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Jihad on the Horizon: The ISIL Threat from an Israeli Perspective

(BICOM) Brig. Gen. (res.) Michael Herzog - The goal of "destroying" ISIL is not viable at this stage, due to the lack of ground forces available to fully roll ISIL back, especially in Syria. However, the ISIL challenge on the ground can be significantly reduced and ultimately defeated. ISIL's weaknesses should be exploited, including being spread thin geographically, significant military shortcomings, fragile local alliances, and being surrounded by hostile forces. ISIL is slowly approaching some of Israel's borders, with Salafi Jihadists present in the Sinai, on the Golan, on the margins in Gaza, and even (though to a marginal extent) within Israel's Arab population. ISIL is striving to gain influence inside additional countries neighboring Israel such as Jordan and Lebanon. Over the long run Israel is very much on ISIL's radar and might later become the focus of its attention. The danger is already here of ISIL/Jihadi terror attacks on Jewish targets in the West. The writer served as senior military aide and advisor to four Israeli ministers of defense.
2015-03-06 00:00:00
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