Operation "Cast Lead": Israeli Air Force strike followed months of planning

[waraich66]

Operation "Cast Lead": Israeli Air Force strike followed months of planning


by Barak Ravid


Global Research, December 28, 2008
Haaretz





Global Research Editor's Note

While the Western media remains silent and complicit, the Israeli Press (Haaretz) reveals the unspoken truth: the careful planning of a military operation entitled "Cast Lead" coupled with a media disinformation and diplomatic campaign. What we are witnessing is genocide. Let us be under no illusiions, this operation was implemented with the knowledge and approval of Israeli's allies.

Long-term planning, meticulous intelligence-gathering, secret discussions, visual deception tactics and disinformation preceded operation "Cast Lead" which the Israel Air Force launched yesterday in Gaza to take out Hamas targets in the Strip.

The disinformation effort, according to defense officials, took Hamas by surprise and served to significantly increase the number of its casualties in the strike.

Sources in the defense establishment said Defense Minister Ehud Barak instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for the operation over six months ago, even as Israel was beginning to negotiate a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. According to the sources, Barak maintained that although the lull would allow Hamas to prepare for a showdown with Israel, the Israeli army needed time to prepare, as well. Advertisement

Barak gave orders to carry out a comprehensive intelligence-gathering drive which sought to map out Hamas' security infrastructure, along with that of other militant organizations operating in the Strip.

This intelligence-gathering effort brought back information about permanent bases, weapon silos, training camps, the homes of senior officials and coordinates for other facilities.

The plan of action that was implemented in Operation Cast Lead remained only a blueprint until a month ago, when tensions soared after the IDF carried out an incursion into Gaza during the ceasefire to take out a tunnel which the army said was intended to facilitate an attack by Palestinian militants on IDF troops.

On November 19, following dozens of Qassam rockets and mortar rounds which exploded on Israeli soil, the plan was brought for Barak's final approval. Last Thursday, on December 18, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak met at IDF Kiryat headquarters in central Tel Aviv to approve the operation.

However, they decided to put the mission on hold to see whether Hamas would hold its fire after the expiration of the ceasefire. They therefore put off bringing the plan for the cabinet's approval, but they did inform Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the developments.

That night, in speaking to the media, sources in the Prime Minister's Bureau said that "if the shooting from Gaza continues, the showdown with Hamas would be inevitable." On the weekend, several ministers in Olmert's cabinet inveighed against him and against Barak for not retaliating for Hamas' Qassam launches.

"This chatter would have made Entebe or the Six Day War impossible," Barak said in responding to the accusations. The cabinet was eventually convened on Wednesday, but the Prime Minister's Bureau misinformed the media in stating the discussion would revolve around global jihad. The ministers learned only that morning that the discussion would actually pertain to the operation in Gaza.

In its summary announcement for the discussion, the Prime Minister's Bureau devoted one line to the situation in Gaza, compared to one whole page that concerned the outlawing of 35 Islamic organizations.

What actually went on at the cabinet meeting was a five-hour discussion about the operation in which ministers were briefed about the various blueprints and plans of action. "It was a very detailed review," one minister said.

The minister added: "Everyone fully understood what sort of period we were heading into and what sort of scenarios this could lead to. No one could say that he or she did not know what they were voting on." The minister also said that the discussion showed that the lessons of the Winograd Committee about the performance of decision-makers during the 2006 Second Lebanon War were "fully internalized."

At the end of the discussion, the ministers unanimously voted in favor of the strike, leaving it for the prime minister, the defense minister and the foreign minister to work out the exact time.

While Barak was working out the final details with the officers responsible for the operation, Livni went to Cairo to inform Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak, that Israel had decided to strike at Hamas.

In parallel, Israel continued to send out disinformation in announcing it would open the crossings to the Gaza Strip and that Olmert would decide whether to launch the strike following three more deliberations on Sunday - one day after the actual order to launch the operation was issued.

"Hamas evacuated all its headquarter personnel after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday," one defense official said, "but the organization sent its people back in when they heard that everything was put on hold until Sunday."

The final decision was made on Friday morning, when Barak met with Chief of Staff General Gabi Ashkenazi, the head of the Shin Bet Security Service Yuval Diskin and the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, Amos Yadlin. Barak sat down with Olmert and Livni several hours later for a final meeting, in which the trio gave the air force its orders.

On Friday night and on Saturday morning, opposition leaders and prominent political figures were informed about the impending strike, including Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, Yisrael Beuiteinu's Avigdor Liebermen, Haim Oron from Meretz and President Shimon Peres, along with Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik.


