30 apr 2013
UNRWA Condemns Mass displacement of Palestine Refugees in Syria
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) condemned in a statement issued Tuesday the mass displacement of Palestine refugees in war-torn Syria.
“Palestine refugees in Syria are being killed, injured and displaced in greater numbers than ever before, as the armed conflict continues to overwhelm refugee camps across the country,” said the statement, estimating that approximately 235,000 Palestine refugees have been displaced inside Syria.
It said it was particularly concerned about news that some 6,000 Palestinians have been displaced on Friday from Ein El Tal refugee camp some 12 kilometers from Aleppo in northern Syria.
UNRWA said armed opposition groups occupied Ein El Tal camp in the early morning hours of Friday, declared it a “military zone” and exchanged gunfire with forces loyal to the government who were inside the camp.
Mortars and small arms were reportedly used, damaging and destroying refugee homes and contributing to dozens of fatalities and injuries, including among Palestinian civilians.
In the aftermath of the fighting, a number of young Palestine refugee men were reportedly taken away by the armed opposition groups who now remain in Ein El Tal camp, where a situation of high tension prevails.
UNRWA said its staff made arrangements to assist the displaced refugees by providing food and cash assistance as many were still seeking temporary accommodation in Aleppo city.
“UNRWA’s response efforts are continuing amidst reports that significant numbers of the displaced refugees may be trapped without adequate shelter in rural areas around Aleppo where intense armed conflict continues to rage,” said the statement.
“Events in Ein El Tal mirror the tragic experience of other Palestine refugee camps – Dera’a Camp, Yarmouk in Damascus City and Husseiniyeh, Khan Eshieh, Sbeineh, and Seida Zaynab Camps in the wider Damascus area. Ein El Tal is the latest manifestation of a cycle of catastrophic violence in which the conduct of all parties has transformed Palestine refugee camps into theatres of conflict in which heavy weapons are used, resulting in severe suffering for Palestinian civilians,” it said.
UNRWA condemned the conduct of armed conflict in civilian areas and the failure of all parties to safeguard the safety and lives of Syrian and Palestinian civilians, stressing that international humanitarian law obliges all parties to protect civilians.
It appealed to all sides to halt the human suffering caused by the conflict in Syria, and to resolve their differences through dialogue and political negotiations.
“Palestine refugees in Syria are being killed, injured and displaced in greater numbers than ever before, as the armed conflict continues to overwhelm refugee camps across the country,” said the statement, estimating that approximately 235,000 Palestine refugees have been displaced inside Syria.
It said it was particularly concerned about news that some 6,000 Palestinians have been displaced on Friday from Ein El Tal refugee camp some 12 kilometers from Aleppo in northern Syria.
UNRWA said armed opposition groups occupied Ein El Tal camp in the early morning hours of Friday, declared it a “military zone” and exchanged gunfire with forces loyal to the government who were inside the camp.
Mortars and small arms were reportedly used, damaging and destroying refugee homes and contributing to dozens of fatalities and injuries, including among Palestinian civilians.
In the aftermath of the fighting, a number of young Palestine refugee men were reportedly taken away by the armed opposition groups who now remain in Ein El Tal camp, where a situation of high tension prevails.
UNRWA said its staff made arrangements to assist the displaced refugees by providing food and cash assistance as many were still seeking temporary accommodation in Aleppo city.
“UNRWA’s response efforts are continuing amidst reports that significant numbers of the displaced refugees may be trapped without adequate shelter in rural areas around Aleppo where intense armed conflict continues to rage,” said the statement.
“Events in Ein El Tal mirror the tragic experience of other Palestine refugee camps – Dera’a Camp, Yarmouk in Damascus City and Husseiniyeh, Khan Eshieh, Sbeineh, and Seida Zaynab Camps in the wider Damascus area. Ein El Tal is the latest manifestation of a cycle of catastrophic violence in which the conduct of all parties has transformed Palestine refugee camps into theatres of conflict in which heavy weapons are used, resulting in severe suffering for Palestinian civilians,” it said.
UNRWA condemned the conduct of armed conflict in civilian areas and the failure of all parties to safeguard the safety and lives of Syrian and Palestinian civilians, stressing that international humanitarian law obliges all parties to protect civilians.
