Regional drills meant to serve Israel

Qudsna, Ahmad Kazemzadeh:

Zionist sources have talked of the cancellation of a civil defense drill due to shortage of necessary funds. The drill was set for the next month and was designed to help the Israeli water, power and fuel infrastructure to get ready for critical moments.

The drill was planned following a study of the shortfalls facing the regime during the 33-day war in Lebanon in 2005 and the 22-day war in Gaza in 2008.

The drill cancellation reports came after the Israeli Finance Ministry rejected a demand by the 'Defense' Ministry for a rise in the military budget. The finance ministry had already tightened the belt following social protests that led to several self immolations by Israelis. The ministry now fears that any increase of military funds would lead a drop in social welfare status and lead to more demonstrations and protest.

Nevertheless, the Zionist regime has kept its drills in other military sections, including missiles thank to US taxes that are funneled to the regime in the form of annual grants. The latest of such drills came following a visit by the US defense minister, Chuck Hagel to Israel on the 66th anniversary of the fabrication of Israel.

The drill helped the Israeli army to simulate a situation where Israel may be attacked by thousands of missiles at various ranges from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran in a week. The drill was designed to reaffirm security collaboration between the US and Israel.

Similar missile drills were staged elsewhere in Jordan where the US and Israel were involved. And one more drill has been planned in which 13 thousand soldiers from 24 countries are slated to take part from May 25 to June 10. A similar drill was staged in 2013 when 8000 soldiers from 19 countries, including the US, Britain, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iraq took part. These drills are linked to the Syrian crisis.

The US-Jordanian and the US-Israeli drills appear to be setting the ground for the third drill in which soldiers of other Arab states, including the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council are going to take part.

The drills show that the US seeks to use the Syrian crisis as a ground for boosting security and military cooperation between the PGCC states and the Zionist regime of Israel. The project if succeeded would help the US to push the Palestinian crisis from the foreign policy agenda of the Arab states as part of its efforts to boost the Israeli security.