UPDATE BELOW: 2ND UPDATE BELOW RE: Austrian Peacekeepers at Golan There is something that bothers me about the way this news is being presented via NATO media.The NATO media is lying or obfuscating what really happened. That's how I see it... First of all, don't get me wrong.. this is good news. If Syria can get control of the borders, as much as possible, they can keep NATO's hired killer/mercenary army out. So, it is not that aspect of this news story that perturbs me. And perhaps some of the readers can offer some input here? The crossing in discussion is at Quneitra.And Quneitra has been the subject of a few previous posts at the blog.Israel set up a field hospital there After NATO's mercs crossed there and were treated in an Israeli hospital We will start with the news stories:BBC: Syrian Army retakes Golan crossingFierce clashes were reported on the Golan Heights close to the ceasefire line with Israel
Tanks and armoured vehicles were used in the raid at Quneitra, near Israeli-held territory, the BBC was told. The fighting came a day after Syrian troops - retook the key town of Qusair after a three-week siege.
Qusair was beseiged by NATO's mercs for longer then three weeks...but this is lying media ...so, what can be said about such information?The fighting at Quneitra took place after Syrian troops retook the key town of al-Qusay(i)r
Rebels seized a ceasefire line crossing near the old city of Quneitra, with explosions and heavy shelling rocking the area.But an Israeli military source said Syrian regime forces retook the symbolically significant crossing hours later and that it was now relatively quiet in the area.
Doesn't it make way more sense that the rebels, did not take the crossing, instead were being chased by Syrian Army and fled through the Israeli controlled crossing back into their safe haven of Israel? That is what makes sense to me. *We can be certain their was no "massacre", real or otherwise, of NATO mercs at the border crossing or the NATO media would be playing that up. It's time for a map!!Make it bigger. It is quite detailed.Using the scale it appears as if Quneitra is about 125 kms away from al-Qusay(i)r (give or take a few km's)So..it's not a stretch to suggest these men were indeed some of the fighters that fled al-Qusay(i)r, not able to get back to their safe hideouts in Lebanon, being forced to go to Israel.Do you notice the vagueness of the BBC report?Where did the NATO mercs go once they took the crossing ? Clearly they could not have gone back into Syria! Not with Syrian Army in hot pursuit. These NATO mercs would surely have been killed.Common sense tells us the only answer is the NATO mercs fleeing from Syrian Army, likely after fleeing from Al-Qusay(i)r took refuge in Israel. BBC doesn't mention that. Nor does CNN or Haaretz, all linked belowCNN
What appeared to be a symbolic victory for the Syrian rebels turned out to be short-lived. The Syrian army recaptured Syria's only crossing to Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian state-run TV reported Thursday. A journalist working for CNN in the area confirmed that account.Just a few hours earlier, an opposition group said Syrian rebels had seized the Quneitra crossing after battling Syrian forces in the city.Clashes continued after the army retook control, but at a lower intensity than before.
And where did the NATO mercs go? CNN doesn't mention it. I say, they went right on into Israel.These media narratives are being used to obfuscate Israel's involvementHaaretz
The rebels opened their offensive on Quneitra early in the morning and seize it shortly after. IDF soldiers positioned in lookout towers around noon said Assad's forces had regained control of the crossing, amidst heavy fighting.
Reading the account from Haaretz makes clear the IDF asissted the NATO mercs in their retreat from Syria.They headed to the crossing. Poured through it as IDF 'positioned in towers' ensured their safety..Syrian Army did battle, but, once the hired killers got through the border crossing it was all over.Then some unnamed Syrian opposition whatever makes this claim:
Quneitra is less important than other border crossings, a source in the Syrian opposition told Haaretz. "The crossing may have symbolic [significance], but it doesn't have a strategic value because it does not function as a line for logistical support," he said.
That doesn't make sense. If this was not a useful or strategic crossing why did the rebels even flee to it?Why did Israel set up a field hospital? Media lies and spin. Obfuscation, always. UPDATE BEGINSYnet news This news out of Israel blends seamlessly into narrative constructed above. Here we have the mercs, rescued by Israel at the Quneitra crossing , being treated in Israeli hospital. With their grenades still on their person.
A fragmentation grenade was discovered in the pants pocket of one of two Syrians who were evacuated to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed on Thursday after being severely injured during the fighting in their war-torn country. The emergency and trauma wards of the hospital were cleared and sappers who were called to the scene detonated the grenade.
Quoting from the BBC article before it disappears: Voices from al Qusay(i)r "They killed my brother, they killed children - because we support the government," one man told the BBC's Lyse Doucet as he drove away in a van. UPDATE # 2 Israel is spinning fast and furious on the peacekeeper absence at Golan, their spin is as usual, lies.There were clearly no UN peacekeepers present when the NATO mercs fled into Israel with the help of IDF Today's JP fabrication
1-The Austrian decision came after battles between Syrian troops and rebels near the Quneitra crossing point.2-Israel is keen on the force remaining on the border and trying to preserve the quiet that has reigned there for some 40 years.
Let's address lie number 1: The Austrian decision to remove their peacekeepers, if there were any left at Golan, was made 9 days ago. HT bot tak: May 29/2013 Austria to withdraw peacekeepers from Golan
The Austrian government took the decision soon after the EU Council meeting at the foreign ministers’ level failed to agree on the extension of arms embargo to Syria that will end on June 1
Therefore... Austria's decision to remove peacekeepers had zero to do with what happened today at the Golan Border. In fact peacekeepers have been being slowly, surreptitiously removed from Golan via 'kidnappings' by NATO's merc. To the benefit of Israel.Now we will address lie number 2: Israel is "keen" on the international force remaining. NO they aren't.-Or they would not have been participating in the 'kidnappings' of UN peacekeepers.-Israel does not want an international force remaining at Golan because they are free to continue on with their war making ways. Of course, Israel has their sites set on an even larger piece of Golan.-Israel does not want an international force anywhere near them, because that might restrain them from their expansionist waysQuoting- International Relations Minister Yuval Steinitz
"Even as part of peace agreements, Israel cannot place its security in the hands of international forces instead of relying on the presence of IDF soldiers."
Can it be made any clearer? In case you have any doubt about Israel wishing to have no pesky international presence to interfere.... 'Israel opposes int’l forces as part of peace deal' Quoting Steinitz again:
“Some people are speaking about international forces, maybe [in] the Jordan Valley or the hills and border areas, that will take care of Israel’s future security"
“The Palestinians should be able to control their lives, and we should be able to control our security in our own hands.
For us, security means survivability, and we have had very negative experiences with international forces so far.”
Israel does not want and had ensured that peacekeepers would be removed from Golan.Israel is not now, nor had Israel ever has been interested in peace.Only acquisition of land and resources. Israel has imperialistic aspirations.