Global Research Articles by Barak Ravid


Why muslim world is sleeping?
Why US Allies are silient for innocent killing?
Why from last fifteen months Gazaian are under siege?
Why Hamas democratically elected governmnt is not acceptable?

Can any one provide answers of these question?

 

[ajpirzada]

thats wat they do and then they say y r u so anti american and anti israel.

 

[Rafael]

Operation "Cast Lead": Israeli Air Force strike followed months of planning


by Barak Ravid


Global Research, December 28, 2008
Haaretz





Global Research Editor's Note

While the Western media remains silent and complicit, the Israeli Press (Haaretz) reveals the unspoken truth: the careful planning of a military operation entitled "Cast Lead" coupled with a media disinformation and diplomatic campaign. What we are witnessing is genocide. Let us be under no illusiions, this operation was implemented with the knowledge and approval of Israeli's allies.

Long-term planning, meticulous intelligence-gathering, secret discussions, visual deception tactics and disinformation preceded operation "Cast Lead" which the Israel Air Force launched yesterday in Gaza to take out Hamas targets in the Strip.

The disinformation effort, according to defense officials, took Hamas by surprise and served to significantly increase the number of its casualties in the strike.

Sources in the defense establishment said Defense Minister Ehud Barak instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for the operation over six months ago, even as Israel was beginning to negotiate a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. According to the sources, Barak maintained that although the lull would allow Hamas to prepare for a showdown with Israel, the Israeli army needed time to prepare, as well. Advertisement

Barak gave orders to carry out a comprehensive intelligence-gathering drive which sought to map out Hamas' security infrastructure, along with that of other militant organizations operating in the Strip.

This intelligence-gathering effort brought back information about permanent bases, weapon silos, training camps, the homes of senior officials and coordinates for other facilities.

The plan of action that was implemented in Operation Cast Lead remained only a blueprint until a month ago, when tensions soared after the IDF carried out an incursion into Gaza during the ceasefire to take out a tunnel which the army said was intended to facilitate an attack by Palestinian militants on IDF troops.

On November 19, following dozens of Qassam rockets and mortar rounds which exploded on Israeli soil, the plan was brought for Barak's final approval. Last Thursday, on December 18, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak met at IDF Kiryat headquarters in central Tel Aviv to approve the operation.

However, they decided to put the mission on hold to see whether Hamas would hold its fire after the expiration of the ceasefire. They therefore put off bringing the plan for the cabinet's approval, but they did inform Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the developments.

That night, in speaking to the media, sources in the Prime Minister's Bureau said that "if the shooting from Gaza continues, the showdown with Hamas would be inevitable." On the weekend, several ministers in Olmert's cabinet inveighed against him and against Barak for not retaliating for Hamas' Qassam launches.

"This chatter would have made Entebe or the Six Day War impossible," Barak said in responding to the accusations. The cabinet was eventually convened on Wednesday, but the Prime Minister's Bureau misinformed the media in stating the discussion would revolve around global jihad. The ministers learned only that morning that the discussion would actually pertain to the operation in Gaza.

In its summary announcement for the discussion, the Prime Minister's Bureau devoted one line to the situation in Gaza, compared to one whole page that concerned the outlawing of 35 Islamic organizations.

What actually went on at the cabinet meeting was a five-hour discussion about the operation in which ministers were briefed about the various blueprints and plans of action. "It was a very detailed review," one minister said.

The minister added: "Everyone fully understood what sort of period we were heading into and what sort of scenarios this could lead to. No one could say that he or she did not know what they were voting on." The minister also said that the discussion showed that the lessons of the Winograd Committee about the performance of decision-makers during the 2006 Second Lebanon War were "fully internalized."

At the end of the discussion, the ministers unanimously voted in favor of the strike, leaving it for the prime minister, the defense minister and the foreign minister to work out the exact time.

While Barak was working out the final details with the officers responsible for the operation, Livni went to Cairo to inform Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak, that Israel had decided to strike at Hamas.

In parallel, Israel continued to send out disinformation in announcing it would open the crossings to the Gaza Strip and that Olmert would decide whether to launch the strike following three more deliberations on Sunday - one day after the actual order to launch the operation was issued.

"Hamas evacuated all its headquarter personnel after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday," one defense official said, "but the organization sent its people back in when they heard that everything was put on hold until Sunday."

