IOF tardy detection of border camera theft marks new failure

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli Media
17 Jul 2023 12:35

Israeli media criticizes the Israeli Occupation Forces, questioning their security capabilities after it was reported that they tardily discovered that the cameras they set up at the withdrawal line with Lebanon were taken down by some youth.

Youth dismantle IOF surveillance cameras while undetected at the Lebanese withdrawal line, South Lebanon on July 12, 2023. (Social media)

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) discovered, after quite some time, that the surveillance cameras they set up at the Lebanese withdrawal line, which was established after the liberation of most of southern Lebanon in the year 2000, were dismantled and retained by some Lebanese. This incident was reported by Israeli media, on Monday, where it was considered a new failure on behalf of the IOF.

Israeli Channel 7, in a report that was only published in Hebrew, stated that "for many hours, the IDF [IOF] forces in the Northern Command did not know about the vandalism of surveillance cameras near the Fatma gate near Metula and the theft of one of the cameras last Wednesday."

That being said, the report also underscored that the IOF were hours late in discovering any damage to the newer fence and consequently were also delayed in launching an investigation into the matter.

This meant that some Lebanese youth had successfully dismantled and retained the camera without having been detected while standing on the fence that "Israel" considered to be its first line of security located on the withdrawal line with Lebanon.

That being said, the report then went to highlight the obvious saying the IOF "closed off large areas in the region" with the aim of checking whether or not any members of Hezbollah were able to enter the Israeli-occupied territories as they were absolutely unaware of any incident on their first line of security.

In turn, the commander of the Northern Command, Major General Uri Gordin, admitted, as per the report published by Channel 7, that "the attempted damage to the fence and the destruction of the cameras, and the length of time that passed until the military discovered the serious incident, were a mistake."

Similarly, the IOF spokesperson also reaffirmed the new Israeli failure saying that "there is talk about a defect that is subject to an in-depth investigation. At the end of the investigation, lessons will be produced and drawn."

Earlier, Brigadier General Amir Avivi said, during a radio interview, that the anxiety among Israeli soldiers regarding the recent incidents with Hezbollah on the Lebanese-Israeli withdrawal line has been one reason behind the decision of some reservists to abstain from service.

Avivi said that responsible officials should firmly address the attempts at damaging the border fence, noting that such incidents could weaken Israeli deterrence in the long run.

When the fence was violated in the West Bank, this was dealt with using fire, Avivi compared, warning that "Israel" must not show any inclination of deterrence deterioration.