Moshe Arens: Syrian border breach is IDF 'intel failure'

Former defense minister says that the fact that thousands of people were being bused into the area should not have escaped notice.

By MORDECHAI I. TWERSKY
Moshe Arens 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Moshe Arens 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Former Defense Minister Moshe Arens said this week's infiltration of Israel's northern border by some 100 Syrian protestors constituted a failure of IDF intelligence.
“No doubt there was a mistake, starting with an intelligence failure,” said Arens, while attending a conference at Bar Ilan University. “The fact that thousands of people were being bused into the area should not have escaped notice. It should have been very easy to detect, and appropriate measures should have been taken.”
At least one Syrian was killed by IDF gunfire.
The former Israeli Ambassador to Washington also downplayed what he called “prognostications” about this weekend's visit to Washington by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who is to meet with US President Barack Obama and deliver an address before Congress.
“I think that the attention that has been given to prognostications and estimates as to what will happen catastrophic potential outcomes, I think all of this is overblown and not in place,” Arens said. “I'm sure it's going to be a very good visit and it will be one of many other visits still to come.”