5 Elul 5768
September 5, 2008
Hizbollah's Psychological War Against Israel
Continuing his psychological war against the state of Israel, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said yesterday that "Hizbullah is still at war with Israel," warning supporters that "at the moment the enemy feels we are weak it will return to occupy us."

In his speech Nasrallah stressed that even if Lebanon receives back the Shebaa Farms, Hizbollah will continue to fight.

"We are not using Shebaa as an excuse to bear weapons. If the area is freed the weapons will remain because we are talking about a defensive strategy against a threatening country such as Israel," he said. 

Nasrallah also referred to a speech made by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who said this week that "the goal is to render the IDF a winning army."
 
"During recent weeks we have been hearing threats from the enemy," Hizbullah's leader said. "Barak spoke clearly of the Israeli option for the next stage. They know their navy is weak and that their air force has exhausted all of its options, and it cannot gain a military advantage in the next war." 

He warned Israel against attacking Lebanon, as the IDF would lose. "All of Israel is saying that in a new war against Lebanon the only way to determine victory will be through terrestrial warfare, that's why Barak promised us five divisions," he said.

Syria: Democracy Not Our Goal

Syrian president, Bashar Assad, said that Syria will not recognize Israel before a peace agreement is reached and furthermore, that democracy is not a Syrian goal.
  
In a television interview to France 2, Assad says ''it is impossible for recognition to occur before a peace accord.'' He says there would be ''reciprocal recognition'' if and when such an accord is reached. He said democracy is ''not a goal'' for Syria. He said Syria's goal is stability and that democracy is a ''means to improve the country and reintroduce freedoms.''

 Just hours after receiving his French counterpart Nicholas Sarkozy in Damascus, Assad said that while he supports peace efforts, he continues to stand behind the Shiite Hizbullah.
 
On Wednesday Assad said that talks with Israel were opening the door to peace, but on Thursday he stressed that his country had no intention of breaking ties with the Lebanese terror organization.
 

Letter to Shalit Delivered to Mashaal

Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani delivered to Hamas politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal a letter addressed to captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, a Qatari newspaper reported Friday.  

According to the report, Mashaal has promised to deliver the letter to Shalit's captors in Gaza with the hope that they will pass it on to the soldier. An official source within French President's Nicolas Sarkozy entourage said Thursday that during his visit to Damascus the French president had given his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad a letter to Shalit from his father, Noam.
 
Another French source has stated that Assad had requested not to be directly involved in the delivering of the letter. "President Assad is happy to help, but does not want to be conceived as an official go-between in this matter," said the source.  

Since Gilad Shalit, who holds dual French-Israeli citizenship, was captured on June 25, 2006 by gunmen from Hamas and two allied groups who tunneled into Israel from the Gaza Strip, France has been trying to assist in different ways, in an attempt to secure his release. Sarkozy has expressed the need to return Gilad home to his family as soon as possible.
 
Hizbollah Using 'Facebook' to Spy 

According to the intelligence community in Israel, Hizbullah terrorists are becoming increasingly computer savvy, using Facebook to learn more about IDF soldiers, potential targets for kidnappings.  One military intelligence official explained that Facebook has become a major resource for terrorists seeking to gather information on soldiers and IDF units.

Yeshiva World News reported that IDF intelligence officials are concerned that soldiers may unwittingly give the enemy information through social networking sites or even arrange to meet an internet companion who is in fact a terrorist.

The IDF has undertaken an aggressive awareness campaign for soldiers, instructing them to be careful regarding what information they may reveal, cautioning and instructing them not to reveal the name of the branch of the service in which they serve, unit details et cetera. This is especially true of soldiers serving in the air force, intelligence, and elite combat units.

Israeli civilians have taken up the matter as well. A recently created users' group is dedicated to stopping intelligence leaks through the social networks. The group numbers more than 800 members who report any security violations they encounter. The group's founder said that he decided to act when he was travelling abroad. While surfing the internet he ran into a picture of two female soldiers inside a war room with a classified map including clearly visible sensitive code names in the background. 

Israel Allows Weapons Transfer to PA

Jordan recently facilitated the transfer of close to 1,000 automatic rifles and some 10,000 bullets to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, defense officials revealed yesterday.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved the transfer of the weaponry after the PA requested the shipment, which it said would be used in the campaign Prime Minister Salaam Fayad is currently waging against Hamas in the West Bank.

Defense officials expressed cautious satisfaction with the performance of the Palestinian security forces, Israel Radio reported, stressing that their activity so far had been mostly relegated to fighting corruption.

But IDF officials, especially in operational units working in the West Bank, expressed fear that the weapons would eventually find their way into terrorists' hands. 
 

Hizbollah Lurking in the Caribbean

The waters in the Caribbean and around Latin America for a long time have provided a path for illicit drugs to flow into the United States, but the U.S. Navy has increased its patrols in the region now looking for something else - Hezbollah terrorists, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

The Navy, in trolling for mini-submarines sometimes used to transport drugs, has discovered that some of them apparently are being operated by Hezbollah.

The mini-subs are small semi-submersibles, made of fiberglass and capable of carrying up to four people plus a payload. They are popular with drug smugglers, and now the U.S. is concerned elements of Hezbollah have begun using them for drug-running or smuggling weapons.

"In 2006, we were tracking around three of these," said Navy Admiral James Stavridis, commander of U.S. Southern Command. "In the year 2007, (the number) jumped to about 30. This year so far, in three months, we've seen about 30."

In drawing the connection to Hezbollah, Stravridis said there is concern about the "tri-border area (of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay). It is, in my view, principally Hezbollah activity.
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Shabbat Shalom
This week's Torah portion contains several specific commandments.  For our study this week, we focus on one which deals with the issue of fear.  When is it a good thing?  When is it harmful?  Medical science has shown that allowing fear to be a major factor in one's thinking is harmful to one's health, both physically and mentally and yet, there is a place in life for a righteous fear.  How do we evaluate our fears?  And then, more importantly, how do we deal with those that are destructive?
Click below for this week's Torah lesson.

Finally, thank you again to all who are responding to this last push to complete our funding for Operation Issachar.  We are deeply grateful for your support.  With only two weeks left for the fund-raising portion of this operation,  we trust Hashem that the full amount will be forthcoming and that His blessings will abound to you in return.

Shabbat Shalom and blessings,

Leah

This Week's Torah Study
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"When you go out to war against your enemy and you see horses and chariots, an army greater than you, do not fear them, for Hashem your G-d, Who took you out of Egypt, is with you."

Deut. 20:1
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