Yes, soldiers are supposed to be the front line defense, as such the risks they take are understood and appreciated, at least they should be. However, when it comes to Israel’s leaders they have little sense of right and wrong, whether involving their citizen soldiers or civilians. JEWISH JUSTICE, if you will.

In relation to Lebanon, Israel and its northern neighbor are in a “cold state of war”, though UN resolution 1701, laid down in 2006, isn’t worth the paper it is written on. Israel’s leaders opine otherwise, but we know better. In fact, had Israel’s derelict leaders taken Lebanon’s act of war (in 2006) to its rightful conclusion, Hezbollah would NOT be in control of Lebanon, and with an arsenal tenfold more lethal than before the “cessation” of hostilities allowed them to regroup and rearm! 

As noted:

Resolution 1701 (2006) Adopted by the Security Council at its 5511th meeting, on 11 August 2006 The Security Council, Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 520 (1982), 1559 (2004), 1655 (2006) 1680 (2006) and 1697 (2006), as well as the statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon, in particular the statements of 18 June 2000 (S/PRST/2000/21), of 19 October 2004 (S/PRST/2004/36), of 4 May 2005 (S/PRST/2005/17), of 23 January 2006 (S/PRST/2006/3) and of 30 July 2006 (S/PRST/2006/35), Expressing its utmost concern at the continuing escalation of hostilities in Lebanon and in Israel since Hizbollah’s attack on Israel on 12 July 2006, which has already caused hundreds of deaths and injuries on both sides, extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons, Emphasizing the need for an end of violence, but at the same time emphasizing the need to address urgently the causes that have given rise to the current crisis, including by the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers….

To wit, when a member of the Lebanese army ( Hezbollah actually controls the gov’t, but no matter…) murders an IDF soldier through sniper fire – and ongoing attempts to attack Israel continues unabated – all the while Navy Master Sgt. Shlomi Cohen, 31 was well within Israeli territory, then all “accommodations” should be off. Plain and simple, picking off Israeli soldiers is an act of war, or so one would believe.

The above is not to suggest that full scale operations should ensue, but targeted operations are a must. At the very least, the political echelon has a duty, a moral obligation (to order its military) to exact JUSTICE for the blood of its fallen soldier(s). Not just for the family of the slain, but for the entire Jewish nation. Does honor bound even resonate among Israel’s leadership? Not at all.

Our military sources stress that Israel’s willingness to be fobbed off with lame Lebanese explanations is bound to have a negative effect on its posture of deterrence, broadcasting weakness in the face of its avowed enemies Iran, Hizballah, and Syria – especially since this was the second shooting attack from Lebanon in three days. Thursday, Dec. 12, cross-border gunfire at Israeli soldiers by another Lebanese soldier who apparently “forgot to consult” his superiors, was allowed to go without response, with the IDF spokesman speaking vaguely of “errant fire from Lebanese huntsmen” – although a fierce rainstorm was raging at the time.

Our sources report that the US, the UN and France, turned the heat on Jerusalem during the day to prevent the military encounter across the Israeli-Lebanese border from escalating into a major clash. Israel for its part was mum about the details of the event.

The IDF avoided disclosing why and who was responsible for the late Master Sgt Shlomi Cohen being ordered to turn around on his way home to Afula and take on an undisclosed mission along the Lebanese border, without being properly equipped. {Blogger’s Note: this is hardly the first time an IDF soldier died due to lack of proper equipment & backup!}

The first DEBKAfile report on the attack appeared Sunday.. The IDF confirmed Sunday night, Dec. 15 that an Israeli soldier, The soldier, Navy Master Sgt. Shlomi Cohen, 31, from Afula, was killed in the Rosh Hanikra region opposite Ras Naqoura when a Lebanese soldier fired on his vehicle. The military spokesman earlier reported the Lebanese soldier had fired 6-10 rounds, after which Lebanese soldiers poured into the area. The spokesman said Israel takes a grave view of the incident and has summoned reinforcements to the border region.  “We are ready for any step and reserve the right to retaliate at the right place and time,” he said.

The Lebanese army announced that “contact was lost with a Lebanese soldier,” believed to be the sniper,without explaining whether the soldier was thought to have been captured by Israel or fled. Also claimed was that an IDF patrol had crossed into Lebanon and was fired on by Lebanese troops, after which Israel air force planes flew over southern Lebanon.

In another incident in the Sidon area further north, two Lebanese military positions or checkpoints were attacked. A Lebanese soldier and four attackers were killed. In one attack, a suicide bomber blew himself up. Both took place in the al-Awwali district of northern Sidon, at the same time as the flare-up on the Israeli border further south. Heavy Lebanese military movements were sighted after the attacks. The Jund Al-Sham and other Al Qaeda-linked organizations in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain Hilwa outside Sidon went on a high state of preparedness.

The IDF is investigating to find out if the Lebanese soldier who attacked the Israeli patrol was connected with the Sidon assailants. DEBKAfile’s military and counterterrorism sources say that if the two events turn out to be connected, it would constitute a coordinated attack by the same terrorist group on the IDF across the Israeli border and the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon. Before midnight Sunday, the UNIFIL spokesman reported a serious incident in the Ras al-Naqoura and Serra sectors and called for restraint by Israeli and Lebanese commanders. He gave no details of the incident.

All day Monday, Washington leaned heavily on Israel’s government and military leaders to hold back from a military strike to punish the Lebanese hands behind the shooting dead of Navy Master Sgt. Shlomi Cohen Sunday, Dec. 15. The Obama administration was anxious to avert a major flare-up that might jeopardize its plans for dealing with the Syrian war in cooperation with Tehran.

 

BOTTOM LINE: Fealty to normless democracy, in juxtaposition to normative democracy, stops Israel’s top echelon from reaching for the jugular and finally ! declaring VICTORY over Israel’s sworn enemies. The military has the skill and the firepower to end the madness, that’s not the issue. Instead, the political leadership eschews VICTORY and brings the Jewish nation/people (bowing) on its knees to Washington’s dictates. Acceding to the demands of others has taken precedence over executing JUSTICE, without which there is no moral authority to govern. 

החייל שנהרג – Below is Navy Master Sgt. Shlomi Cohen, 31, murdered in cold blood. May his blood be avenged. May Israel’s leaders grow balls. May JEWISH JUSTICE prevail, proving that Jewish blood isn’t cheap! May his family be comforted by all those near and far!