The final decision was made on Friday morning, when Barak met with Chief of Staff General Gabi Ashkenazi, the head of the Shin Bet Security Service Yuval Diskin and the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, Amos Yadlin. Barak sat down with Olmert and Livni several hours later for a final meeting, in which the trio gave the air force its orders.

On Friday night and on Saturday morning, opposition leaders and prominent political figures were informed about the impending strike, including Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, Yisrael Beuiteinu's Avigdor Liebermen, Haim Oron from Meretz and President Shimon Peres, along with Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik.


Global Research Articles by Barak Ravid


Why muslim world is sleeping?
Why US Allies are silient for innocent killing?
Why from last fifteen months Gazaian are under siege?
Why Hamas democratically elected governmnt is not acceptable?

Can any one provide answers of these question?

1) Because our leaders are impotent...all of them with some exceptions (iranian president)
2) because they are US allies.
3) because israel is fighting for its so called survival
4) becuase its an elected govt....



this is a new world for you my friend.

 

[TOPGUN]

Well its works both ways takes to hands to clap and iam not taking the jews side but wat i must say is that sending in jets dropping in bombs after bombs killing thousands if that is ok with the world then i really dont understand this world its crul ,sick and just wrong why doenst the world speak up ????????

 

[ajpirzada]

this is simply called hypocracy

 

[N8H]

Someone on forum ******************** had a great idea...Pakistan should offer to take in some of the Palestinians as refugees and embarrass the Arabs into action. The Arabs need to look after their own but are busy pretending all is well in their neighbourhood. The Palestinians are revolting but none of it's neighbors wants to get involved. PK un ko dikhana chayya k hum apnay Musssalmano ko kaysaa hifasat kartay hain.

N8H

 

[waraich66]

Well its works both ways takes to hands to clap and iam not taking the jews side but wat i must say is that sending in jets dropping in bombs after bombs killing thousands if that is ok with the world then i really dont understand this world its crul ,sick and just wrong why doenst the world speak up ????????

This is same satuation when serbs are bombing civilian population ,in gaza palestinians dont have air defence,tanks,central cammand ,Israel is mudering them ,UN and US and muslim world should send forces .

At least united muslim/arab/pakistan army should send forces to stop Israel killings.More then 20% are women and children killed during first five days.

 

[N8H]

The problem is that Israel's AF and tanks need to be taken out first. No Arab country will risk taking them on. If they do manage to succeed, the West will immediately come to "poor, victimized Israel's" aid and prop them back up again.

Man to man, the Israeli's are no match against trained soldiers. Hezbollah demonstrated that recently. They realize they are not top dog any longer, so they now decide to take "bold" action Gaza. Israel k politicians aur fauji kitnay bahadur hain...haramzade!

I am afraid the Gaza Palestinians are done for. Israel is tightening the noose with the full intent on extermination. It seems, they learned their lessons well from their old Armani masters.

N8H

 

[waraich66]

The problem is that Israel's AF and tanks need to be taken out first. No Arab country will risk taking them on. If they do manage to succeed, the West will immediately come to "poor, victimized Israel's" aid and prop them back up again.

Man to man, the Israeli's are no match against trained soldiers. Hezbollah demonstrated that recently. They realize they are not top dog any longer, so they now decide to take "bold" action Gaza. Israel k politicians aur fauji kitnay bahadur hain...haramzade!

I am afraid the Gaza Palestinians are done for. Israel is tightening the noose with the full intent on extermination. It seems, they learned their lessons well from their old Armani masters.

N8H

Main problem is that arabs are not united and could not take firm stand against US .Saudi and UAE have enough latest F16 and F15 but dont have nukes and missiles .They have assurance from US that israel will not attack on them because US have investment in these countries.

Iran will not support hamas as they helped hizbullah.

Now we can understand why UK disintegrated usmani empire in 1924 to break the back bone of muslim ummah.Which was bigest lose we suffered

 

[Captain03]

one day the arab nations will grow balls and fight for their own

 

[superbikez]

In front of me the time is on fire... take a very good step in this situation look at isreal ... Isreal Under US... the good step is Pakistan informed US and Isreal that now from Today Palestine is under Pakistan (PAF few jets and Infintry and 10,000 of Armed forces moving control of palestine border...

Guess wat after thn ?

ISREAL dun hav balls to attack on Palestine .. they have 1000 blaa blaa jets etc we will beta know how can handle these isreal'z....

They fight againt those who dun have any thing even a missile ....

