_s.jpg "Photo: Ahiya Raved")
Mofaz (left) during tour of northern border
Photo: Ahiya Raved
Mofaz: Not enough money to armor troops
Replying to soldiers' complaint they lack sufficient equipment and feel inadequately armored, defense minister says army does not have enough money, budget cuts make matters worse
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz met Tuesday with IDF soldiers serving in the Biranit army base, on Israel's northern border on.
Days after his announcement that he has decided to quit Likud and join the Kadima party, and the staunch public criticism that followed, Mofaz was once again met with harsh questions, this time by the troops he visited.
"We are conducting operations on the border and feel that our equipment is inadequately armored, whether it’s the armored vehicles or anything else," one of the soldiers at the base told Mofaz.
Mofaz discusses security with IDF troops (Photo: Ahiya Raved)
The defense minister explained in response that his ministry's budget is limited, and that it continues to shrink each year.
"I'm sure that these issues are taken into consideration at the General Staff level, as well as by the units on the ground," Mofaz said, adding that he believed the list of priorities was properly drafted.
'Hizbullah, Syria and Iran tightening links'
Referring to the recent escalation on the border, Mofaz demanded of the soldiers to boost their alertness in light of the growing threat to Israel posed by the Hizbullah.
"The link between Syria, Iran and Hizbullah is constantly tightening. I estimate that there would be other attempts by Hizbullah to provoke violence, similar to the incident three weeks ago in the border village of Rajar," Mofaz said.
"For Syria this is a 'safety valve' to release tensions generated by the international pressures it faces, most notably the Mehlis report," he added.
According to the defense minister, the Mehlis report and Monday's assassination of a Lebanese Parliament Member and newspaper editor, proved that Syria continues to "perpetuate its rule in Lebanon," adding that the Syrian attempts to divert attention away from the country may result in heightened Hizbullah activity in the north.
No attacks on civilians
The risk in the area is rising, and this requires first-level deployment and alertness, the minister stressed. If another incident occurs on the border, Israel's objective would be to make Hizbullah pay the highest price, in order to preserve the deterrence factor and, on the other hand, avoid any harm to IDF forces, Mofaz said.
Escalation
Sharon Roffe Ofir
Hizbullah bombards northern Israel Monday afternoon; 12 Israelis hurt, several terrorists killed in apparent attempt to abduct IDF troops. Army responds with artillery fire, Air Force fighter jets bomb Hizbullah targets in Lebanon
Replying to a question from one of the officers at the base, who wanted to know why the army refrained from initiating attacks on Hizbullah, Mofaz said that while Israel extensively operated in southern Lebanon in retaliation to the Rajar incident, it nevertheless managed to avoid harming civilians.
"This is the difference between a state and the terror organization we fight against. We will not initiate an attack that may hurt civilians," Mofaz concluded.
