Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., November 08, 2009 Cheshvan 21, 5770 | | Israel Time: 17:44 (EST+7)
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General Amos Yadlin, the head of Military Intelligence for the Israel Defense Forces.
 (Tess Scheflan)
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Last update - 19:43 03/11/2009
Sources: Iran gave Hamas missile that can hit Tel Aviv
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: IDF, Israel News, Hamas, Gaza

Iran has supplied Hamas operatives in the Gaza Strip a missile capable of striking Tel Aviv, defense sources said on Tuesday.

Military Intelligence Chief General Amos Yadlin told the Knesset foreign affairs and defense committee earlier Tuesday that Hamas has recently tested a missile capable of reaching targets at a distance of 60 kilometers.

Hamas has refused to confirm or deny reports of the test.
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The missile was fired into the Mediterranean Sea, Yadlin told lawmakers, though he did not say whether the weapon was manufactured in Gaza or was smuggled into the Strip from abroad.

The MI chief said this latest development is indicative of the Hamas regime's growing military capabilities.

Yadlin said Hezbollah, the Shi'ite guerilla group based in southern Lebanon, has also been stockpiling weapons.

"The organization continues to arm itself and it is amassing many weapons by [acquiring them from] Iran via Syria," the MI chief said. "It is accumulating these arms [and maintaining them] south of the Litani River, inside civilian homes, in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 [which brought an end to the Second Lebanon War in 2006]."

The general also reported that Syria continued to play a key role in arming both organizations.

"Syria has turned into the main factory and weapons cache for Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as for Syria itself, with financial aid from Iran," Yadlin said.

"Syria is operating on two parallel tracks - benevolence toward the West, and in its backyard it is becoming a weapons factory for the axis of evil," Yadlin said.

As for Iran, Yadlin warned that an Iranian plant used for uranium enrichment in the city of Qom, whose existence was recently exposed by the West, is geared for military purposes.

"The plant in Qom was not intended for civilian purposes as the Iranians claim," Yadlin said. "The facility contains advanced centrifuges which can be used to expedite the process of uranium enrichment. These are the latest model of centrifuges."

"This past summer was the quietest from a security standpoint that we have had in many years," Yadlin said, citing a combination of Israeli deterrence alongside Arab expectations regarding the Mideast policy of the Obama administration.

Nonetheless, Yadlin noted that Israel's neighbors are focusing on building up their forces.

"Underneath the surface, our enemies, led by Iran, are continuing to gain strength," Yadlin said. "Iran is financing these activities, training forces, and arming Hamas and Hezbollah."

The MI chief said Hamas is currently not interested in confrontation with Israel. Rather, it is devoting its energies to solidifying its rule in the Gaza Strip while continuing its weapons smuggling operations.

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      1.   Do we only care about Tel Aviv? 11:50  |  J. Frank Mortimer 03/11/09
      2.   Really make peace now 12:06  |  Taha Mokhtar 03/11/09
      3.   RE: Frank Mortimer - Duh! 12:13  |  Gabe 03/11/09
      4.   #1 12:18  |  ron 03/11/09
      5.   NOTICE the open field & Hamas in uniforms.Why did they chose to 12:49  |  PETER SM 03/11/09
      6.   IDF HQ is in Tel Aviv, yes? A legitimate military target, no? 12:57  |  CJ 03/11/09
      7.   "MOST populated place on earth"? Actually Singapore is 13:03  |  PETER SM 03/11/09
      8.   Would they dare? 13:46  |  lee 03/11/09
      9.   Bush Style Scare Tactics 14:01  |  Dave 03/11/09
      10.   deterence 14:24  |  doubter 03/11/09
      11.   CJ Sderot was the center of nothing military.Thats terrorism 14:35  |  PETER SM 03/11/09
      12.   Hiding behind women`s dresses won`t save them 14:39  |  dyinglikeflies 03/11/09
      13.   to Peter SM 14:50  |  Juge 03/11/09
      14.   JUGE yes it will 15:04  |  PETER SM 03/11/09
      15.   Praise is to God who watches closely without sparing the rod. 16:24  |  Simon 03/11/09
      16.   And Syria wants the Golan Back, It will never Happen 17:06  |  Shepherd 03/11/09
      17.   #1 17:23  |  blash 03/11/09
      18.   "MOST populated place on earth"? 20:26  |  r cummings 03/11/09
      19.   So? Saudi Arabia is purchasing a weapons 21:01  |  Chris Linthwaite 03/11/09
      20.   WHAT?? Those peaceful Palestinians? 21:25  |  Steve 03/11/09
      21.   #18 r cummings re Peter 21:30  |  H 03/11/09
      22.   israel cannot survive for the long term without making peace... 21:37  |  american observer 03/11/09
      23.   Missiles will first rain on Dimona (if Iran is attacked) 21:41  |  Carmen Farreira 03/11/09
      24.   Time for some Israeli charity ... 21:53  |  Morris Valentine 03/11/09
      25.   Tal Aviv is more populated 21:56  |  Mark 03/11/09
      26.   #19 - so palestinians have no reason to make peace 21:57  |  Siam Kerry 03/11/09
      27.   The Ho Chi Minh trail running thru Gaza 22:08  |  allang 03/11/09
      28.   Make peace now before it is too late. 22:20  |  Make peace 03/11/09
      29.   even playing field. 22:28  |  Hirz 03/11/09
      30.   #19 american observer 22:41  |  Albrecht Klein 03/11/09
      31.   It is time for Israelis to understand that... 23:02  |  A political analyst 03/11/09
      32.   This reminds me of 2002 23:27  |  Mark Lincoln 03/11/09
      33.   Good News For Israel 23:27  |  Brad 03/11/09
      34.   Wonderfull 00:06  |  Fritz T. 04/11/09
      35.   To Taha Mokhtar 01:46  |  Abuya 04/11/09
      36.   Missile`s targets 01:48  |  Sailor 04/11/09
      37.   Paging Judge Goldstone 01:51  |  Gildnstern 04/11/09
      38.   #19 American observer 01:58  |  Sailor 04/11/09
      39.   TAKE CARE OF GAZA WITH IRAN 02:54  |  Itamar Shabtai 04/11/09
      40.   to Itamar Shabtai 03:13  |  Hirz 04/11/09
      41.   to: r cummings 03:20  |  alberto 04/11/09
      42.   Gaza Had and Still Has Nothing! This Report is Timed with 03:23  |  Monitor 04/11/09
      43.   Hirz - Iran`s Goal is 3000 mile+ Range 03:42  |  Itamar Shabtai 04/11/09
      44.   The Ho Chi Minh trail running thru Gaza 03:56  |  allang 04/11/09
      45.   Nu, Baruch habah!!! 04:27  |  Mark 04/11/09
      46.   11 But Hamas should hold still and be hit? 07:13  |  lydia 04/11/09
      47.   not quite 15:38  |  Samuel 04/11/09
      48.   22 15:42  |  Samuel 04/11/09
      49.   23 15:47  |  Samuel 04/11/09
      50.   good idea 15:49  |  Samuel 04/11/09
      51.   political fool 16:05  |  Samuel 04/11/09
      52.   35 16:20  |  Samuel 04/11/09
      53.   Alberto # 41 re r cummngs 18:29  |  ANY 04/11/09
      54.   How is the medicinal marijuana in LA allang? 23:29  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/09
      55.   So what? 17:36  |  Pablo Luis 08/11/09
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