank bombs and landmines.” They specifically marked civilian cites, such as mosques, gas stations, fuel depots, houses, et al, for use in guerrilla tactics. For example, some entrances to civilian homes were marked with booby traps. In others, dolls or mannequins dressed in military garb were placed in the entrances to draw Israeli troops into the homes, where they would be ambushed and kidnapped. Moreover, next to a gas station, a large explosive device was planted so that if it had been detonated, it would have likely exploded the gas station and injured many civilians. Throughout the three regions, sharp shooter positions were, also, labeled. Hamas uses civilians as shields, and intentionally places their citizens in harm’s way. This map, clearly, testifies to this fact, in no uncertain terms.

Something close to 140 rockets have been fired into the western Negev from Gaza over the past two weeks. Only yesterday, another 10 rockets were fired into Israel. Color Red Alerts (the rocket warning system in place in the southern communities located in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip) have been heard in multiple communities, including those of Ashdod, Sderot, and Sha’ar HaNegev (also referred to as Otef Aza). Hamas and the Al-Quds Brigadeof the Palestinian Islamic Jihad have, respectively, taken credit for various rocket launching.

It all started when the IDF discovered a tunnel linked with the Gaza Strip which could be used to smuggle supplies, weapons, and people into and out of the Gaza Strip. Should it be used to allow terrorists out of Gaza, this would be of great danger to Israeli security. In response to the destruction of the tunnel, rockets have been fired into Israel, which has warranted Israeli air strikes against the rocket launchers. Minister of Defense Ehud Barak has said, “No country can accept the consistent shelling of its citizens from a foreign entity. Israel won’t accept this. When conditions are ripe and there is a necessity to do so, we will act.” Perhaps this has led to the most recent incursion into Gaza this morning, in which Palestinian militants fired mortars at IDF tanks which briefly entered the Strip.

Technically the cease-fire is still in effect, as it has not yet been called off by either side. In case that the questions were not lacking prior to the beginning of the ceasefire, they ought to be asked now. It is clear that the ceasefire is simply giving Hamas and the other militant groups time to rearm and regroup. This being said, what is the purpose of the ceasefire. While most Israelis would like to have peace with their neighbors, and this, in fact, is a part of Israel’s Grand Strategy towards all of its neighbors (in particular, Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon), Israelis, in general, are split as to what is a reasonable cost. The Ehud Baraks of the Israeli government would like Israel’s Grand Strategy towards Gaza to be one which brings quiet for the short term. It does not matter for them if, in 5, 10, or ever 20, years time, Hamas will be more powerful than it ever was and in even less of a position to accept Israel’s existence. Thus, they will be willing to make whatever concessions are necessary in order to maintain this ceasefire. This being said, the objective ought not be quiet, but rather containment.

A terrorist organization uses force against a civilian population with a political motive. Allowing such an organization to grow stronger will not yield peace, nor will it yield tranquility in the long term (or even the short term, as the renewed rocket barrage ought to show). Jabotinsky argued that the only way to have peace with those who want to push you into the sea is to prove to them, beyond any measure of doubt, that you are going nowhere, and that you will not be pushed into the sea. He, as did the Talmud, also, argued against meeting those halfway, who have no wish to even take a baby step in your direction. A ceasefire, or defacto recognition of Hamas’ right to use acts of terror against Israel’s civilian population cannot result in peace. Rather, it will probably result if far more death and destruction than would direct confrontation.

Three seconds. You see a group of people coming towards you. In their hands they are holding Molotov cocktails and other firebombs. You warn them, “Stop, or I’ll shoot!” They keep coming towards to you. You know that in three seconds they will throw their firebombs at you and your friends, maybe killing some of them, definitely causing serious bodily harm and destruction of property. What do you do? You shoot.

Over the last 3 days, 3 Palestinians have been killed by IDF soldiers in the West Bank, near Ramallah, with a fourth being seriously wounded. The most recent incident occurred Thursday, where members of the Kfir Brigade shot the oncoming assialants in the legs to prevent the fire bomb attack, resulting in the death of Aziz Al-Haj. Muhammed al-Ramahi was killed on Wednesday in a similar incident, as was Abdel Rahman Badwi on Tuesday. “Palestinian youths frequently throw stones and sometimes fire-bombs at settler cars or military vehicles in the West Bank.” Because of the increase in Molotov cocktail attacks in the Ramallah-Jerusalem region, the IDF has begun to carryout night ambushes to prevent such attacks. The Palestinian Authority has stated that these incidents are not a part of a renewed intifada, and blames Israel for “creating provocations.”

Is the IDF being provocative? Really! What chutzpah the Israeli army has to try to defend itself. Let us examine the facts. Many Palestinian youths have, as of late, attempted to carry out attacks against Israeli civilian and military targets in the West Bank. Recently, this has been done through the use of Molotov cocktails. For those who are not familiar with a Molotov cocktail, imagine a bottle, say a handle of vodka, filled with alcohol, gasoline, or oil, with a cloth hanging out of the top. Now light this the cloth and throw the bottle. This makes quite an explosion, with the highly flammable contents of the jar quickly catching on fire, causing the jar to explode, sending shards of glass everywhere, and spreading fire throughout the small area. One cannot use such a device without the malice aforethought of knowing fully well and having the intent to cause serious bodily harm and destruction of property. Israeli soldiers have attempted to prevent such attacks, themselves often being targeted. The Israelis, however, have warned their assailants to stop what they were doing (in Arabic, by the way; it is a phrase every combat soldier knows – “Waqf ow ana batusak”), and then, when the assailants refuse, shoot them, but in the leg. Shooting in the legs is a clear statement that they are not trying to cause death and destruction. It would have been far easier to shoot the assailants in the chest. But to shoot in the legs proves an attempt to spare life. Can we say so much about these Palestinian youths?

