AIPAC holds its annual conference next week and, as it does every four years, has invited presidential candidates from both parties to speak. Donald Trump is among those who accepted the invitation. While many Jewish leaders, activists, and journalists have called on AIPAC to disinvite him, Jonathan Tobin contends that the organization must stick to its usual policy of bipartisanship:

AIPAC can’t afford to write off either party. Its job is to fight for support for Israel on both sides of the aisle, and it has been largely successful in that effort even in an era where many rank-and-file Democrats are increasingly likely to be hostile or indifferent to it. . . .

[I]t’s important to understand that AIPAC as an organization—as opposed to what some of its members think—must do its best to stay away from partisan warfare. Expecting it to fight other battles is a formula for its dissolution, not one that can save its soul. Once it starts down that path, there will be no stopping.

Of course, some on the left would like nothing better than to see AIPAC dissolve or be weakened. That cannot be allowed to happen. The lobby will continue to play a responsible role in speaking up for Israel no matter who wins in November. But, as they always have, its members are free to speak out as they like about the candidates.

On Tuesday, a Hizballah drone attack injured three people in northern Israel. The next day, another attack, targeting an IDF base, injured eighteen people, six of them seriously, in Arab al-Amshe, also in the north. This second attack involved the simultaneous use of drones carrying explosives and guided antitank missiles. In both cases, the defensive systems that performed so successfully last weekend failed to stop the drones and missiles. Ron Ben-Yishai has a straightforward explanation as to why: the Lebanon-backed terrorist group is getting better at evading Israel defenses. He explains the three basis systems used to pilot these unmanned aircraft, and their practical effects:

These systems allow drones to act similarly to fighter jets, using “dead zones”—areas not visible to radar or other optical detection—to approach targets. They fly low initially, then ascend just before crashing and detonating on the target. The terrain of southern Lebanon is particularly conducive to such attacks.

But this requires skills that the terror group has honed over months of fighting against Israel. The latest attacks involved a large drone capable of carrying over 50 kg (110 lbs.) of explosives. The terrorists have likely analyzed Israel’s alert and interception systems, recognizing that shooting down their drones requires early detection to allow sufficient time for launching interceptors.

The IDF tries to detect any incoming drones on its radar, as it had done prior to the war. Despite Hizballah’s learning curve, the IDF’s technological edge offers an advantage. However, the military must recognize that any measure it takes is quickly observed and analyzed, and even the most effective defenses can be incomplete. The terrain near the Lebanon-Israel border continues to pose a challenge, necessitating technological solutions and significant financial investment.