The surprise exercise in which 2,000 IDF soldiers and officers were activated to emergency duty in northern Israel is being labeled a success. Military officials stress the exercise was planned months in advance and it is not the result of the current political/military situation in the north.

The reservists activated for duty were instructed to report to northern Israel to be combat ready within 48 hours. The response was good as well as timely and now the soldiers and officers involved will continue training, which includes infantry and armored units in line with the planned training event.

What seems to have captured the media spotlight no less than the major ‘call up’ event is the fact that Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon was not informed of the exercise in advance. He was unaware that 2,000 soldiers and officers were responding to major training exercise intended to evaluate the IDF’s ability to respond when its northern border is under attack.

IDF officials released a statement to the effect that the exercise was one of many ‘routine’ training events and the defense minister is not informed of such events.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem – Photo: IDF Spokesman)