It appealed to all sides to halt the human suffering caused by the conflict in Syria, and to resolve their differences through dialogue and political negotiations.
Israel joins US-UK-al-Qaeda plot to depose Assad
Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan
The Israeli regime has joined forces with the United States, Britain, and al-Qaeda terrorists in the plot to depose Syrian President Basher al-Assad.
Speaking at a conference in New York on Sunday, former Mossad director Meir Dagan said Tel Aviv must “do whatever it can to make sure that Syrian President Basher al-Assad is removed from power.”
Dagan added that the ouster of Assad would be hugely beneficial for Israel from a strategic point of view and asserted that it would weaken Iran and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.
And Tel Aviv should not be too worried about the possibility of hostile forces taking power in Syria, since Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states will make every effort to install a “moderate” regime in Damascus, the former Israeli spy chief said.
The United States, Britain, and their allies Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey are providing weapons and funds to terrorist groups in Syria, such as the al-Qaeda affiliated group Jabhat al-Nusra, which are fighting to depose Assad.
The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.
In an interview recently broadcast on Turkish television, Assad said that if the militants take power in Syria, they could destabilize the entire Middle East region for decades.
“If the unrest in Syria leads to the partitioning of the country, or if the terrorist forces take control… the situation will inevitably spill over into neighboring countries and create a domino effect throughout the Middle East and beyond,” he added.
The Israeli regime has joined forces with the United States, Britain, and al-Qaeda terrorists in the plot to depose Syrian President Basher al-Assad.
Speaking at a conference in New York on Sunday, former Mossad director Meir Dagan said Tel Aviv must “do whatever it can to make sure that Syrian President Basher al-Assad is removed from power.”
Dagan added that the ouster of Assad would be hugely beneficial for Israel from a strategic point of view and asserted that it would weaken Iran and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.
And Tel Aviv should not be too worried about the possibility of hostile forces taking power in Syria, since Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states will make every effort to install a “moderate” regime in Damascus, the former Israeli spy chief said.
The United States, Britain, and their allies Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey are providing weapons and funds to terrorist groups in Syria, such as the al-Qaeda affiliated group Jabhat al-Nusra, which are fighting to depose Assad.
The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.
In an interview recently broadcast on Turkish television, Assad said that if the militants take power in Syria, they could destabilize the entire Middle East region for decades.
“If the unrest in Syria leads to the partitioning of the country, or if the terrorist forces take control… the situation will inevitably spill over into neighboring countries and create a domino effect throughout the Middle East and beyond,” he added.
US-Israeli Mideast plots have failed: Iranian envoy
Syrian soldiers
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon says the plots by the United States and the Israeli regime to change the geopolitical map of the Middle East have failed due to victories by the Syrian army against foreign-backed militants in Syria.
Ghazanfar Roknabadi told a group of editors and analysts from English-language TV stations in Lebanon on Monday that after two years of unrest in Syria, the signs of defeat of the US-Israeli plots in the region are becoming clear.
The Iranian envoy also condemned the use of chemical weapons by the militants in Syria and said the move by certain anti-Syria countries to accuse the Syrian government of using such weapons is a sign of weakness and desperation of conspirators.
The Syrian government requested the UN to dispatch a fact-finding mission to the country after reports circulated that the foreign-backed militants had used chemical weapons against civilians in Khan al-Assal district of the northwestern province of Aleppo on March 19. Over two dozen people were killed and more than 100 injured in the chemical attack.
The Israeli regime, France, and the UK have accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons in its fight against the militants. The United States has also backed the allegations “in varying degrees.” However, Syria strongly rejects the allegations as false and fabricated.
Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar al-Ja’afari said on April 28 that Western states had raised the issue of chemical weapons in Syria as a pressure tactic against the country.
The Syrian government says the chaos that began in the country over two years ago is being orchestrated from outside. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the turmoil.
Separately, the Iranian envoy to Beirut reiterated Iran’s support for stability, security and unity in Lebanon in the face of the Israeli regime. He said supporting the resistance front against Israel is the main characteristic of the Lebanese government.
Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon says the plots by the United States and the Israeli regime to change the geopolitical map of the Middle East have failed due to victories by the Syrian army against foreign-backed militants in Syria.
