by Lilach Shoval, David Baron and Israel Hayom Staff
Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel tells German magazine Die Zeit military's counterterrorism efforts will not be curtailed by "enemies' immorality" • Eshel expresses concerns Iran "will use its nuclear program to realize its regional aspirations."
IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel
|
Photo credit: Sivan Faraj  |
Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Amir
Eshel said over the weekend that Israel's counterterrorism efforts will
not be curtailed over "its enemies' immorality."
In an interview with German magazine Die Zeit,
addressing the issue of terrorists' use of civilians as cover, Eshel
said, "If we have to strike Hezbollah or Hamas headquarters at the heart
of neighborhoods in Lebanon or Gaza, we won't hesitate to do so."
Commenting on the tensions on the northern
border and the military's assessment of Hezbollah's preparations for its
next conflict with Israel, Eshel said Israel will mount "a broad and
forceful response" to any rocket fire on its cities.
According to Channel 2 News, Eshel said Hamas
and Hezbollah's "strategy is to drag Israel into war to undermine its
legitimacy. This is why years ago they began moving their military
infrastructures to residential areas, essentially turning the civilian
population into human shields.
"Many villages in Lebanon are being rebuilt as
military bases, with underground weapons and missile caches, and
[military] command centers. This is the situation in many districts in
Beirut. What are we supposed to do, sit idly by?"
The Die Zeit interviewer asked Eshel whether
the strikes on the Gaza Strip during 2014's Operation Protective Edge,
which left some 2,000 people dead, were a disproportionate response, to
which the IAF chief said, "What are we supposed to do? We alert the
civilian population [ahead of a strike] through text messages and small
blasts, and give them the opportunity to get to safety, in an effort to
minimize civilian casualties. Nevertheless, we will not be made helpless
over the enemy's unethical warfare. If I have the chance to take down a
Hamas headquarters set up in a residential building in Gaza, I won't
hesitate to do so."
Addressing Iran's role in the Middle East
Eshel said the Islamic republic "is embroiled in the conflicts in Iraq,
Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Bahrain. Hezbollah has become stronger because
Iran has made it its [regional] proxy, supplying it with many weapons."
As for Iran's nuclear negotiations with the
West, the IAF chief expressed concerns that "Tehran was making only
tactical concessions that at best would slow its nuclear work down. ...
Iran will use its nuclear program to realize its regional aspirations.
They have learned from [Libyan President Moammar] Gadhafi's demise that a
nuclear program is an instrument of power and survival."
Meanwhile, the latest IAF Flight School class, which includes three women, is scheduled to graduate this week.
President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, IDF Chief of Staff
Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot and Eshel will attend the ceremony.
According to IAF data, during their training's
academic studies year, 39% of the cadets pursued a systems management
degree, 20% opted for politics and government studies, 19% preferred
computer science and mathematics studies, and 22% pursued a business
administration and economics degree.
Some 11% of the cadets were not born in Israel, but
rather in the U.S., the U.K. and Russia; 49% have a family member serve
in the Air Force; 66% are related to IAF pilots, and 22% served with
other IDF units prior to joining the IAF. The oldest cadet to graduate
the current class is 25 years old.
Lilach Shoval, David Baron and Israel Hayom Staff
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=26341
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
No comments:
Post a Comment