IDF to Remain on Full Alert Over Passover
March 28, 2012The IDF on Tuesday broke with Israeli tradition and ordered all units to cancel the long-customary Passover leaves and remain on full alert over the holiday.
Over the years, an army-wide break during Passover became a tradition followed by all major military units, including the Air Force, Navy and intelligence corps.
But this year soldiers will have to divide their vacation days among themselves in order to ensure that their units remain at full strength.
Senior military officials insisted the decision did not stem from any planned military operations set to occur on – or immediately after – the holiday.
IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz said Wednesday he gave the order saying he “does not accept” the notion of an army-wide vacation during Passover.
According to reports, many soldiers who received the news Tuesday did not believe the timing of the decision was arbitrary and dismissed Gantz’s explanation as obfuscation.
Military analysts say the decision does not necessarily reflect plans to undertake a major operation, but likely stems from ongoing security concerns originating in Hamas-run Gaza.
Israel averted at least one major terror attack intended to be staged from Sinai in recent months, killing the alleged planner in an airstrike.
That strike led to a spike in hostilities with Gaza’s terror gangs, who fired at least 200 rockets into Israel over a period of four days.
Israeli airstrikes on rocket launching cells firing from densely populated civilian killed 26 Gazans, of whom at least 21 were terrorists.
Critics say that Israel’s airstrikes-for-rockets strategic posture vis-a-vis Gaza has only served to perpetuate the now simmering security situation in Israel’s south.
A growing cadre of senior security officials and former IDF chiefs have called for a major Gaza incursion to uproot the terror infrastructure there.
Gantz himself has described such an operation as “increasingly inevitable.”
Similar posts
-
The Amazing Country of Israel
September 15, 2023Introduction Nestled in the heart of the Middle East, Israel is a nation with a remarkable histo...
-
Israel Safeguards The World From Terror Attacks
August 23, 2023Introduction In an era where terrorism poses a significant threat to global security, Israel sta...
-
Israel Helps The World With Water Recycling
August 10, 2023Introduction In a world grappling with the challenges of water scarcity and resource management,...
-
Israel's Remarkable Female Soldiers
July 26, 2023Introduction When we think of the Israeli military, we often conjure up images of well-trained s...
-
About Gal Gadot's Cleopatra Movie
July 18, 2023By Katy Rath Gal Gadot's new Cleopatra movie has been steeped in both anticipation and controver...
-
Israel Empowers The World Through Innovation
July 10, 2023BY: SOLVE ISRAEL'S PROBLEMS Introduction:In recent years, Israel has emerged as a global powerho...
-
The Jerusalem Embassy, 5 Years Later
May 22, 2023By Nikki Haley On May 14, 2018, something incredible happened. The United States...
-
Israel's Fauda Top TV Show in Arab Countries
February 1, 2023Even some Arab countries without diplomatic relations with Israel are hooked on the action-packed d...