Ghazanfar Roknabadi told a group of editors and analysts from English-language TV stations in Lebanon on Monday that after two years of unrest in Syria, the signs of defeat of the US-Israeli plots in the region are becoming clear.
The Iranian envoy also condemned the use of chemical weapons by the militants in Syria and said the move by certain anti-Syria countries to accuse the Syrian government of using such weapons is a sign of weakness and desperation of conspirators.
The Syrian government requested the UN to dispatch a fact-finding mission to the country after reports circulated that the foreign-backed militants had used chemical weapons against civilians in Khan al-Assal district of the northwestern province of Aleppo on March 19. Over two dozen people were killed and more than 100 injured in the chemical attack.
The Israeli regime, France, and the UK have accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons in its fight against the militants. The United States has also backed the allegations “in varying degrees.” However, Syria strongly rejects the allegations as false and fabricated.
Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar al-Ja’afari said on April 28 that Western states had raised the issue of chemical weapons in Syria as a pressure tactic against the country.
The Syrian government says the chaos that began in the country over two years ago is being orchestrated from outside. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the turmoil.
Separately, the Iranian envoy to Beirut reiterated Iran’s support for stability, security and unity in Lebanon in the face of the Israeli regime. He said supporting the resistance front against Israel is the main characteristic of the Lebanese government.
29 apr 2013
Russia warns against attempts to topple Syrian government
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Russia has warned the West against using a search for chemical weapons in Syria as an attempt to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
"There are governments and outside players that believe that all means are appropriate [to be used] to overthrow the Syrian regime,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
Referring to the use of chemical weapons by foreign-backed militants on March 19 near the city of Aleppo, where 25 people were killed and 86 injured, Lavrov criticized UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his call on a UN fact-finding mission to investigate unproven claims about the use of chemical weapons in Syria in December 2012.
"This demand by the [UN] secretary-general with reference to a forgotten episode reminds us a great deal of attempts in Syria to introduce a practice analogous to that which existed in Iraq, when they were looking for weapons of mass destruction there," Lavrov added.
The Syrian government requested top UN officials to open an investigation into the March 19 incident. However some Western nations are blocking the investigation, demanding that the commission should investigate a different case of supposed chemical attack near the city of Homs in December for which the militants blame government forces.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
Russia has warned the West against using a search for chemical weapons in Syria as an attempt to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
"There are governments and outside players that believe that all means are appropriate [to be used] to overthrow the Syrian regime,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
Referring to the use of chemical weapons by foreign-backed militants on March 19 near the city of Aleppo, where 25 people were killed and 86 injured, Lavrov criticized UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his call on a UN fact-finding mission to investigate unproven claims about the use of chemical weapons in Syria in December 2012.
"This demand by the [UN] secretary-general with reference to a forgotten episode reminds us a great deal of attempts in Syria to introduce a practice analogous to that which existed in Iraq, when they were looking for weapons of mass destruction there," Lavrov added.
The Syrian government requested top UN officials to open an investigation into the March 19 incident. However some Western nations are blocking the investigation, demanding that the commission should investigate a different case of supposed chemical attack near the city of Homs in December for which the militants blame government forces.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
28 apr 2013
Israel PM tells ministers to stay silent on Syria
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his ministers to keep silent about Syria to avoid the impression Israel is pushing the international community into armed intervention, army radio said Sunday.
Netanyahu gave the instructions after Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin suggested the international community might react militarily to "take control of the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal".
The radio station reported Netanyahu sought to avoid that Elkin's words be seen as an Israeli attempt to push the United States into launching a military operation in Syria.
The political commentator on military radio said that "US hesitancy over the Syrian issue in the last few days, however, is causing a great deal of worry in Israel".
"If (US President) Barack Obama does not respect the red lines that he set out himself and does not intervene when Bashar Assad uses chemical weapons against civilians, it is showing weaknesses that could cost it dearly later in Syria, but also in the Iranian nuclear question," the commentator added.
Britain and France have accused Damascus of using chemical arms, and on Thursday US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said "the US intelligence community assesses with some degree of varying confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale".
An Israeli military intelligence official on Tuesday accused Assad's forces of using chemical weapons in his war against the rebels.
Obama has warned the Syrian regime against using its chemical weapons arsenal on several occasions, saying such a move would be a "game changer" and speaking of "red lines" Damascus must not cross.
