Report: Israeli troops disguised as Palestinian grocers kidnap Gilad Shalit’s kidnapper
posted at 1:54 pm on September 8, 2007 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | regular view
No confirmation from the IDF but I bet it’s true. Ehud Barak is internationally famous for his participation in raids like these behind enemy lines, most notoriously when he dressed as a woman to assassinate PLO leaders in Beirut in 1973. He took over as defense minister from the much-maligned Amir Peretz less than three months ago; this is probably his way of leaving a calling card for Hamas.
Pretty awesome:
The sources said that the undercover soldiers entered the Gaza Strip, and carried out their operation near the Rafah Crossing. According to the sources, the undercover soldiers were disguised as grocers riding a donkey-pulled wagon. Sources said they disguised force even chatted with locals near the crossing.
According to the report, the undercover soldiers approached a plot of land belonging to Muhawesh al-Kadi, a senior Hamas official who acts as spokesman of the organization’s special security forces in Rafah.
Al-Kadi was working his land when the disguised force approached and kidnapped him. The Palestinian sources reported that the operation went quickly and smoothly. The undercover force left Rafah with al-Kadi, and brought him to Israel.
According to the report, the operation was carried out about 2 kilometers from the security fence, in an area where a large number of Hamas gunmen are stationed.
Hamas officials confirmed that this was one of the Israelis’ most daring acts and that troops disguised as Arabs had not entered so deep into the Strip for a long time.
Will they kill Shalit as a reprisal? Probably not. They can’t afford to invite an IDF offensive when they’re still worried about controlling the Gaza strip. I wonder if Israel will offer al-Kadi as part of the prisoner exchange.
Meanwhile, Debka floats a not-unlikely theory about that strange Israeli flyover of Syria a few days ago. Apparently, the IAF was able to jam the Russian-made Syrian anti-aircraft system; it so happens that Iran has the same system. You do the math.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages:
Oh that’s old school IDF and Mossad genius right there!
This is an incredible coup!
Defector01 on September 8, 2007 at 1:54 PM
If it’s not, it should be….
locomotivebreath1901 on September 8, 2007 at 1:57 PM
Audacity. Don’t ya luv it?
A big Saturday toast to Ms.Zion and her Mossad sons and daughters!
Limerick on September 8, 2007 at 2:07 PM
I have always been amazed at the Israelis courage to do these kind of things.(The Soldiers, not Olmert) My favorite is still The Entebbe Rescue. God Bless Israel I hope they can leverage this man to get their soldier back.
It is apparent that Olmert is spineless when it comes to a real response to these monsters. A case in point is the rocket attack last week and the decision to do nothing but tough talk with no drive into gaza. Just some statements about reviewing cutting off utilities. Weak.
At some point you need to stop worrying about world pressure and protect your citizens. Imagine if this was here, every day for six years people living near the border of Mexico are left to deal with mortar and rocket attacks. Insane.
Ravenlike on September 8, 2007 at 2:09 PM
It’s always a sign of genius when military actions are seen as random acts of desperation instead the series of tactical actions they truly are. I fear something major is about to occur in that region if the Dems win control of all the White House.
Zaire67 on September 8, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Tried Betty Sue but I knew she wouldn’t do
there it is on September 8, 2007 at 2:12 PM
It really isn’t that BIG of a coup given that Palestinians (as most Arab Muslims are) are really basically stupid.
mustng66 on September 8, 2007 at 2:14 PM
“No comment” is a comment.
– Mossad
mojo on September 8, 2007 at 2:14 PM
I haven’t found that at all– in fact, just the opposite. That doesn’t mean we see eye-to-eye on much, but dumb, don’t think so.
JiangxiDad on September 8, 2007 at 2:23 PM
Looking at the headline photo…the guy on the right….
I wouldn’t want to knock his beer over at the bar.
Seriously….smart smart people and nation. If you ever get the chance to read up on how they aquired their weapons for the 48 war do it. Big 100 yard wide gumballs.
Limerick on September 8, 2007 at 2:25 PM
Good catch.
Yakko77 on September 8, 2007 at 2:27 PM
emphasis added
Such sweetness must be savored.
Troy Rasmussen on September 8, 2007 at 2:29 PM
Mossad be praised!!!!! Heh. Where else could you masquerade on a donkey cart besides this backwards area? Oh. Maybe all of Arab land.
mimi1220 on September 8, 2007 at 2:31 PM
JiangxiDad:
I hope you can understand how we in the West look at a group of people who have managed to piss away every resource and opportunity in a failed effort to murder their neighbors, and think, “not too bright, are they?”
