Israel Update for August 2012

Riad Hijab, who until recently served as Prime Minister in Bashar Assad's crumbling regime, defected to Jordan in early August, declaring he was joining the Syrian opposition movement. The Sunni Muslim official fled Damascus with his family and two other senior Syrian government officials and three army generals. In a statement he sent to the Al Jazeera Arab satellite news network, he declared "I announce my defection today (August 6) from the regime of killing and terror, and I join the ranks of the revolution." American officials and the rebel factions opposed to the regime hailed Hijab's defection. The Sunni Muslim Brotherhood movement posted a statement on its web site calling his move "a courageous expression of great nationalism."

Terror In Sinai

Exactly one year after eight Israelis were killed in a coordinated terror attack near the Israeli border with Egypt, Muslim fundamentalist terrorists launched another major assault in the area. Officials said a terrorist squad, probably originating from the nearby Gaza Strip, began its deadly operation by attacking an Egyptian army outpost located not far from the Rafah border crossing. After killing 16 Egyptian soldiers and wounding over 20 others during an intense firefight, the attackers stole two Egyptian armored personnel carriers which they quickly used to cross over into Israeli territory. The attackers fired anti-tank rockets at nearby Israeli soldiers who were patrolling the border area. An Israeli air force jet quickly went into action, destroying the heavy vehicle while other terrorists riding in a second vehicle jumped out and ran for cover. After combat that lasted several minutes, the bodies of seven of the infiltrating terrorists were left lifeless at the scene. No Israeli casualties were reported.

Initially it was thought that the attackers were probably Bedouin Arabs living in the Sinai who had been contracted by international jihadist groups to attack the Egyptian outpost and Israel. However it was subsequently learned that the squad crossed over into Sinai from the Gaza Strip before carrying out their audacious operation. Israeli Defense Minister Barak responded to the assault by calling upon the new Egyptian government to step up its efforts to curb the growing terrorist menace in the Sinai Peninsula. "The modus operandi of the terrorists again highlights the need for determined Egyptian action to restore security and prevent terrorist activities in Sinai. Perhaps this will be necessary wake-up call for the Egyptians to take matters in their hands in a more serious way."

New Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy wasted no time in seizing the day, declaring that "this cowardly attack will not go without a response. Those who committed this crime will pay for it dearly." After conferring with his security advisors, he quickly ordered Egyptian security forces to be beefed up in Sinai while launching a massive manhunt for any surviving terrorists. According to the 1979 Camp David peace accord, Israeli leaders must approve any major Egyptian military movement into the Sinai Peninsula. Initially such permission was forthcoming, but only for increased ground forces and the use of attack helicopters. However after Egyptian air force jets went into action against "terrorist nests" in the area for the first time since the treaty was signed, Israeli leaders called for restraint and asked the US government to intervene and halt the action. This came as the Muslim Brotherhood movement called for a "review" of the peace treaty after accusing the Israeli Mossad spy agency of somehow being responsible for the heinous attack. The Lebanese Hizbullah movement echoed the absurd charge.

Soon after the border terrorist assault was launched, President Morsi fired Field Marshall HusseinTantawi who headed the Military Council that governed Egypt after Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power in March 2011. Other senior members of the military were also dismissed from their posts. Earlier the Muslim Brotherhood movement had accused the senior army officers of plotting a coup against the newly elected Islamic fundamentalist President. Analysts say the action means that Egypt is now firmly in the grip of the radical movement that helped found the Palestinian Hamas movement in 1988.

As the countdown to a new and potentially disastrous regional war seems to gain pace, it is heartening to recall some of the end time promises that the God of Israel made long ago to His people via the ancient Hebrew prophets: "For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land, and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and I will plant them and not pluck them up (Jeremiah 24:6).