Netanyahu gave the instructions after Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin suggested the international community might react militarily to "take control of the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal".
The radio station reported Netanyahu sought to avoid that Elkin's words be seen as an Israeli attempt to push the United States into launching a military operation in Syria.
The political commentator on military radio said that "US hesitancy over the Syrian issue in the last few days, however, is causing a great deal of worry in Israel".
"If (US President) Barack Obama does not respect the red lines that he set out himself and does not intervene when Bashar Assad uses chemical weapons against civilians, it is showing weaknesses that could cost it dearly later in Syria, but also in the Iranian nuclear question," the commentator added.
Britain and France have accused Damascus of using chemical arms, and on Thursday US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said "the US intelligence community assesses with some degree of varying confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale".
An Israeli military intelligence official on Tuesday accused Assad's forces of using chemical weapons in his war against the rebels.
Obama has warned the Syrian regime against using its chemical weapons arsenal on several occasions, saying such a move would be a "game changer" and speaking of "red lines" Damascus must not cross.
What Israel is really after in Syria
Syrian army soldiers hang their national flag in a neighborhood in the al-Midan area in the capital, Damascus, July 20, 2012
For some time now, the predominant narrative about Syria has been that the unrest has been fueled in order to weaken Iran. This prevalent account is common to neoconservatives and liberals alike.
While the New York Times trumpeted Israeli-firsters Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham message that “rebel fighters deserved to be armed and that helping them take on the Syrian government would aid Washington’s effort to weaken Iran,” moderate and independent outlets such as Truthout, Counterpunch, and numerous others reported this same objective, except for that it decried the plan. Even Iran’s state-run media shares this account.
This is sheer misdirection - deliberate or otherwise. Undisputedly, Syria and Iran have been staunch allies since the Iranian Revolution in their joint cause to protect the Palestinian rights and to stand up to Israel and America; and any change in Syria may adversely affect Iran (as it would Russia). But this is a secondary consideration. The generally accepted narrative takes the focus away from the primary reason for the current assault on Syria - Israel.
Since the 1948 war, Syria and Israel have been in a state of war (with brief periods of unsuccessful negotiations). The conflict has been primarily over land and water. Since the 1950s, the conflict over water (and land) has been at the root of the hostilities between the two. In the 1950s, Eisenhower commissioned Eric Johnston to generate a regional water allocation agreement. The failure of the Johnston plan exacerbated the conflict. The published diaries of Israeli Foreign Minister Sharett help understand why the Johnston negotiations were unsuccessful. Sharett maintained, “[P]olitical decisions concerning the occupation of the rest of Eretz Israel were taken as early as 1954, although implemented in 1967.”
The 1967 occupation of Syria’s Golan (Golan Heights) and the Upper Mount Hermon by Israel enabled Israel to seize the entire Upper Jordan River, giving the Israeli regime the advantage of placing its riparian position to fully upstream. Consequently, not only was Syria denied access to Upper Jordan waters, but its territorial and national integrity were assaulted.
Some years later, Haaretz would reveal the existence of a study (Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel-Aviv university) under General Aaron Yariv, a former intelligence services chief, which outlined a “zone of hydraulic security,” which called for placing water resources in Syria and Lebanon under full Israeli control. Disputes continued unabated and the status quo maintained until 1982 when the military prowess of both sides were tested.
A 1987 book by Col. Emmanuel Wald of the Israeli General Staff entitled “The Ruse of the Broken Vessels: The Twilight of Israeli Military Might (1967-1982)” reveals the aims of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon and the month of pre-planning that had gone into it. Wald writes that Ariel Sharon’s master plan codenamed “Oranim” was to defeat the Syrian troops deployed in the Bekaa Valley all the way to the district of Baalbek in North of Lebanon. According to Wald, “during the first days, it was quietly approved by the U.S.”
With this aim, on June 6, 1982, Israel advanced into Lebanon. However, the Syrian army halted the Israeli army advance in the battle of Sultan Yakub and the battle of Ain Zahalta. Sharon’s plan to conquer all of Lebanon and destroy Syria as a military power was thwarted. In reviewing the book and the battles, the famous scholar and activist, Israel Shahak, opined that “the principal purpose of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon was destruction of the Syrian Army.”
