BREAKING NEWS

IDF to renew Ashkenazi's security amid Hezbollah threat

DECEMBER 22, 2011 17:36

The IDF has decided to renew its security over former chief of staff Lt.-Gen (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi amid fears that he could be targeted by Hezbollah ahead of the fourth anniversary of the assassination of the guerrilla group's military commander.

Ashkenazi retired from the IDF in February and continued to be protected until about four months ago. Several weeks ago however, the defense establishment decided to renew the security amid new intelligence indicating that the former chief of staff could be targeted by Hezbollah.

It would not be the first time that Hezbollah has tried to target Ashkenazi. In 2010, an Israeli-Arab from Tira was sentenced to five years in prison after he was convicted of spying on Ashkenazi for Hezbollah. Rawi Sultani followed Ashkenazi to the gym he worked out at in Kfar Saba and passed on information about the chief of staff's security detail to his Hezbollah handlers.

Hezbollah is believed to be actively seeking revenge for the February 2008 assassination of its military commander Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus, which it attributes to Israel. Over the years, there have been reports of a number of plots that were thwarted to avenge the assassination including an attempt to bomb the Israeli embassey in Azerbaijan.

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