Well, my friends, it may be that a new war between Israel and Hizbollah is looming in the near future. Since the so-called “Second Lebanon War” in 2006, Hizbollah has spent its time well, rebuilding its bunkers, recruiting new fighters, and rearming with new and improved rockets, with the help of Syria and Iran.

Major-General Gadi Eizenkot of the Israeli Defense Force Northern Command has warned Hizbollah that any future actions or attacks on Israel carried out would be met with “disproportionate” response. In the past, when Hizbollah fired rockets on Israel, it did so from so-called civilian villages. Eizenkot, in his interview, has made it clear that as far as the IDF is concerned, any village which is used to attack Israel will be viewed as a hostile base. He warns that enemy villages will meet the same fate as the Dahiya quarter of Beirut, Hizbollah’s base of operations in Beirut, which was completely flattened and destroyed during the war. Further, he suggests that Nasrallah think very carefully before messing with Israel again.

Hizbollah, in turn, has responded by calling Israel a “paper tiger”. Thus, this official states that Israel’s “threats” are nothing to fear. Hizbollah claims that it will continue its holy war against Israel until Israel withdraws from the Sheba Farms (which is sort of a lie, as Nasrallah has, also, promised that Hizbollah would continue its resistance until there is a Palestine from the “Sea to the Jordan”). Hizbollah believes it was victorious in both of the “Lebanon Wars” forcing Israel to withdraw in 2000, and not being defeated in 2006. After all, Hizbollah believes that its strategies have, thus far, been quite effective. A Hizbollah official has argued that while Hizbollah would be victorious in any battle, Israel has too many internal problems to really launch a war against Lebanon.

So now the question is: what does this mean? Is Hizbollah right? Is this “threat” by the Israeli military just a ploy, and a way for the Israeli government to distract its people from more pressing issues that if left to fester would lead to the destruction of the State’s very fabric? This theory sounds like a wonderful conspiracy, because that’s what it is. And like every conspiracy, facts can be provicded to support it and it cannot ever be really disproven. This being said, Israel has had internal conflicts since prior to its establishment; a fact which is unlikely to ever change. So, if we dismiss the governmental cover-up theory, we are left with the only reasonable conclusion. Someone believes that Hizbollah is planning something. Afterall, they have rebuilt their bunkers right under the noses of the incompetent U.N. Peace Keeping Troops, as they did last time, and have obtained weapons which ought to be able to hit farther into Israel (maybe even, as Nasrallah put it, “b3d b3d Haifa” – i.e. Tel Aviv). This being said, Hizbollah needs public support to function, as do any effective terrorist organizations. If villages don’t allow their villages to be used as strong holds, Hizbollah’s options will be limited, and if these villages know that they will be destroyed, not attacked, but actually flattened, maybe they will think twice. While Nasrallah may not care about the lives of ordinary Lebanese living in the South of their country, maybe others, such as the ordinary Lebanese do. So maybe this is just an idle threat trying to prevent an act of violence. But in any case, words are cheap, and the threat doesn’t hurt. Maybe it will convince Hizbollah to think twice about attacking Israel. And if it doesn’t, well, it seems that there will be an awful lot of rubble in the South of Lebanon. There is a great consensus in Israel that Israel was too soft in the last war; they won’t make that mistake twice.

Serial No. 3817131 is the title of Photographer Rachel Papo’s latest essay, showing the everyday routine of girls in the Israeli Army. Some photos look like the ones my brother took of us during our Birthright trip on Mt. Hermon, but a few clearly rise above the rest. Papo’s plan is to reveal the demanding compromise Israeli girls who choose the military route make: a 2 year interruption, albeit a necessary one to protect the State, takes it toll. That and a gun slung around a shoulder shouldn’t subtract any humanity from a soldier. I’m not saying they enhance it either, though hot chicks with sniper rifles are definitely making me feel pretty human right now.

Much thanks to Paolo Dy, a Filipino cinematographer who did us all a favor by putting The Hotties of the Israeli Army, the tachlis album for those of us whose time is short.

Do you want more Rachel Papo?!

TMZ recently reported about this season’s must have accessory amongst the Hollywood Glitteratti – a security team made up of former members of the Israel Defense Forces. The video ironically notes how a people known more for their acumen as lawyers, accountants and Hollywood execs, jobs not usually associated with physical prowess, are now moving into a field dominated by tough guys. The report features an appearance by Woody Allen playing the old-skool whimpy Jew, and Aaron Cohen of IMS Security as the strapping former Israeli warrior who protects the likes of Paris Hilton and serving subpoenas on behalf of Britney Spears’ ex himbo, Kevin Federline.

OK. It must have been a slow news day over at TMZ, and the story is kind of blah, but what is really remarkable about this vid are the hateful comments it has inspired. Apparently people think the term “Jews” is racist and/or derogatory. As a guy who runs a Web site called Jewlicious, I can’t help but find that funny. I mean, racist? Judaism is not a race! And I am in fact a Jew – what’s so derogatory about that? What was the story supposed to be called? Send in the People of the Mosaic Persuasion? Sheesh… relax people!

Oh and the Aaron Cohen featured in this story should not be confused with Aaron Cohen, the award-winning (he has a girlfriend too!), badass anti-slavery activist and former Jewlicious Festival presenter.