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Why Hezbollah Won't Open All-Out Front Against Israel
Al Monitor ^ | 8/18 | Ben Caspit

Posted on 08/18/2016 7:48:29 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah broadcast a prerecorded speech from Bint Jebail, Lebanon, on Aug. 14 to mark the 10th anniversary of the war between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in summer 2006. It was a typical Nasrallah speech that included all his familiar themes: Israelis had lost trust in the institutions that defend them, and the 2006 fighting had cast doubt on Israel’s ability to continue to exist at all. He said that Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, are weak and tired and cannot defend themselves for much longer. He also mentioned his 2006 “spider web speech” — in which he said that Israel is weaker than a spider web — saying it demoralized Israelis at large.

Summary⎙ Print Israel's arrest of activists recruited by Hezbollah through Facebook reflects the organization's current strategy of encouraging attacks in Israel orchestrated from afar. Author Ben CaspitPosted August 17, 2016 TranslatorDanny Wool While Nasrallah was still speaking, the “institutions that defend Israel,” in particular Shin Bet, released details about an interesting effort by Hezbollah to open a new terrorist front to operate in Israel. The new front would be controlled by Hezbollah activists from a distance, using Facebook, phony profiles on social networks and encrypted messages on the internet. The story was first reported in Israel on Aug.16 and included the names of eight Palestinian suspects from the West Bank, members of three separate cells, established to launch attacks in Israel. In each instance, Israel’s security institutions were able to arrest the suspects before they launched their operations.

In the surreptitious struggle between Israel and Hezbollah over the past few years, Israel has maintained the upper hand. As part of the struggle, Nasrallah has tried desperately to create a small-footprint front against Israel. In other words, he wants to foment a kind of anti-Israel terror not directly connected to Hezbollah to avoid giving Israel an excuse to attack his organization. Nasrallah cannot launch attacks from across the Blue Line, the international border between Israel and Lebanon, because he knows that doing so would result in an aggressive response by Israel. He also cannot let the situation deteriorate into a full-scale war, especially now, with Hezbollah sustaining hundreds of casualties and thousands more injuries in the blood-drenched Syrian quagmire.

At first, Nasrallah tried to create a second front against Israel in the Golan Heights. The rules of that operation called for low-key actions against Israel, without allowing the situation to devolve into a major conflict. Israel, however, has achieved a clear victory in the military and intelligence battle waged in the Golan Heights over the past two years. Nasrallah lost quite a few of his assets and people, including Samir Kuntar in December 2015 and Jihad Mughniyeh in January 2015, while Israel paid an acceptable cost for its actions. Furthermore, according to foreign news sources, Israel continues to attack strategic arms convoys heading from Syria to Beirut.

It is now clear that Nasrallah has changed course in creating terrorist networks directed by Hezbollah to attack inside Israel. The newly uncovered cells were recruited by two Hezbollah activists. One of them, who went by the name of Bilal, is based in Lebanon. He recruited Palestinians through the Facebook profile Falastin al-Houreh (Free Palestine). The second Hezbollah activist is a Gaza resident named Mahmad Faiz Abu Jedian. The recruiters followed identical tactics. They asked Palestinians who seemed to be leaning toward joining their cells to open secure email accounts, so they could communicate without being detected by Israeli cybersecurity. That was how they relayed instructions, orders and payments. Furthermore, Hezbollah sent special encryption programs to the new recruits for conducting secure communications.

Mustafa Kamal Hindi, from the Qalqilya region in the West Bank, was recruited in December 2015 to head one of the cells. Upon being instructed to attack IDF patrols in the Qalqilya region, he organized a cell of four people, who began training using hunting rifles and makeshift explosives. The members of his cell were arrested in June. A similar fate awaited the members of the cell recruited by the Gaza activist. Its members had also been told to launch operations, including suicide attacks and bus bombings, in Israel.

In each case, Hezbollah promised and in some cases transferred money to the recruits to fund their activities. In some instances, the men were promised sizable sums (30,000 shekels, about $8,000) upon completion of their missions. There was also an effort to recruit Israeli Arabs to join the cells, but these efforts were also foiled. Israeli Arabs continue to distance themselves from terrorism, with only an insignificant number actually taking part in such activities. In May 2016, Yoram Cohen, before stepping down as head of Shin Bet, disclosed that support for the “spirit of the Islamic State” among Israeli Arabs is the lowest in the entire Muslim world.

Hezbollah's recent activities exposed by Israel are just the tip of the iceberg. The rest lies well beneath the surface, where the two continue to clash at low intensity. It is also a battle of wits, with Israel trying to limit Hezbollah’s moves and prevent it from getting stronger. Meanwhile, Nasrallah is trying to keep the fire of his anti-Israel resistance burning, while minimizing the chances of triggering another conflict. He knows that he will not be able to fight such a war while engaged in the bloody war of attrition in Syria.

Nasrallah was right about one thing in his speech. Israel’s leaders during the 2006 Second Lebanon War have almost all been erased from the political and historical maps: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is in prison; Defense Minister Amir Peretz was forced to resign; Chief of Staff Dan Halutz resigned; and IDF Chief of the Northern Command Udi Adam handed back the keys.

Beyond issues of personnel, however, Israel can look back contentedly at the war that took place more than a decade ago. It has enjoyed some 10 years of almost absolute quiet along its northern front. Hezbollah is drained and bleeding. Nasrallah has more or less resigned himself to fiery oratory, and Israel has managed to steer clear of the Syrian tempest. Israel is already signing on for 10 more years of the same. What about Beirut? That’s not entirely clear.


TOPICS: Egypt; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Russia; Syria
KEYWORDS: egypt; gaza; hassannasrallah; hezbollah; iran; iraq; israel; jordan; lebanon; nasrallah; russia; syria
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1 posted on 08/18/2016 7:48:29 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Because they’d get their azzes handed to them by Netanyahu, that’s why....


2 posted on 08/18/2016 7:49:58 PM PDT by JBW1949 (I'm really PC....PATRIOTICALLY CORRECT!!!!)
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To: nickcarraway

In summary: “Because Israel will always win”

That is the core reason that Israel is still on the map, still exists.

There is no diplomacy keeping things together. No trade agreements. Israel gives Palestinians everything that their so-called allies will not. Palestinians still call for their elimination.

Musloids understand one thing.


3 posted on 08/18/2016 7:50:31 PM PDT by Celerity
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To: nickcarraway

Am ISRAEL Chai.


4 posted on 08/18/2016 7:54:52 PM PDT by ncfool ( We are in the United Socialist State of aMeriKa. The USSA. Sheeple of aMeriKa follow hil-LIAR-ly)
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To: nickcarraway

Hezbollah bigwigs like their Mercedes, Rolexes, and liquor. Can’t enjoy those things if you’re dead.


5 posted on 08/18/2016 7:57:29 PM PDT by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam. Buy ammo.")
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To: nickcarraway

Hezbollah has been greatly hurt in the fight, with Iran, against Assad - have they not?


6 posted on 08/18/2016 7:57:42 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: PGR88

Hezbollah has been busy fighting ISIS.


7 posted on 08/18/2016 8:23:24 PM PDT by SwampFoxSC
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To: nickcarraway

Hezbollah is busy in Syria to try to keep their asses from being buggered by ISIS.


8 posted on 08/18/2016 8:28:35 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: PGR88
They are not fighting against Assad. They are on the other side...with Turkey and the US and the Saudis.

And the Muslim Brotherhood.

9 posted on 08/18/2016 8:30:18 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: PGR88

They are not fighting against Assad. They are on the other side...


10 posted on 08/18/2016 8:30:44 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: nickcarraway

Hizbollah will be crushed,Damascus will be fallen Isaiah 17, and the God of Israel never slumbers nor sleeps and His eyes are always upon here. These wars, or one( know not pre trib or during tribulation or maybe Ez 38-39?? Never the less besides the Iron Dome, Israel’s nukes, Neutron bombs; they have G!D on their side. Whomever attacks they should well prevail as against Hizbollah then creating the new temple...maybe al aksa mosque will kick off a few secondary explosions


11 posted on 08/18/2016 8:47:30 PM PDT by Karliner
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To: PGR88

Hezbollah and Iran are on the side of Assad. Hezbollah has thousands of fighters in Syria helping to prop up Assad.


12 posted on 08/18/2016 8:49:08 PM PDT by Enchante (Hillary's new campaign slogan: "Guilty as hell, free as a bird!! Laws are for peasants!")
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To: Mariner

?? No, it’s Hezbollah with Iran and Assad, fighting against rebels backed by Turkey, the Saudis, and the USA, in varying degrees and locations.


13 posted on 08/18/2016 8:51:50 PM PDT by Enchante (Hillary's new campaign slogan: "Guilty as hell, free as a bird!! Laws are for peasants!")
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To: nickcarraway

They love being a thorn in the side of Israel and if they did an all out attack their international sympathy / graft gravy train from the Arab states and UN would dry up.


14 posted on 08/18/2016 10:18:51 PM PDT by GraceG (Only a fool works hard in an environment where hard work is not appreciated...)
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To: nickcarraway

The Writer fails to mention the hundreds even thousands of Hezbollah fighters who were wiped out when Hezbollah decided (or was ordered by Iran) to send fighters into the Syrian meat grinder.


15 posted on 08/19/2016 3:33:27 AM PDT by PIF (Luna)
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To: PGR88

“Hezbollah has been greatly hurt in the fight, with Iran, against Assad - have they not?”

I was a tad confused by the posting. Hezbollah, Iran, Russia and Assad are allies. On the other side is Isis and a large number of Shea terrorists groups. To further confuse matters, Sunni Saudi Arabia initially financed and supplied the Shea terrorists in a bid to end Assad’s presidency. I don’t know if that continues because the newly empowered terrorists (Or, freedom fighters, depending on your own view) are slaughtering everybody, Sunni and Shea alike.

You definitely need a program to keep the players straight.


16 posted on 08/19/2016 3:49:30 AM PDT by Gen.Blather (`)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

17 posted on 08/19/2016 5:14:42 AM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: nickcarraway

Simple enough: because they’d get their asses royally kicked.

Any other explanation is simply bull.


18 posted on 08/19/2016 5:55:08 AM PDT by Jack Hammer
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To: Gen.Blather

Sorry, I meant with Assad, against ISIS. Problems of typing on an iphone


19 posted on 08/19/2016 7:44:00 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: Gen.Blather

“Sunni Saudi Arabia initially financed and supplied the Shea terrorists in a bid to end Assad’s presidency.”

Your analysis is dead on. Just one gentle comment, it is Shia not Shea.


20 posted on 08/19/2016 8:54:01 AM PDT by flaglady47 (TRUMP ROCKS !!!)
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