PM Benyamin Netanyahu, speaking during a tour of the Jordan Valley, marked International Women’s Day with a tribute to Israel’s female soldiers serving in the IDF. While remarking that Israel is the only country in the region where women have equal rights, Mr. Netanyahu went on to describe the myriad contributions by women in the IDF:

“I am impressed by you,” said the Prime Minister. “There is a revolution in the IDF here.  One-third of the IDF’s personnel are women. We have Border Police fighters. We have women in the Air Force, including as pilots. This expresses the change in the status of women in the IDF and in the State of Israel as a whole.”

“We must especially salute the women soldiers and officers in the IDF.  I salute you.  May the sun shine on you every day, not just now.”

Contrasting the status of women in Israel with recent events taking place throughout the Middle East, Mr. Netanyahu said: “The most basic premise that everyone is talking about has to do with the upheaval in the Arab and Islamic world. One thing we do not see. We still do not see a revolution in the status of women in most of the countries around us. In at least one of them, women have been stoned; women are used like merchandise that passes from hand to hand, without any rights, fairness or ability to demand their rights in genuine courts of law.”

“While it stands out in many respects, it is especially prominent in that it is a democratic state in which women have equal rights. What we see here is also equal obligations, not just rights,” he said.

The Prime Minister, also spoke about Israel’s need to maintain security along the Jordan River in any peace agreement with the Palestinians.

“Our security border is here, on the Jordan River and our line of defense is here. If this was true before the major unrest now shaking the Middle East and the entire region, it is doubly true today,” the Prime Minister said.

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Major General Benny Gantz was appointed IDF Chief of the General Staff and received the rank of Lieutenant General today, February 14th 2011, at a national ceremony held in the Prime Minister’s chamber.

The appointed Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz, will replace Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, who served as Chief of the General Staff in the last four years, and is retiring from the IDF after 40 years of service.

Lt. Gen. Gantz is Israel’s 20th IDF Chief of the General Staff.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Israel’s Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister, Mr. Ehud Barak, ministers, members of the Cabinet, the General Staff and other honored guests. Also attending the ceremony was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Military, Admiral Michael G. Mullen, who arrived in Israel especially to participate in the farewell events for Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi.

About the IDF’s new Chief of Staff:

Lieutenant General Benny Gantz is a graduate of the Command and Staff College and the National Security College and a U.S. Military Special Forces course (one of only three IDF officers to graduate from the “Green Berets” training course). He has a Bachelors degree in history from the Tel Aviv University, a Masters degree in Political Science from the Haifa University and another Masters Degree in Management of National Resources from the National Defense University in the United States.

Born in 1959, Lieutenant General Gantz joined the IDF in 1977 as a Paratrooper. He was commander in charge of the 1991 “Operation Solomon” which brought Ethiopian Jews to Israel. During the 2000 withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, then-Major General Gantz was the last IDF commander to leave the gates of Lebanon.

Lt. Gen. Gantz is married and is a father of four.

To read more from Ynet, click here.

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Israel’s Security Cabinet decided today, Wednesday November 19th, to accept, in principle, the proposal of the UN and the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon) Commander, to completely withdraw IDF personnel from the northern section of the town of Ghajar.

Ghajar, whose community consists mostly of Syrian Alawites with dual Israeli-Syrian citizenships, is a town which happens to fall right on the border between Israel and Lebanon, the so-called “Blue-Line.” The Blue-Line is a border demarcation established to determine Israel’s withdrawal from Southern Lebanon in 2000 as mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 425. Ghajar is united, and does not have a physical barrier or fence marking the Blue Line i.e. where Lebanon ends and Israel begins.

As northern Ghajar is the last area that the IDF has personnel stationed, Israel’s decision to remove troops from that section of the town will be an important step towards supporting a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

According to UN Resolution 1701, passed after the 2006 war against Hezbollah forces operating on the Lebanese border, Lebanon is required to, among other things, respect the Blue Line and prevent the passage of weapons into the hands of Hezbollah terrorists.

The Security Cabinet authorized the Foreign Ministry to complete the details of the temporary arrangement in coordination with the UN and UNIFIL Commander General Alberto Asarta as soon as possible.  Both the security of Israel’s citizens and the normal life of the residents of Ghajar, which remains undivided, will continue to be maintained while the new arrangements are being put in place. The final agreement will be brought to the Security Cabinet for approval before it is implemented.

