First Time Here? Readers suggest starting with the expanded Gaza Explainer in #133 and #120.
Tags: 2 Min, #147 Update
NOTE RE #147: The email accidentally went out with the wrong entry number, which lead to a number of broken video links. The Dept of Invisible videos are worth a watch (IMO).
Mail
Why Destroy Hezbollah's Weapons?
Do you know if there is any particular reason the Israelis destroy the weapons from Hamas and Hezbollah rather than taking it back to Israel and using it? It seems like a decent way to augment the Israeli stores of weapons, and it would be the supreme irony for the Israelis to take these weapons, which were originally going to be used against them, and turning them on the very people who were going to harm Israelis. Maybe not irony, more like justice.
I think there are a few things going on:
The weapons are of types not used by the IDF. IDF soldiers are not trained on them. The IDF lacks parts, relevant ammunition and manuals.
Many of the weapons are inferior to what the IDF uses. For example, knock off AK47s are not accurate compared to the IDF's rifles.
RPG and anti tank weapons of the type used by Hamas and Hezbollah are not useful to the IDF (Hamas and Hezbollah use buildings, civilians and tunnels, not tanks and APCs).
It is a lot of work to truck the stuff back to Israel. The IDF is not built for the "reverse logistics" of bringing materiel back.
I recall that in the 1980's, the IDF did end up with some number of Soviet built APCs captured in Lebanon. (And probably other materiel, but my friends then talked about the APCs, so I'll work with the data point I have.) So in some cases, it does happen. I imagine the "good stuff" (like Russian guided munitions) may be recovered and ultimately sold on the international arms market.
But, based on available information, the vast majority is destroyed more or less in situ.
Speaking Of The Situ-ation...
On the street, at the dinner table, in the press... some reserve soldiers are saying, "I don't know what we are doing in Gaza at this point."
I wrote about Israel's weak leadership so many times... that I stopped. (I mean, what is the point of spinning on something that isn't going to change?) But now you hear it from every angle. The non-Left press also asks: What is the end game? Bibi's plans are all non starters. This essay gives a decent overview (you can translate it in Chrome).
Worse, because Bibi is trying to have it "both ways" (e.g. destroy Hamas while denying the available alternatives—such as allowing the PA to set up in Gaza), parts of Gaza are sinking into violent bedlam. From a few months ago, again Chrome can translate it.
The Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defense are open and clear: The army can't solve everything. It can't bring back the hostages (if it could have, it would have), and it isn't going to run Gaza.
It would be just like Bibi to make a mess so big no one can deal with it. That's what he did in the Cabinet and Knesset. Lebanon has other domestic power centers and friends in Europe.
Gaza has no internal entity or force to work with. Egypt isn’t going to lift a finger. (No, it’s worse than that… Because Egypt has sealed its border with Gaza, Gazans can’t even leave as they could—for a stiff fee—for the first six+ months of the war, and Egypt doesn’t allow aid or supplies into Gaza through its border. Result? Egypt is a force for chaos and suffering in Gaza. That is Hamas + Egypt + Bibi all for Gaza chaos and suffering.)
About Casualties in #147
Yesterday in #147 I wrote about casualties as seen from my chair. This is bubbling up within the Israeli government in a couple of ways.
First, it may "put the Haredim in their place:" Their request for draft exemptions is simply prima facia ridiculous--the country has been at war for a full year. Just this week, there was even a clip of Minister Smotrich himself, at a podium, in the Knesset, in tears over the war casualties his community (national religious) has suffered from the war.
Talk about someone I never thought I'd see cry. (That doesn't mean I think he has a heart.)
Observations (mine and A.P.'s) on "haredim in the army" ("equality of burden" in Hebrew) indicate it isn't so simple.
Ending the exemption for haredim is simple. From a civil rights perspective, it is the obvious and correct thing to do. However, data indicates that of the few thousand Haredim who reported for the draft in the last year or so, very few were accepted into the Army (the podcast I heard indicated only about %10 were accepted). Further, it isn't clear, to Raf, that the goal is a bigger army. My understanding (from Israeli news early in 2024) is that combat roles are oversubscribed already (combat roles accept only volunteers, and more than enough each year volunteer).