Radical Islam may be the ultimate example of how smart individuals, when joining a group, can become morons.
Merovign on September 8, 2007 at 2:32 PM
WOOT! Damn it feels good to be a Gangsta!
ronsfi on September 8, 2007 at 2:33 PM
Ancient Israel was responsible for much of the foundation of Western Civilization, and modern Israel must do much of the heavy lifting to defend the West today. They have to fight every day to keep what Europe and the American Left give away freely. If only the rest of the West had a fraction of that audacity.
Nosferightu on September 8, 2007 at 2:34 PM
I don’t agree with his politics, but man you gotta love Ehud Barak as a man (who is so manly he can pull off dressing in women’s clothing before killing someone) and as a patriot.
Christoph on September 8, 2007 at 2:34 PM
Oh yeah, I get that. Just meant individually.
JiangxiDad on September 8, 2007 at 2:36 PM
Apparently, the IAF was able to jam the Russian-made Syrian anti-aircraft system; it so happens that Iran has the same system.
I like to think that the US had a hand in this.
harrison on September 8, 2007 at 2:41 PM
We need to begin kidnapping and/or assassinating terrorist leaders. Wouldn’t it be really cool if one day, all of a sudden Achmedinijihad would disappear, and then the next day appear on worldwide television from his cell in Gitmo?
jimbo2 on September 8, 2007 at 2:41 PM
Wow, it’s just like the Scarlet Pimpernel. I heart the IDF!
tikvah on September 8, 2007 at 2:43 PM
I would not believe anything DEBKA says. Cut off food, water, power and fuel to Gaza.
Hilts on September 8, 2007 at 2:43 PM
Is he still alive?
Valiant on September 8, 2007 at 2:43 PM
That’s been my question forever. Is there evidence of him alive?
lorien1973 on September 8, 2007 at 2:44 PM
You made me hoop and hollar… in my suite!
I’ve never shouted so loudly here. That was great.
Christoph on September 8, 2007 at 2:49 PM
Given the Palestinians’ history of treatment of Israeli troops, I’m going to vote for no. I’m going to vote for him not lasting more than 3 days in their presence.
Boy, oh, boy, I hope this story is true. Israelis fascinate me and are probably the most tenacious and tough people I’ve ever met. Ehud Barak would be the one to come up with something like this too. I always thought he’d make one UGLY woman, but he’s one handsome, manly man.
Olmert is not a very good leader, but he seems to be surrounded by some amazing other people. And I would not want to tick off the Mossad – they’re scary.
mjk on September 8, 2007 at 2:56 PM
God is great.
Heh.
Jaibones on September 8, 2007 at 2:57 PM
The funny thing about Israel, is even their liberals are tough.
Christoph on September 8, 2007 at 2:58 PM
I’m with you. I’ll prob. get some flak, but I never understood why some people think it’s not cricket if we take out our opponents leaders.
Why choose btwn bombing Iran or letting them get the bomb, if there’s a 3rd alternative?
Why should innocent civilian populations have to suffer wars if it can be avoided by taking out the leadership? It pisses me off.
Let the whining, hysterical pussyEuros in the EU say what they will.
JiangxiDad on September 8, 2007 at 2:59 PM
The real reason?
The leaders of our countries have a real STRONG reason not to make assassinating national leaders common.
Capiche?
Christoph on September 8, 2007 at 3:00 PM
Oh nice post baby! (Terry Tate voice over)
Sidenote:
When people claim that the U.S. leaving the Middle East entirely will settle things down, they are crazy. If that happened the first thing the Muslims would do is start beating their chests, the second thing is that Israel would bomb Iran and disrupt the gulf and put oil prices throught the roof.
Israel is willing and capable to defend itself and is far more likely to be preemptive without U.S. suport, not less.
Theworldisnotenough on September 8, 2007 at 3:01 PM
immoral
JiangxiDad on September 8, 2007 at 3:04 PM
What?
Christoph on September 8, 2007 at 3:05 PM
And pulling a gun on him would be the last mistake you would ever make.
I hope after a long and arduous debriefing the MOSSAD hands him over to Russian emigre gangsters in Tel Aviv. No trials, no prisoner exchanges, no retaliatory attacks by HAMAS to spring this guy. Just let the boys from St. Petersburg turn him into mulch.