U.S. State Department Spokesperson P.J. Crowley “welcomes the announcement today by Israel’s Security Cabinet that it accepts in principle the proposal offered by the UNIFIL Force Commander, providing for the complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Lebanese territory in and around the village of Ghajar.”

He went on to say in a prepared statement that “the United States encourages Israel and the UN to complete the technical details necessary to implement this proposal rapidly and thereby protect the rights of the affected civilians and further the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), which aims for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.”

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Today marks 15 years since an assassin’s bullet killed my friend, Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime minister. Since his death, not a week has gone by that I have not missed him. I loved him and his wife, Leah, very much. On the occasion of the anniversary of his death, his yahrzeit, the world would do well to remember the lessons of his life: his vision for freedom, tolerance, cooperation, security and peace is as vital now as it was 15 years ago, when he happily spoke and sang for peace at a huge rally in Tel Aviv just before he was killed.

Rabin was utterly without pretense. When David Ben-Gurion sent him as a young man to represent Israel during armistice talks in 1949, he had never before worn a neck tie, so a friend tied it, and showed him how to loosen it so he could preserve the knot for future use. True to form, two weeks before his assassination, he arrived in Washington at a black-tie event without the black tie. We borrowed one for him, and I still smile whenever I think about straightening it for him, just as Hillary does when she remembers how he complained when she made him go out on the Truman Balcony to smoke.

The story of Yitzhak Rabin and the story of Israel are intertwined. He took up arms to defend Israel’s freedom, and laid down his life to secure Israel’s future. When he came to the White House in 1993 to sign the Declaration of Principles with the Palestinians, he was a military hero, uniquely prepared to lead his people into a new era. Before shaking the hand of Yasir Arafat, a man he had long considered his mortal foe, he spoke directly to the Palestinian people:

continue reading…

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On October 6th, 1973, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel. Famously, only 436 Israelis along the Suez Canal found themselves facing an Egyptian force of 80,000. On the northern border of Israel, 180 Israeli tanks  defended the country from an invading force of 1,400 Syrian tanks.

Six hours earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir assembled  her cabinet as they debated what to do in the face of an impending attack. The minutes of this meeting, classified as top secret for 37 years, were released overnight to honor the anniversary of the war’s outbreak.

It is a historical fact that the 1973 war was started by Syria and Egypt, and to this day both countries celebrate it as a great victory, despite their military defeat. However, the minutes from the October 6th meeting suggest that Israeli defense and intelligence ministers knew they had sufficient time to launch a preemptive strike, but chose not to, fearing the international community would label Israel as the instigator.

Said Israel’s chief of the army at the time, “We can wipe out the entire Syrian air force at noon. We need another 30 hours to destroy the missiles. If they plan to attack at 5 pm, the Air Force will operate freely against the Syrian army. This is what we are capable of.”

Still, uncovering the internal debate, even 37 years later, speaks volumes as to the desire of the young state to avoid being demonized by the international community. The IDF Chief, David Elazar, believed that “calling all the reserves to duty before one shot has been fired – they’ll immediately say we are the aggressors.”

Golda Meir eventually decided against a preemptive strike, saying “this is not 1967. They (international community) won’t believe us.” The Prime Minister did order a gradual call for reserves, which helped Israel repel the initial attack and ready itself for a successful counterattack.

To this day, the Yom Kippur War is considered by Israelis to be, along with the War for Independence, the most important test for the Jewish state’s survival.

To read more from the declassified minutes, see this article over on Ynet.

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Rosh Hashanah in New York – the beginning of a new Jewish year in this wonderful city, carries with it a lot of personal meaning for me. Starting my tenure as the Acting Consul General in New York during this time reminds of when I came to the Consulate as the Consul for Media and Public Affairs nine years ago, in 2001.

It was in the midst of the Second Intifada, and Israel was bleeding from repeated terror attacks. One of most horrific bombings had taken place just three weeks earlier when suicide bomber detonated himself the middle of a crowded Sbaro’s in Jerusalem. Fifteen people were killed; several of them American citizens. Soon enough, I found myself deeply engaged with the American media, hungry for updates from Israel.

