Ever since October 8th, the people in Israel’s north have endured approximately 8,000 constant rocket, missile, and UAV attacks. Over 21,000 acres of Israeli forests and farmland have been burned by Hezbollah missiles, rockets, and air strikes. Israeli citizens, particularly in the north, have been bracing themselves because of the elimination of Hezbollah leader Faud Shakir. Approximately 60,000 to 80,000 Israelis do not feel secure returning to their homes and have had to endure the feeling of being temporarily displaced persons within their own homeland. On August 25th, Israeli intelligence learned that Hezbollah was about to launch a massive retaliatory strike for the elimination of Faud Shakir on Tel Aviv and central Israel, including the Gilot base north of Tel Aviv, which is home to the Mossad. In this pre-emptive strike, Israel was able to successfully take out scores of missile launchers and to successfully intercept Hezbollah’s incoming missiles. No Lebanese civilians were harmed in this IDF operation.
On top of this, the United Nations just renewed the mandate for UNIFIL, which has been in existence in southern Lebanon since March 1978. UNIFIL is supposed to rein in the presence of Hezbollah and to work in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces, a beneficiary of about $300,000,000 a year from the US taxpayer.
How effective is UNIFIL in preventing cross-border attacks? How effective has the Lebanese Armed Forces been? Just this week, Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah has admitted that over 300 rockets this week, were launched from southern Lebanon. These rockets have been launched from schools, homes, and mosques in communities in southern Lebanon, just next to UNIFIL bases, in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Are there tunnels reaching from southern Lebanon into northern Israel? Has the August 25th IDF operation prevented Hezbollah from launching more attacks on Israel? Why is the funding for UNIFIL constantly being renewed? Why, as Israel UN Ambassador Danny Dannon stated, is the word “Hezbollah” missing from the UN resolution? Why is there no UN condemnation of Hezbollah? Is Lebanon working in coordination with Hezbollah? How is Hezbollah getting its massive weapons? Is Lebanon a real functioning state or simply a puppet state of Iran?
And finally: What must Israel do to be able to restore calm and stability to Israel’s northern border and the Israeli citizens of the north?
Here to answer these questions and more is Lieutenant Colonel Sarit Zehavi of the Alma Center.
About our Speaker: Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Sarit Zehavi is the founder and president of Alma – a nonprofit and an independent research and education center specializing in Israel’s security challenges on its northern border. Sarit has briefed hundreds of groups and forums, ranging from US Senators, Congressmen/women, and politicians to senior journalists and visiting VIP groups in Israel and overseas. Sarit scripts numerous position papers and updates focusing on Lebanon, Syria, and Israel’s national security challenges. She served for 15 years in the Israeli Defense Forces, specializing in Military Intelligence. Sarit holds an M.A. in Middle East Studies from Ben-Gurion University. Her unique achievements led her to be selected by the Jerusalem Post as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Global Jewish Personalities of 2021.
Sarit, her husband Yaron, and their children live in the Western Galilee.