Mike Honcho on September 8, 2007 at 3:05 PM
How is it moral to sacrifice the population for the sake of putting the leader out of bounds?
JiangxiDad on September 8, 2007 at 3:07 PM
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is great.
Just, you know, so there’s no misunderstanding. ;-)
Insomniac on September 8, 2007 at 3:08 PM
Think the Muslims see allah as the god of abraham, isaac and jacob too. Hasn’t that been the fundamental misunderstanding?
JiangxiDad on September 8, 2007 at 3:11 PM
You can’t lead with your leaders, JiangxiDad. They’re already “in bounds” anyway. Being leader is a dangerous job.
But mostly killing leaders is very destabilizing. Ask the citizens of Arch Duke Ferdinand’s Austro-Hungarian empire.
Christoph on September 8, 2007 at 3:11 PM
Christoph-
Not sure if we’re getting each other. We might be saying the same thing, not sure.
It’s just the old “Should we have killed Hitler early on” question.
JiangxiDad on September 8, 2007 at 3:13 PM
Destabilizing for the tyrants most of all. I’m for taking em out til we get someone that doesn’t want to behead us. Why nuke a country when a little polonium tea will do just fine.
frreal on September 8, 2007 at 3:15 PM
Guess that’s what happens when EVERYONE serves in the military in one form or another from the age of 18. I explained that to a friend of mine once that Liberal here is certainly not the same thing in Israel.
I’ve always said that Israel is paradoxically the only reason why the Middle East is actually not in utter and complete chaos. When all your neighbours are afraid of what you’ll do to protect yourself and your people, they tend to step pretty lightly. That’s Israel’s job.
mjk on September 8, 2007 at 3:15 PM
If true, that’s the best thing ever.
What’s good for the goose…
Good Lt on September 8, 2007 at 3:18 PM
Israel – Do what must be done.
I love that country.
Stormy70 on September 8, 2007 at 3:20 PM
“audacity”
I was thinking of the word “chutzpah”, which is Yiddish. Even Israel’s enemies must surely respect this kind of Commando Picture Weekly derring-do.
But you can imagine how the press will report this. “World Outrage at Israeli Sneak Attack”, and there will be solicited quotes from the usual suspects going on about a violation of sovereign territory etc. They won’t use the word “audacity”, they’ll use words like “sneaky” and “shrewd” and “scheming” and “unprovoked”.
Apeking on September 8, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Probably. The released audio from him not too long back. It’s the ones taken by Hezballah that are in greater question (in my estimation).
Spirit of 1776 on September 8, 2007 at 3:32 PM
A “shot across the bow” ???
I believe if I were A Dinner Jacket, then I would settle my accounts with the Allahmighty Seamstress, just in case.
hillbillyjim on September 8, 2007 at 3:41 PM
Although not given much (public) consideration, I think this is a very plausible theory that should figure into everyone’s Middle East Calculus.
hillbillyjim on September 8, 2007 at 3:55 PM
I met one of those guys in Jerusalem once. Huge, huge guy – looked like a linebacker. I shook hands with him and my whole entire hand was covered by his. He was easily one of the sweetest guys I’ve ever met.
Then he told me that he used to be a bodyguard for either Ariel Sharon or Ehud Barak (can’t remember which). And I thought, yeah, you’re so sweet right now, but I wouldn’t want to meet you while you were being a bodyguard and I was breaking some kind of rule. He could have broken me in half. And yeah, scary.
mjk on September 8, 2007 at 4:01 PM
It’s nice to see the Israelis still have male parts. Tally ho!
Mojave Mark on September 8, 2007 at 4:09 PM
The Israeli military is great at this sort of thing. Let’s not forget the amazing mission they flew to destroy Saddam’s nuclear reactor.
Be sure to watch “The Raid on the Reactor” to find out about the amazing heros of the IAF.
Michael in MI on September 8, 2007 at 4:31 PM
here in the united states the guys that do the work don’t mind getting bloody hands, its the bosses that worry about not getting promoted if something goes wrong and or congressional hearings/torture sessions if it dosen’t
C
pk on September 8, 2007 at 4:52 PM
Excellent.
Tanya on September 8, 2007 at 5:00 PM
That is beyond awesome. One would think that the balls on those guys would get in the way on missions, slow them down.
