The David’s Sling missile defense system. Photo courtesy of the IDF.
Israel faces enemies armed with missiles from virtually every direction—Hamas in Gaza and ISIS-affiliates in Sinai to the south; Hezbollah, ISIS, and Syria to the north; and Iran to the East. But while facing a wide array of missile threats, Israel is now armed with a wide array of missile defense systems, as their final main system—the David’s Sling—went operational on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that not far from the ceremony marking the launch of their newest defense system is the valley where David defeated Goliath and started a career of defeating Israel’s enemies 3,000 years ago.
“He did so with a combination of extraordinary daring and extraordinary ingenuity,” said Netanyahu in an IDF press release. “…As an ancient people that treasures life, we continue to march in the path of King David. David’s sword in our hand, David’s Sling is in our skies and David’s shield is on our flag. We will join strength to spirit and we will ensure Israel’s victory.”
David’s Sling, which the IDF press release noted is primarily designed to intercept medium to long-range missiles, joins the Arrow and Iron Dome missile defense systems to provide Israel with coverage from short-range rockets in Gaza to long-range missiles from Iran.
David’s Sling was developed as a joint Israel-American project, and Israel’s achievement on Sunday is a breakthrough in the technology. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman was quoted by the press release as calling David’s Sling a “system that has no substitute and that cannot be bought in any other place in the world.”
Said Lieberman, “This is of course combined with intellectual capabilities of ours and of our friends’ in the United States, and because of this combination we are able to answer whoever is trying to harm us.”
Netanyahu declared that Israel “continues to lead the world in this field” of missile defense. However, while Israel works very hard to defend itself against its enemies, Netanyahu made clear that Israel will fight offensively as well against anyone who attacks them. Israel has maintained this counteroffensive position throughout their fights with Gaza and Syria, returning fire whenever they are attacked.
Said the Israeli leader, “Despite the importance that I attribute to our defensive capabilities, I reiterate: Whoever seeks to hit us—will be hit. Whoever threatens our existence—places himself in existential danger.”
And while there are plenty of terrorists and enemy states that want to threaten the Jewish State, on Sunday , Israel gave them one more reason to keep the peace.
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, April 2, 2017)