Posted on 04/15/2010 7:48:25 AM PDT by jhpigott
Unannounced security forces' exercise creates huge traffic jams across nation; police set up roadblocks on major roads, including Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway. Eyewitness: I've never seen anything like it
Shmulik Grossman Latest Update: 04.15.10, 17:02 / Israel News
An unannounced police drill involving other security forces caused huge traffic jams nationwide Thursday afternoon.
As part of the exercise, authorities blocked various roads in central Israel while police forces deployed nationwide en masse. The drill involves all of Israel's emergency and rescue forces, including the IDF, Shin Bet, Fire department, Magen David Adom, and Israel Prison Service.
Police officials say that a special administration was set up by the Border Guard in order to plan and prepare the major exercise in line with existing threats. Some parts of the drill required the use of civilian "extras" in order to simulate real-time events.
Among other roads, the Ayalon Freeway in Tel Aviv was blocked in some sections, as well as the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway. Elsewhere, the Coastal Road was also blocked in one interchange, as police practiced their response to a major road accident.
The drill, codenamed Heavenly Angels, is being led by Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen as part of the police's regular training plan for preparing to face various threats. Police officials stressed that the exercise was not undertaken in response to any concrete information or threat.
'Tel Aviv is like a pedestrian mall'
The drill was kept secret until Thursday morning, and was expanded by afternoon, prompting especially huge traffic jams in Tel Aviv. Local resident Ofer told Ynet he never saw such unusual sight.
"I've been living here for 38 years and I've never seen anything like it," he said. "Tel Aviv is like a pedestrian mall; people are walking on the road like they do in Yom Kippur. Motorists are coming out of their cars."
"It's unclear why they didn't announce it in advance," he said. "I would have stayed home."
Vered, another Tel Aviv motorist, said "There's never been anything like this." She left the court towards Ramat Aviv, and "after three quarters of an hour I've hardly moved." She also had serious qualms with the police.
"This is what they do on Thursday afternoon? It's unbelievable. I've never been so long in a traffic jam in my life," she said.
The exercise's spokesman, Chief Superintendent Moshe Pinchi, told Ynet: "The proportional harm is an indication of the importance that the Israel Police see in being ready for a major event, by holding an extensive nationwide exercise.
He emphasized that "The exercise requires that we cope with real-life circumstances, which meant closing various areas."
"Updates will be issued throughout the day to motorists regarding closed roads and diversions," he said. "Alternative routes will also be suggested in an effort to reduce the disturbances to regular life as much as possible."
pardon the link to Huffington Post, but given the events of the past couple days in the region, thought this was pertinent -
Jordan’s King Says Israel-Hezbollah-Lebanon War “Imminent”
Congressman Adam Schiff hosted a “Members Only” meeting of the ‘Congressional Friends of Jordan Caucus’ in the US House of Representatives this morning in the CVC Congressional Meeting Room with Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
According to one attendee in the session, “the King’s message was sobering.”
King Abdullah seemed significantly concerned that conflict was about to break out again between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
One congressional source told me that the word the King used was ‘imminent’ with regard to the potential outbreak of war.
On many levels, this is extremely worrisome. Hezbollah is now integrated into Lebanon’s parliament and interacting with countries like France at all levels of government. An Israeli-Lebanon War could preempt the normalization track the United States is pursuing with Syria.
There are reports today about American concerns of Syrian supply of SCUD missiles to Hezbollah and/or training to Hezbollah personnel on SCUDs.
Tomorrow (Thursday), I will be attending the Syria National Day reception at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington where last year I saw many senior State Department officials, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, and several Congressmen.
Hopefully, America’s renewed engagement with Syria will not be knocked off track — but there is no doubt that King Abdullah’s warning to Members of Congress is stirring much concern.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-clemons/jordans-king-says-israel_b_537842.html
Move along, nothing to see (cough, cough).
That assumes that these are the end times. This might just be Philistines II the sequel.
I believe that we are seeing the beginnings of Ezekiel 38-39 come to pass as it says here in Ezekiel 38:1-6
1 This is another message that came to me from the Lord: 2 Son of man, turn and face Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. 3 Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: Gog, I am your enemy! 4 I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole armyyour horses and charioteers in full armor and a great horde armed with shields and swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons. 6 Gomer and all its armies will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the distant north, and many others.