BadgerHawk on September 8, 2007 at 5:24 PM
Olmert’s corrupt alright, but do take a look at this PDF file on Ariel Sharon if you please. I got this from Prof. Paul Eidelberg, who did a little research on what Sharon was really like; you might be very surprised. And bear in mind that this is someone living in Israel who’s tipping you off to this info. He was in reality a disgrace of a man, certainly in his old age.
Oh, and you might also want to read at least one entry here I did about Olmert’s corrupt activities as well.
Avi Green on September 8, 2007 at 5:31 PM
That was my first thought as well, but the fact that these guys can pull something like this off even with the incredibly heavy burden of their massive huevos makes me respect them all the more.
God I love the Israelis.
Keli on September 8, 2007 at 6:13 PM
Heh, yeah, not just getting in the way but the “clanking” of those balls possibly giving away their position…!
Liberty or Death on September 8, 2007 at 7:19 PM
Click click click buzz whirr – type type type – click click buzz whirr buzz beep! Click buzz whirr – type type type – enter – Click click click buzz whirr whirr buzz BEEP!
Naw, they wouldn’t. Naw, not really … you mean … Damn! I guess they could at that!
Maybe we should pitch in and help…
Woody
woodcdi on September 8, 2007 at 7:43 PM
I used to enjoy reading about Britain during WWII, and how they used to pull off some amazing things against all odds using brilliant planning, courage and a flair for the dramatic. This was fifty-some-odd years before they decided to simply surrender to Islam.
Israel has for sometime been the new amazing hero against all odds, which include their own Liberals saboteurs in elected office.
God bless Israel.
Hening on September 8, 2007 at 9:38 PM
JiangxiDad:
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!
CONGRESS, CONGRESS, CONGRESS.
C
pk on September 8, 2007 at 9:47 PM
I remember watching a snatch-and-grab demonstration in the hills around Jerusalem back when I studied in Tel Aviv. The Jerusalem undercover police took a fellow student, propped him up in a mock Arab marketplace, then did their thing.
A sniper covered from above while they drove up, exploded from the vehicle, tossed a flash-bang, grabbed the student, retreated to the vehicle, and pulled out.
My friend and I timed it. In and out in 20 seconds. Impressive business. These were their cops.
Oh and they were Middle Eastern Jews, y’know….for effect and stuff. Looked like Arabs. What can brown do you for you, baby?
John from OPFOR on September 8, 2007 at 10:19 PM
Some good news for Israel for once. I love it.
SoulGlo on September 8, 2007 at 10:54 PM
A prediction:
Israel is going to save the world. Again.
And nobody will ever give them credit for it.
Want to know who I’d really, really like to vote as the American President next year?
An Israeli President.
They get it. We don’t.
How any American is anti-Semitic is beyond me. That little nothing of a country is truly magnificent and is as American as apple pie.
I sleep easy at night knowing full well that if George Bush goes soft and won’t do what’s necessary, Israel will.
Magnificent bastards indeed. God bless the joooooooos.
Professor Blather on September 8, 2007 at 11:25 PM
Anybody who actually believes its a coincidence that happened on July 4th, 1976, is someone I’d like to sell a bridge to.
Professor Blather on September 8, 2007 at 11:27 PM
How innocent is a society that lets people like that become leaders?
Tim Burton on September 8, 2007 at 11:27 PM
I watched the video and it was magnificent. I recommend it to the august panel here assembled.
We were soldiers once…
Mojave Mark on September 9, 2007 at 8:32 AM
WooHoo!!
Bravo Zulu!!
Mooseman on September 9, 2007 at 12:42 PM
We can only pray Olmert is not able to garner support to divide Jerusalem. We must also pray Bush and Tinkerbell Condi don’t get all wobbly about the Israeli “intervention” and demand the Israelis release the monster. We all know what the UN and EU will do. The reports of jamming the anti-aircraft guns makes perfect sense, to me. To test it they would sacrifice one or two aircraft. Wishing them G-d’s richest blessings and peace.
24K lady on September 9, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Often that whole talking point is simply rhetoric to continue peace talks. If Olmert or any other Israeli PM even attempted that again, there would definitely be a huge problem. It’s something akin to the Israelis “offering” the Golan Heights. It’s extremely unlikely they would ever give it up, given the strategic importance of the Golan.
mjk on September 9, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Comment pages: