By Ryan Jones
Oct 09, 2005
Lebanese security officials have told Geostrategy-Direct that hundreds of ?Palestinian? terrorists have crossed into Lebanon over the past two weeks with Syrian assistance.
Damascus' ostensible aim is to strengthen what hold it still has over Lebanon through its terrorist allies, and to bolster forces massed in Israel's northern neighbor for future aggression against the Jewish state.
Over the past three years, attacks originating in Lebanon or carried out inside Israel proper by Syrian-supported groups have elicited Israeli air strikes on Syrian targets both in Lebanon and Syria itself.
And so Syria last week also concluded the procurement of advanced Russian-made S-18 anti-aircraft missiles, just in case Israel tries to retaliate again. Moscow also agreed to offer advanced military training to more than double the Syrian officers it now instructs in the ways of war.
The strengthening of Syrian and terrorist forces north of Israel corresponds to increased cooperation between ?Palestinian? terror groups in the PA-controlled territories and those based in Syria and Lebanon, most notably Hizballah.
In early 2004, IDF intelligence officials estimated some 80 percent of ?Palestinian? terror cells were financed and controlled, either directly or indirectly, by Hizballah.
With all the terrorists on the same page, their numbers bolstered, and morale skyrocketing in the wake of Israel's retreat from Gaza, the likelihood of a coordinated rocket assault on both northern and southern Israel at the same time has greatly increased.
Both Hizballah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza certainly have the armaments, the will and the audacity to carry out such an assault.
If they do, Israeli will presumably launch a harsh response, including token strikes meant to display it's military superiority, such as bombing runs on terrorist bases in Syria.
But this time Syria would be in a far better position to down an Israeli aircraft or two, leading to the situation quickly spiraling out of control, with Israel needing to respond even more harshly and the terrorists greatly emboldened in their offensive.
While all of this may seem like wild speculation amid relative calm in Israel and Western assertions of renewed momentum towards peace, another source indicates it is at just such a time that all hell will break loose.
The enemy to the north will say, ?I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.? (Ezekiel 38:11)
Thus says the Lord God: ?On that day when My people Israel dwell safely... Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you...a great company and a mighty army.? (Ezekiel 38:14-15)
Interestingly, IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz last week told The Jerusalem Post that on the eve of the Jewish New Year, Israel has never dwelt more safely in its land than it does now.