Today, Thursday, November 5th 2009, ambassadors and diplomats from 44 countries, and military attaches from 27 different countries, were invited to an IDF ammunition base in central Israel.  During their visit, they viewed the various munitions and arms discovered onboard the ship 'Francop' that was intercepted by the Israel Navy this week.

The audience was briefed by IDF senior officers and by Mr. Yossi Gal, Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A senior intelligence officer pointed out the two destinations of the weaponry, Syria and Lebanon, and the ways in which it could be used by terrorist organizations. The officer also explained Iran's role in training and arming terrorist elements in the Middle East.

The Deputy Chief of the Israel Navy, Rear Admiral Rani ben-Yehuda, described the naval smuggling activity in the region, and detailed the method in which the Israel Navy boarded the ship and searched for the arms. The weaponry included rockets known to be used by Hezbollah.

The Head of the IDF Strategic Division, Brig. Gen. Yossi Heymann, emphasized the importance of international cooperation and the active involvement of the international community for thwarting terror and arms smuggling. Brig. Gen. Heimann said: "The 'Francop' is a part of the struggle between the [two] camps in the Middle East. The fact is that independent countries like Syria and Iran are allowing the radical forces in the region – Hezbollah, Hamas, and others – to destabilize Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, and other countries in the region. The nature of war has been changing in recent years, and the international community is yet to have found the judicial methods by which to deal with these threats."