Simply drafting Haredim does not necessarily help distribute the combat burden. Once drafted, they need to volunteer for combat roles and be in physical condition to be accepted to those roles. (Sport and fitness are popular among teens here partly for this reason.)
In other words, ending the exemption is the right thing to do. And, in the near term, it may make no material difference.
A counterpoint from a reserve officer (A.F.) in my social circle:
[Recruitment of the haredim will make a difference in] much less than two years.
It is possible within six months to train people for many roles and release many soldiers for combat missions.
I'm talking about thousands.
I have been dealing with the issue for over 15 years and not because of combat casualties. The unfortunate fact is that without the combination of 20 percent of the state (Orthodox) and another 20 percent Arabs there will be no state.
We will remain only with the land.
Dept of The Invisible
Items invisible in the Western media.
Going Viral in Lebanon...
If you saw the video in Part 4 of yesterday’s "Dept of the Invisible", you know IDF Commander Adraee, the Spokesperson in Arabic.
He is watched closely in Lebanon, as his team gives evacuation announcements (and there have been many). What is less visible is that often places evacuate before this team publishes anything. How? Because the IDF is in contact with the Lebanese Army and they often issue notice first.
And now, the viral part:
In light of the success of the IDF spokesperson in Arabic in mobilizing the Lebanese population, it has been decided to appoint him as the supreme leader of Dahieh, Nabatiyeh, and Bint Jbeil. 😁
(In the above picture, spokesperson Adraee is pictured saying "leave" and "come back" in Hebrew and Arabic)
Postmark
Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabaliya
IDF Spokesperson:
Documentation of the headquarters established by Hamas at the 'Kamal Adwan' hospital in Jabaliya. A suspect in the investigation admits: "Hamas operates ambulances to transport terrorists"The forces of Division 162 and Shin Bet completed a raid on the Hamas stronghold in the 'Kamal Adwan' hospital in Jabaliya.
Following intelligence indications of terrorism and terrorists establishing themselves in the hospital, the forces raided the hospital for a targeted search. Before the troops entered, civilians were allowed to leave the hospital. Hundreds were evacuated and many terrorists were arrested, including dozens who tried to escape from the hospital when the forces entered.
Weapons, terrorist funds and Hamas documents were found in and around the hospital. The forces arrested terrorists who had barricaded themselves in the hospital, including terrorists who took part in the October 7 massacre.
An interview with an ambulance driver (2 min, Arabic w/English subs):
Force 13 Entering the Hospital
Below Social media clip from Palestinian channels. It was published with the caption:
مشاهد تظهر تعذيب وتنكيل قوات العدو الصهيوني للفلسطينيين في مخيم جباليا داخل مراكز الإيواء.
"Scenes showing the torture and abuse of Palestinians by the Zionist enemy forces in Jabaliya RC inside shelters"
But... They forgot to remove the audio of the person filming... If you listen carefully, you can hear what she is saying (in Arabic):
This is our muqawama ("resistance").
These are our muqawama people
They [the muqawama] said they would protect us
They all surrendered without a fight like cowards
No fight and nothing
In other words: The guys on the ground were Hamas terrorists who surrendered...
(source: Abu Ali)
Kafr Kila, Lebanon
IDF forces are dismantling Hezbollah's terror infrastructure in Kafr Kila.
The 769th Brigade has located and destroyed dozens of underground facilities, hundreds of weapons, enemy documents, launchers, and equipment belonging to the Radwan Force unit militants.
Israeli TV
Here is how Lebanon tunnels are shown on the Israeli news. Turn on Auto Translate for English subs.
Relief Area
Alef: Ain't AI Great?
Ben Gvir on mushrooms... Early on they say: "We gave him too much!"
Bet: RE The Israeli Strike on Iran...
Gimmel
(“Rumors” that Sinwar is dead.)
Jerusalem at night two days ago:
You can see the Dome of the Rock at the far left, center.
The buses and trains run. And I have a bunch of letters to write.
To Peace,
Raf
(Thank you A.K., M.T., S.D., M.R.)