But one morning changed everything. It started as just a Tuesday, but the date, September 11th, 2001 is a date that would be forever burned in the back of our minds. The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was an event with an unprecedented world effect. I remember sitting down for dinner a week later, for Rosh Hashana, still overwhelmed by what had just happened. We didn’t grasp the full magnitude of the event. The city was still buried under clouds of ashes and ruins, the American nation and the entire world in shock.

No New Yorker or American will ever forget where they were when they heard that planes had struck at the heart of the United States. I remember talking about it constantly with friends, colleagues, and loved ones – but no one actually understood what 9/11 was all about. Back then we didn’t realize that things would never be the same. The New Year approaching, 5762, was actually the beginning of a new era that few understood, and no one wanted.

And now, nine years later, I find myself again in the great city of New York, at the verge of a new year which also encompasses challenges – but this time of a different sort.

This New Year will be noted on one hand with the renewal of direct peace talks with the Palestinians, and on the other hand with the persistent attempts of our adversaries to attack Israel’s right to exist as the land of the Jewish people. Our foes invest great resources to sustain a noxious and poisonous campaign that is trying to undermine the very foundations of our free state.

While there are minefields ahead, if we can navigate the perilous environment, there is a lot to look forward to.

In the security sector, it is clear what necessary steps are needed to put Israel on the track leading to peace, regional stability, and stopping Iran from obtaining the deadliest of weaponry. A success in the upcoming month will mean eliminating the Iranian threat along with securing Israel’s future, and building trust and cooperation with its neighbors.

Success in the peace talks has momentous implications way beyond the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. International support of the peace process will also be a signal to the Iranian president that his venomous rhetoric will only fall on deaf ears and violence is no longer part of the region’s equation.

It is a year for bold moves and historic decisions. The government in Jerusalem is aware of the challenges forthcoming, and is willing to face them boldly. Not just for the sake of the upcoming year – but for the many more that will follow. Let us all hope and pray that this year will be a beginning of a new era – a peaceful, blessed and prosperous one. Amen.

Ido Aharoni is Israel’s Acting Consul General in New York

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On Tuesday evening on Highway 60, near Hebron, four Israeli civilians, one of whom was pregnant, were gunned down in their car in a hail of gunfire. “The vehicle was sprayed with dozens of bullets,” a paramedic at the scene told Israel’s Channel Two. “There were numerous shell casings around. We found four bodies and there was no chance whatsoever to help them; all we could do was to pronounce [their] death.”

The victims included two men, ages 25 and 40, along with two women of similar age. continue reading…

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Months after the incident off the coast of Gaza on May 31st, the BBC program “Panorama” presents thorough research and analysis from both sides, resulting in arguably the most complete account of “the Flotilla.” From the origins of the flotilla organizers and participants to what happened when Israeli soldiers boarded the Mavi Marmara, the BBC’s piece is a must-watch. Check out the segment below.

Pt. 1

Pt. 2

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Following the incident off the coast of Gaza on May 31st, specifically the IDF’s actions after boarding the Mavi Marmara, Israel has been accused of wrongdoing and breaking international law. Israel has always believed that exposing the truth is in their best interest as it has nothing to hide. The old adage “the truth will set you free” was the impetus for the creation of the Turkel Commission, an independent, nongovernmental panel led by former Supreme Court Judge Jacob Turkel, with foreign observers to remove any possible bias.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu delivered a statement on Monday before the Turkel Commission, explaining the change in Israel’s policy towards the Gaza Strip and what really transpired aboard the Mavi Marmara, highlighting all actors involved.

Said Netanyahu, “Our soldiers faced a very real danger to their lives from brutal attacks, and acted in self-defense.  We made tremendous efforts to prevent injuries, but the IDF soldiers have the right to defend themselves. ”

He went on to explain “how dangerous an open sea lane to Gaza is for the security of the State of Israel. On one ship, the Karin A, Iran tried to send dozens of tons of weapons to Gaza. On another ship, the Francop, Iran tried to send Hezbollah hundreds of tons of weapons, approximately two-thirds of the total ammunition fired at Israel during the Second Lebanon War”

To read the Prime Minister’s full address to the Turkel Commission, click here.

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By Michael B. Oren
Friday, August 6, 2010

Rarely have the lines in the Middle East’s sands been drawn so distinctly. Arrayed on one side is the peace-seeking camp that opposes militant extremism and favors direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians. On the other are the organizations, many of them surrogates for Iran, that work to undermine moderate governments and violently impede any effort for peace. continue reading…

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