If they know where the Scuds are I think they will take them out.
Israel didn’t exactly destroy Hezbollah in their most recent skirmish. It’s going to come down to how far, politically, Bibi is willing to go to eliminate the threat.
One possible outcome is that this will give Israel the pre-text to bomb Iran. It’s going to require our permission to fly over Iraq and I’m not sure this administration will do that. So we’ll be faced with doing the militarily correct thing (pursue and turn them back) or let them go through and allow ourselves to become a tacit partner to the attack. This could literally become a showdown between Obama and the military. If he says “no”, Israel might just dare us anyway. And at that point, it will be up to the Air Force to decide if Obama’s their legitimate CIC.
Mark Levin Unloads on Obama: He “Has a Hate On For Israel” (Audio)
hotairpundit ^ | 4/15/10 | HAP
http://hotairpundit.blogspot.com/2010/04/mark-levin-unloads-on-obama-he-has-hate.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2493529/posts
~~~~~~~~~
Levin nails it (and Obama’s foreign “policy”) !!! Video is 5 minutes but on Levin’s podcast, he actually rants for about 15 minutes, including his decimation of a caller.
You can listen or download here (starts about 18 min into show):
http://www.marklevinshow.com/sectional.asp?id=32930
Obama will not support Israel that is clear. Iran has til 2012 to get the Nukes built. Israel will have to figure a way without flying over Iraq. Maybe the Saudis would look the other way. Or Jordan.
I wonder if they can get to Iran without going over Iraq?
Yeah, SOMETHING is on the horizon.
MM
I heard him last night- he was inspiring! Thanks for the link.
I don’t think Israel would initiate anything unless and until they had something in their arsenal that is “bunker buster” worthy. For all we know, they’ve procured them from the U.S. unofficially, while officially being denied them. One never knows.
I hope you’re right. I don’t think they’re going to use the kit gloves on Southern Lebanon this time. And frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Israel expand their military action beyond the South of Lebanon either.
They’re tired of this, and Bibi wants to end the consternation regarding his somewhat lackluster first term as leader of Israel.
The civilians who were inconvenienced by this drill will be further surprised by the missles falling onto them from Syria & Iran.
I hope Bebe makes some bomber runs real soon.
This drill ties in nicely with Ahmanejhad’s request earlier this week that 5 million citizens leave Tehran immediately because of an upcoming earthquake. No joke.
7:10 PM in Tel Aviv. They are currently +3 from GMT. US Central time is GMT - 5 hours. So an 8 hour offset for Central zone, 7 hours for the Eastern Zone and 10 hours for the Pacific zone.
That makes sunset in Tel Aviv 12:10 EDT, 11:10 CDT, 9:10 PDT.
IOW, it set about an hour and 20 minutes ago.
Well, they might as well give up then... lol.
That 30,000 rocket number has been around since before the war of 2006, and if it's true, so be it. The Israelis all have a bomb shelter and know how to get to them quick. The purported SCUDS that the hezzies supposedly have are a worse threat -- IIRC, them things can hold blockbuster size warheads. Not very accurate, but a nasty punch at the end. The rockets used in 06 were largely the WWII era katyushas - not much pop at all. Deadly if you're caught out in the open in range. Probably mess you're building up pretty good if hit, but not going to leave a smoking crater. Arabs aren't real well known for coming for each other's defense. If they had the ability to be organized, they would have conquered the world a long time ago. They're craven, cowardly, inbred, and very, very mean, but not good military men.
new moon - dark dark night. Good for concealment. Good for not getting silhouetted flying across the moon on your broom.
They may not have been able to get any of the really deep penetration bombs from Obummer appropriate for taking out Iranian nuke facilities, but they make their own laser guided bombs, plenty "penetrating" to take out anything Hzb'allah might have.
True. Alexander the Great agreed also.
I dunno what will happen, but war their is inevitable, it’s just a matter of time, they haven’t gone long without war in recorded history.
Good grief. I wouldn’t be surprised if Achmadinnerjacket is wetting himself about now.
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