Israeli PM: Don't doubt Israel's ability

JERUSALEM, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Israel's prime minister, in response to Hezbollah threats to occupy the Galilee in the next war, says no one should doubt Israel's ability to defend itself.

At a ceremony marking Martyrs Resistance Day in Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned in a televised speech Wednesday that if a war is imposed on Lebanon his fighters will liberate the Galilee.

"I say to the fighters of the Islamic resistance -- be ready. If a new war is imposed on Lebanon we may ask you to take the Galilee, to free the Galilee," Nasrallah declared.

"Whoever hides in a bunker should stay in the bunker," Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said referring to Nasrallah, who since the Second Lebanon War rarely appears in public and broadcasts all his speeches to his followers from his bunker.

The Netanyahu response to the Hezbollah leader's threats at a Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem was aired on national television networks.

"Nasrallah said he would capture the Galilee, I have news for you -- you won't," Netanyahu said. "No one should doubt Israel's strength or its ability to defend itself. "We have a strong army and we are a people of strong resolve. We seek peace with all of our neighbors, but the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] is prepared to defend Israel from any of its enemies," Netanyahu declared.

Marking the third anniversary of the death of his deputy Imad Mughniyeh, killed by a car bomb in Damascus in February 2008, the Hezbollah chief warned his blood was not spent in vain and his death will be avenged.

"I want to assure you and tell the Israelis that they should be careful because the blood of Imad Mugniyeh will not go to waste," Nasrallah said in footage broadcast on Israel's Second Channel Wednesday night.

Israel this week stepped up security at its embassies abroad amid Hezbollah's threats to target Israeli interests due to the third anniversary of Mughniyeh's death. The Israeli government temporarily shut down four embassies and advised diplomats from those missions to remain in their homes.

Sources : upi

Jerusalem Blocking Multi-Million Russia Drone Deal

IAI's Heron, the medium range UAV (photo : Militaryphotos)

Move could scupper plans for joint $200 million UAV factory in Russia

The brakes have been put on talks between Israel Aerospace Industries and Russia over sales and the joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles, according to Israeli defense sources who wish to remain anonymous. They say the parties are negotiating to build a plant in Russia for the pilotless aircraft to the tune of $300 million to $400 million, as well as the outright sale of IAI-built drones to Russia.

Recent news reports have said that IAI and Russia are planning a $200 million UAV factory and that the Israeli company plans to sell Russia an unspecified number of UAVs in the wake of its sale about a year ago of three such aircraft to Moscow for around $50 million.

The sources attribute the current backpedaling to hesitation about the deal in the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Ministry's Office, which have yet to give their approval. Washington has also requested clarifications about the deal, which is considered particularly sensitive.

The sensitive part concerns the transfer of technology to Russia, which despite its attempts has failed to crack the secret of building silent UAVs. While no one is talking about giving the Russians the plans for the most advanced pilotless aircraft in the arsenal of the Israel Defense Forces, a deal would represent a technological advance for the Russians. Neither Jerusalem nor Washington wants the technology to end up in the hands of Israel's enemies.

In the background, raising tensions, are reports of talks between Moscow and Tehran over the potential sale of Russian missiles to Iran. On the other hand, the West has an interest in heightening its strategic ties with Russia in the event of a regional confrontation in the future.

Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Moscow research institute the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, was quoted last week in Western news reports as saying that Russia stands to buy $12 billion worth of arms from European and Israeli firms, including IAI.

Sources: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/military-sources-jerusalem-blocking-multi-million-russia-drone-deal-1.295792