To provide greater exposure to primary Israeli news sources and opinions in order to become better informed on the issues, and to gain a better understanding of the wide range of perspectives that exist in Israeli society and politics. Issue 1134 • December 7, 2018 • Chanukah 5779 ISRAEL LAUNCHES OPERATION TO DESTROY HEZBOLLAH CROSS- "I told the ambassadors they must unequivocally condemn the aggression BORDER TUNNELS FROM LEBANON (Ha’aretz 12/5/18) and increase the sanctions against these elements (Hezbollah and Hamas)," The Israeli military launched an operation Monday night to destroy cross- he told reporters afterwards. border tunnels constructed by Hezbollah, crossing the Lebanon border into Netanyahu said Israel plans to demand a response from the international Israel. The Israel Defense Force announced the discovery of the tunnels on community at a meeting of the UN Security Council called for by Israel. Tuesday morning, saying it has started destroying them, dubbing the "We're preparing on all fronts, and I will determine the timing (for fighting) on operation Northern Shield. each front. They can't do anything because we neutralized them. It's one of The military said it has been aware since 2006 that Hezbollah was trying to the reasons we didn't go on an operation in Gaza, but not the only reason," construct attack tunnels stretching from Lebanon into Israel at several points he said. along the border. Since then, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has spoken A senior Israeli intelligence explained Netanyahu decided to tour the of a plan to take over parts of the Galilee in a future conflict. operation's area with the ambassadors "to create diplomatic legitimization for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that there had already further action down the road—if and when we need it." been "operational successes" in the operation. "Whoever tries to harm the "We're trying to de-legitimize Hezbollah," he explained. "They infiltrated our State of Israel will pay a heavy price," Netanyahu said in a statement, adding territory. We're convening the Security Council at the end of the week or early that Israel "is operating divisively and responsibly on all fronts next week, and we'll start applying the same pressure we put on Hamas—not simultaneously. We will continue with further actions – public and clandestine just against the tunnels, but also to make it clear this is a terror organization – in order to safeguard the security of Israel." that is here to kill civilians." The construction of the tunnels is a violation of UN Security Council The official said the IDF chose to launch the operation on the Lebanese resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, IDF border now to stop Hezbollah from learning of it ahead of time. "If Hezbollah Spokesperson Ronen Manelis told Army Radio Tuesday. found out that we know (about the tunnels), they might have accelerated the "We've been preparing for this morning for a very long time," Manelis said. efforts to carry out a kidnapping. We didn't want to reach a situation in which "I don't want to talk about the number [of tunnels], those details will stay they infiltrate and capture a soldier or a civilian," he said. classified," said Manelis, "It suffices to say that it is a small number. Work has The official also noted Russian presence on the Syria-Lebanon border is started near Metullah, and in the coming days the operation will expand to significantly slowing down Hezbollah's efforts to convert its regular missiles other sections of the homefront." Manelis added that the tunnels did not into precision-guided ones. "We're using a plan that exposes and deprives constitute an immediate threat and they were still unfinished. them of their conversion sites for such a weapon. They were neutralized and In 2013, the military discovered that Hezbollah was attempting to begin eliminated by mere words," he said. "If Iran tries to transfer such weapons to construction of the tunnels but could not locate any. In 2014, the military Lebanon, the state of Lebanon will get into a big mess." formed a special team to locate these tunnels, and in 2015 it began building a barrier along the Lebanese border. During this time, the military developed Israel Report is a Student Publication of tunnel-locating technology. "The fact that Hezbollah has tunnels crossing the border into Israeli territory Alex Ostrin, Yoav Zolty, Editors-in-Chief is proof of a flagrant violation of Israeli sovereignty," Manelis said. "We see Akiva Sturm, Eli Jarashow, Ezra Seplowitz and Bentzion Rotblat, Editors We are proud to be distributed by these institutions, though they do not necessarily support or condone this as a very serious situation that hurts Lebanon and the citizens of any of the material published: Lebanon, and we hold the Lebanese government accountable. We have Anshei Chesed Cong., Boynton Beach, FL Hillel at Brandeis University indisputable proof that the Lebanese government is not in control of their Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies Hillel at California State University - Long Beach Boca Raton Synagogue, FL Hillel at Columbia University border. Iranian money is behind these tunnels." Carmel School, Hong Kong Hillel at Johns Hopkins University Since 2013, residents in the north have reported hearing sounds of digging Cong. Agudath Achim, Bradley Beach, NJ Hillel at Yale University Cong. Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, NJ Hillel High School, Deal NJ emanating from under the ground. Manelis told army radio that each report Cong. Ahavath Achim, Fairfield, CT Jewish Center of Teaneck, NJ had been investigated, yet the army maintained that no tunnels had been Cong. Anshe Shalom, Jamaica Estates, NY Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi, Cedarhurst, NY Cong. Anshe Sholom, New Rochelle, NY Kemp Mill Synagogue, Silver Spring, MD found under the northern border. Cong. Beth Aaron, Teaneck, NJ Mizrachi Shul, Johannesburg, SA Cong. Beth Shalom, Monroe Twp, NJ North Shore Hebrew Academy HS, NY Cong. Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, NJ Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, NJ NETANYAHU: ISRAEL MAY OPERATE IN LEBANON (YNet 12/6/18) Cong. Etz Ahaim, Highland Park, NJ The Learning Shul, Columbia, SC Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday there is "reasonable Cong. Ohr Torah, Edison, NJ Woodsburgh, NY Minyan possibility we will have to operate in Lebanon" as part of the IDF's Operation Cong. Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, NJ Young Israel Bet Tefilah of Aberdeen, NJ Cong. Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, NJ Young Israel of Brookline, MA Northern Shield to uncover and destroy Hezbollah tunnels that cross the Cong. Sons of Israel, Allentown, PA Young Israel of East Brunswick, NJ border into Israel. Cong. Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, NJ Young Israel of Fort Lee, NJ Cong. Zichron R. M. Feinstein, Brooklyn, NY Young Israel of Hancock Park, CA "We are denying our enemies the tunnels weapon in a systematic, Delray Orthodox Synagogue, Delray Beach, FL Young Israel of Holliswood, NY determined manner and we will do whatever it takes," Netanyahu told 25 East Denver Orthodox Synagogue, CO Young Israel of Houston, TX Flatbush Park Jewish Center, Mill Basin, NY Young Israel of New Hyde Park, NY foreign ambassadors at a briefing in the upper Galilee. "This operation is just Harvard University Library Young Israel of North Woodmere, NY beginning, but when it ends, the tunnel weapon Hezbollah invested in will no Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, NY Young Israel of New Rochelle, NY Hillel at Baruch College Young Israel of Sharon, MA longer be effective." YI Shomrai Emunah, Silver Spring, MD "Anyone who attacks us, his blood be on his own head. Hezbollah and We encourage our readers to subscribe to our sources on the internet. For more information or to Hamas know this," he added. subscribe by e-mail, reach us at [email protected] 2 Furthermore, "according to Nasrallah's plan to develop accurate weapons, Israel and the US, he said, are pressing equally as hard to get the motion they were supposed to have thousands of accurate missiles by now. In reality passed. they have mere dozens," the senior official explained. "It happened because Danon said that in his conversations with fellow ambassadors at the UN, he we disrupted their operations." is stressing that the resolution was not for Israel or against the Palestinians, but rather a resolution against a terrorist organization. He said his message ISRAEL HAS A RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF, EU AMBASSADOR SAYS to those who abstained in the summer was, “You can’t sit on the fence. (Israel Hayom 12/6/18) Tomorrow there will be a terrorist attack and you will come to the UN to seek Israel has the right to defend itself, EU Ambassador to Israel Emanuele a condemnation. No country is immune.” Giaufret said Thursday, after Israel launched Operation Northern Shield to Danon expressed amazement that Hamas was sending letters to the UN and destroy Hezbollah attack tunnels on its border with Lebanon. dispatching representatives to various countries to lobby against the move, Giaufret said in a Twitter message that he was "closely following news re: as if it was a political entity, not a terrorist group. Northern Shield" and was in "close contact" with Israeli authorities. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley is expected to present the resolution Giaufret also said that UNIFIL had a "key role" to play and needed full on Thursday. She tweeted this week that the “UN will vote on a US resolution support to fulfill its mandate to "maintain stability and prevent escalation." supported by the EU that condemns Hamas’s destructive actions. Countries must now ask themselves: Are they for or against Hamas’ violence? The GERMANY, BRITAIN BACK ISRAEL AND CONDEMN HEZBOLLAH choice is clear for the US – we hope it will be for the rest of the UN as well.” (Arutz-7 12/6/18) Jerusalem and Washington’s diplomatic efforts on this issue are not only Germany on Wednesday condemned the Hezbollah terrorist organization for taking place in the halls of the UN, Danon said, but also in capitals around digging tunnels that infiltrated into Israeli territory.