Gratulacje
The Israeli Connection
Israelis are justifiably proud today to have learned last night that a
sizeable group of agents from the Mossad and the Shin Bet were involved
in the dramatic and successful release of hostages in Colombia who had
been imprisoned for five years.
Israeli TV Channels 2 and 10 broke the news last night, saying that for
the first time it could be reported that the Israelis were "intimately
involved in great depth" in the successful liberation of the captives,
along with their American counterparts.
Ingrid Betancourt, the Colombia politician who was restored to her
family (pictured above embracing her daughter) said
in her statement to
reporters after her release: "I am not aware of a precedent to such a
perfect mission. Maybe only the Israelis with their wonderful commandos
may be reminiscent of the mission that took place here."
Betancourt's reference to Israel's military history is not by chance.
Last year, a group of Israeli military advisors, receiving approval from
the Israeli Defense Ministry, resided in Colombia in order to assist the
army there and especially the special units.
The Israeli mission was focused mainly on intelligence issues, special
operations and integration and coordination between different security
elements. This was in order to prepare them for a coordinated and
productive campaign within a short period of
time. The group was headed
by Major-General (Res.) Israel Ziv, who served as the head of operations
in the elite Sayeret Matkal unit up until four years ago.
Ziv and at least some of his men have already returned to Israel but the
assistance the Israeli team provided to the Colombian security forces
assisted them in attaining the list of successes they have been
achieving lately against the FARC rebel organization,
most notably the
"perfect" rescue of the hostages.
The TV announcer said last night, "The names of the agents involved will
never be made public but they are in fact our anonymous heroes."
