The annual IDF memorial service for the Second Lebanon War was held on Tuesday 22 Sivan at the site of the official memorial at Har Adir. Among the participants were IDF Northern District Commander Major-General Aviv Kochavi. The Second Lebanon War began during the summer of 2006 when soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were abducted in a cross-border attack by Hizbullah. The war lasted 34 days during which 121 IDF soldiers and 44 civilians were killed HY”D.

Major-General Kochavi stated “The northern arena has undergone radical change and emerging trends involve negative developments. Alongside radical Shiite Islam which is spreading along the Syrian Golan Heights the Global Jihad is injecting a religious extremism in the Mideast”.

Kochavi pointed out “The Syrian border, which has become the scene of active attacks against Israel, the enemy continues strengthening its rockets and missiles while Iran increases its presence in the region, arming our enemies and directing attacks against us.

“We should not draw conclusions from this temporary situation in which terrorist organizations are engaged in their own [internal] disputes and we should not devise a strategy or plan a military buildup based on this temporary, unstable, deceptive situation”.

The senior commander concluded “We must prepare our forces to operate both in Lebanon and the eastern front to provide a sharp determined response that yields clear unequivocal results”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)