PAF few jets + infintry + 10 - 20,000 troops on palestine border... believe me "Demaag darust hojayeengay in yahoodyoon kay"

kick a side these arabs thy cant do anythingz we can do enough n good enough against theez isreal's If our govt (american puppets) take a good step and deal with arabs that Pakistan control Palestine border front i believe one more attack on palestine from isreal.. ISREAL WILL FINSH from this world INSHALLAH!

 

[F.O.X]

the only person we need to change is our self, we have became too much dependent on our friends & Allies, now a days the best we can do is to protest, that this shouldn't happen that shouldn't happen.
We happen to be nuclear country but are acting like a country who is still in stone age.

Our public is too stupid to be rely on they elect the same scum again & again knowing that nothing is gona change.
In now a days the best thing we can do is protest.
We have lost our dignit & pride long time ago.

BEFORE CHANGING THE WORLD WE NEED TO CHANGE OURSELF FIRST.




Regards
Champ

 

[waraich66]

BEFORE CHANGING THE WORLD WE NEED TO CHANGE OURSELF FIRST.

Well said buddy,

Muslims are in war from very start with jews ,they are our worst enemy but question how could muslim deal with this worst enemy.

Reason is we stopped jihad ,either muslim should be in practical jihad(Herb) or doing preparation for that,then only we can defeat our enemies and muslim nation will be on top of all nation.For preparation of Herb we should spend 1/3 of our income and time .

Otherwise we remain in status in which we are at present.We have 1/5 of world population and 1/3 of worlds wealth but still muslims have no voice and decision power between the family of nations.

 

[waraich66]

Obama's statement on the Crisis in Palestine


by Andrew Hughes


Global Research, January 4, 2009



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It's no small wonder that President Elect Barack Obama is keeping silent on the current round of wanton slaughter and destruction in Palestine. After all He had already made his position crystal clear when he addressed the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, otherwise known as "The Israeli Lobby", on June 4th of last year. There had been doubts amongst a portion of Jewish voters as to his fealty to Israel but in his opening statement he put those fears to rest.

"I want you to know that today I'll be speaking from my heart, and as a true friend of Israel. And I know that when I visit with AIPAC, I am among friends. Good friends. Friends who share my strong commitment to make sure that the bond between the United States and Israel is unbreakable today, tomorrow and forever."

The speech, reportedly written by James Steinberg, his newly nominated deputy secretary of state and former deputy national security advisor under Bill Clinton, was the Nadir of Obama's semblance of integrity. His sycophantic, one sided admiration for Israel was as intense as his vilification of anyone who dared to criticize its policies. His choice of words to express the unity between the U.S. and Israel was probably more revealing that he would have liked.

"Our alliance is based on shared interests and shared values. Those who threaten Israel threaten us. Israel has always faced these threats on the front lines. And I will bring to the White House an unshakeable commitment to Israel's security."

If by "shared values" he means that U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East has been one of pillage, murder and chaos, then he would be right. If by "shared interests" he means the theft of Arab land, he would also be correct. The same foreign policy pursued by the Bush-Cheney gang, against which he had been railing during his campaign, is acceptable when it comes to protecting a nuclear armed apartheid regime such as Israel. The obligatory nod to a negotiated Peace was briefly addressed in terms that would not have anyone shifting in their seats...

"As president, I will work to help Israel achieve the goal of two states, a Jewish state of Israel and a Palestinian state, living side by side in peace and security. And I won't wait until the waning days of my presidency." SNIP "Israel's quest for peace with its neighbors has stalled, despite the heavy burdens borne by the Israeli people."

How many Presidents have we heard this from over the last 20 years ? What "quest for Peace" with its neighbours? Every dog and pony show organized by successive occupants of the Whitehouse has been only to give the appearance of progress and has always proposed an impossible choice for the Palestinians in which they would be the ones to give and the Israelis would be the ones to take. Camp David Redux. He goes on to recount a visit to Israel on which he took a joyride on an IDF helicopter, paid for by U.S. taxpayer "aid" he consistently voted for..

"I saw a narrow and beautiful strip of land nestled against the Mediterranean. On the ground, I met a family who saw their house destroyed by a Katyusha rocket. I spoke to Israeli troops who faced daily threats as they maintained security near the blue line. I talked to people who wanted nothing more simple, or elusive, than a secure future for their children."

