by Daniel Siryoti
Soldiers on duty tell Israel Hayom: Hezbollah is stockpiling rockets and weapons in civilian homes.
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The troops are at
peak motivation and ready for any scenario,
says Maj. Kobi Ezra
Photo: IDF
Spokesperson's Unit
Iran
can strike at Israel at any time via its satellite militia in Lebanon –
Hezbollah – but anyone who thought that winds of war would be blowing
in the Galilee too was apparently wrong. The Israeli Air Force strikes
on targets in Syria in response to Iranian rocket fire at Israel late
Wednesday, as well as the general tension along the border with Syria,
have been essentially drowned out by the chirping birds and pastoral
atmosphere of the Galilee.
A sharp eye can pick out the Iron Dome
missile batteries and other defense measures that have sprung up amid
the spring greenery these past few days. The defenses have been deployed
mainly in fields and in nature preserves rather than out in the open.
To avoid alarming tourists or affecting the local routine, the defense
measures were transported northward late at night, when the roads were
relatively empty.
Still, the closer one gets to the border,
starting at Rosh Hanikra on the northernmost point of the western coast
and moving east toward Avivim, Hanita and Zar'it, the beefed up defenses
become more noticeable.
The picturesque calm appears to be
extending into the Lebanese side of the border as well. No armed
Hezbollah operatives have been spotted in the area, in contrast to past
provocations. But residents of communities near the border are noticing a
large number of "shepherds" on the Lebanese side of the fence.
"If they're shepherds, I'm an astronaut," Abdullah, a resident of the village of Arraba, told Israel Hayom with a smile.
"They're Hezbollah lookouts who are
tracking every movement on our side of the border. They've come back
recently," Abdullah says.
Michel Dot Com
From the communities of Hanita and Baram,
one can easily watch daily life in the Shiite villages of southern
Lebanon: children return from school, people come home carrying baskets
stuffed with supplies for the upcoming Ramadan holiday. Preparations for
war? You won't find those here.
But a few soldiers manning guard posts near
Hanita proclaim: "Don't let the calm fool you. They're stockpiling
weapons and rockets in the homes of civilians."
Indeed, apart from the schoolchildren and
the shoppers, new Hezbollah outlook posts can be seen only a few
kilometers from the border, disguised as silos. The most prominent
reminder that Hezbollah is still here, and still poses a threat, is a
sign that some operatives recently hung facing Zar'it, shortly after
Hezbollah won a dramatic victory in Lebanon's parliamentary election
this week. The sign, written in Arabic and Hebrew, reads: "Our vote
destroyed your plans" – proof of the Hezbollah propaganda that blames
Israel for all the ills of the Middle East.
The forces deployed to the north include a
contingent headed by Maj. Kobi Ezra, 27, from the northern moshav Shaar
Yishuv. Ezra commands the Doher riflery company in the 603rd Engineering
Corps Battalion. His troops are stationed at an outpost on Mount
Hermon.
"Every commander waits for the opportunity
to serve his country. As a citizen, I'm happy that there are commanders
who aren't afraid of confronting any challenge that comes," Ezra tells
Israel Hayom, adding that his forces were not surprised by the recent
developments.
"There were a lot of hints and a clear
sense of what was coming," he says. "We prepared in advance. We knew
what we were heading into and the fighters are ready and willing to
confront any scenario. They are at peak motivation."
Daniel Siryoti
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/05/11/dont-let-the-calm-fool-you-say-idf-troops-on-northern-border/
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