There was no visit to the very unbeautiful, poverty ridden lunar landscape that is Gaza. There was no mention of the thousands of Palestinian families who had lost sons, daughters, mothers and fathers to F-16's, Apache attack helicopters, Merkava tanks, white phosphorous bombs, nerve gas and M-16 bullets all delivered through his complicity and his commitment to Israel's "security". There was no mention of the thousands of Palestinian homes bulldozed to rubble, the thousands of families these criminal acts made homeless. There needs to be recognition of the real suffering on both sides of the equation. Israeli families are suffering as a consequence of the actions of their own government and those of the U.S. which have given rise to the actions of a desperate Palestinian people who have been driven to the end of hopelessness and despair. An increasing number of Israeli citizens are beginning to realise this and opposition to the occupation and the enslavement is growing. There are increasing numbers of these same Israeli troops that Obama talked to that are refusing to take part in the destruction of an entire people.

"Israel can also advance the cause of peace by taking appropriate steps - consistent with its security - to ease the freedom of movement for Palestinians, improve economic conditions in the West Bank, and to refrain from building new settlements - as it agreed to with the Bush administration at Annapolis."

Ah, "security" again. Does Obama not realize that these same "settlements" represent an abrogation of International Law? Does "security" outweigh this same framework of International Law to which his own country and Israel are signatories? Is he going to continue to add to the very long list of U.S. vetoed resolutions against Israel? The only U.N. resolution that he wants to see enforced is 1701 under which the "security council calls for an end to hostilities between Hizbollah and Israel", never mind that Israel instigated this massacre to try and bring Hizbollah to heel only to have to drag their sorry behinds back home. The precipitating event was"by way of deception", the motto of Mossad, and was quickly sanitized from any media reporting.

Obama will continue the vilification of and bellicosity towards Iran and Syria which he insists pose a grave danger to a country that possesses hundreds of Nuclear weapons. The following quotes illustrate the continuity we can expect with regard to U.S. policy in the Middle East.

"The threats to Israel start close to home, but they don't end there. Syria continues its support for terror and meddling in Lebanon. And Syria has taken dangerous steps in pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, which is why Israeli action was justified to end that threat." No matter that the "The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has found no trace of nuclear material in Syria's Al-Kibar so far, but it would continue sampling in this area to analyze, said Mohammed ElBaradei, IAEA director general, in Vienna Monday" Source. The IAEA has not come back to date with any confirmation.

"There is no greater threat to Israel - or to the peace and stability of the region - than Iran." SNIP "The Iranian regime supports violent extremists and challenges us across the region. It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race and raise the prospect of a transfer of nuclear know-how to terrorists. Its president denies the Holocaust and threatens to wipe Israel off the map. The danger from Iran is grave, it is real, and my goal will be to eliminate this threat."

It does not seem to register with Obama that the original translation from Farsi to English had been later corrected to "I have no doubt that the new movement taking place in our dear Palestine is a spiritual movement which is spanning the entire Islamic world and which will soon remove this stain of disgrace from the Islamic world". The original New York Times translation was disingenuous at the very least. With regard to Iran's alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons, the IAEA has yet to find a single scrap of evidence to support this claim. They didn't come up with any proof with regard to Iraq either but that didn't stop the invasion as the U.S. and it's allies demanded Saddam Hussein prove a negative. His upcoming ultimatum to Iran to either stop it's unproven nuclear weapons program or face the consequences fails to take in to account the strong military and trade agreements between Iran, China and Russia. Would the future President be willing to drop American boots into China and Russia's backyard? Would this increase "the peace and stability of the region"? Russian President Vladimir Putin has already laid the ground rules for this scenario. Source

Despite his current silence, the echoes of his betrayal of the Palestinian people are there for everyone to hear.


Andrew Hughes is a frequent contributor to Global Research. Global Research Articles by Andrew Hughes

 

[x_man]

....Otherwise we remain in status in which we are at present.We have 1/5 of world population and 1/3 of worlds wealth but still muslims have no voice and decision power between the family of nations.

It is uncomfortable but true that the national pride in Muslims world is rarely derived from economic productivity, tech innovation or intellectual creativity…Those factors seemed to have been part of Persian, Mughal and Ottoman empires but NOT present day Muslims…Unfortunately, todays Muslim pride is derived from negative notions such as destroy the enemy, kill the infidels, and making nation invulnerable to external assault…Our energies and resources are spent in a very wrong direction..

Such toxic rhetoric’s only set the stage for the clash instead of reconciliation or peaceful existence…It also serves as an opiate that we remain angry against external enemies and pay little attention to the internal causes of economic and intellectual decline….