Shahak posits that Israel needs to win its wars quickly or not at all. In spite of purported technological and nuclear superiority, another assault on Syria would not predictably bring an easy win to Israel and defenses could ‘drag out a war endlessly.’ He further argues that during the entire history of the Israeli regime, Israeli Jews have shown themselves to be highly sensitive to their losses, and high losses make Israelis “susceptible to political arguments against modes of domination and oppression which they otherwise would accept.”
Shahak’s analysis shed a light on the events that pursued the failure of “Oranim” as outlined in “The Syria Imperative.” Israel continues to pursue its grand strategy, using a different tactic given its awareness of, and its familiarity with the strengths of the Syrian army - an army which must be disrupted from within given Israel’s 1982 failure to do so. And this is the primary reason for arming terrorists posing as “opposition.”
It is not without irony that Netanyahu has recently admitted that he does not rule out arming Syrian rebels, given Israel’s age-old tactic of arming minorities or rebels and cultivating dissent and chaos (such as the Anya Nya in Sudan, later the Sudanese People Liberation Army (SPLA), and the leader of the Sudanese rebels, John Garang, armed by Israel from neighboring countries). This is a scenario being repeated in Syria.
Paradoxically, the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC), which is today on a mission to secure Israel’s vision (with a nod from Washington) by arming rebels and undermining Syria, were all in favor of securing Syria in 2003 when they told Washington, "We think the threat to Syria should stop. We don't think Syria wants a war or to escalate any situation. We reject any infringement of Syria's security.” There is no end to their duplicity.
Amos Yadlin, the outgoing military intelligence chief, warned the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in November 2010 that Israel's next war would take longer and be fought on more fronts.
Yaldin warned that Syria, in particular, posed a greater military obstacle to Israel than at any time in the past three decades. It would appear that the unrest in Syria has allayed his concerns. The Syrian forces that put up such a resistance in 1982, are now engaged in fighting terrorists, while the world is being told that they are the violators. Perhaps Netanyahu’s plan will succeed where Sharon’s Oranim failed.
Regardless, it is important to change the accepted narrative about the unrest in Syria. Given the decades-long demonization of Iran, it may be more palatable to associate the fueling of unrest in Syria to a ‘weaker’ Iran, but let there be no mistake - Syria today is in turmoil in order to promote Israel’s grand strategy - even as the perpetrator - Israel, plays the victim and warns of chemical weapons use by Assad’s regime, demanding intervention.
SSU/HJL Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich is a Public Diplomacy scholar, independent researcher and writer with a focus on US foreign policy and the role of lobby groups.
For some time now, the predominant narrative about Syria has been that the unrest has been fueled in order to weaken Iran. This prevalent account is common to neoconservatives and liberals alike.
While the New York Times trumpeted Israeli-firsters Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham message that “rebel fighters deserved to be armed and that helping them take on the Syrian government would aid Washington’s effort to weaken Iran,” moderate and independent outlets such as Truthout, Counterpunch, and numerous others reported this same objective, except for that it decried the plan. Even Iran’s state-run media shares this account.
This is sheer misdirection - deliberate or otherwise. Undisputedly, Syria and Iran have been staunch allies since the Iranian Revolution in their joint cause to protect the Palestinian rights and to stand up to Israel and America; and any change in Syria may adversely affect Iran (as it would Russia). But this is a secondary consideration. The generally accepted narrative takes the focus away from the primary reason for the current assault on Syria - Israel.
Since the 1948 war, Syria and Israel have been in a state of war (with brief periods of unsuccessful negotiations). The conflict has been primarily over land and water. Since the 1950s, the conflict over water (and land) has been at the root of the hostilities between the two. In the 1950s, Eisenhower commissioned Eric Johnston to generate a regional water allocation agreement. The failure of the Johnston plan exacerbated the conflict. The published diaries of Israeli Foreign Minister Sharett help understand why the Johnston negotiations were unsuccessful. Sharett maintained, “[P]olitical decisions concerning the occupation of the rest of Eretz Israel were taken as early as 1954, although implemented in 1967.”
The 1967 occupation of Syria’s Golan (Golan Heights) and the Upper Mount Hermon by Israel enabled Israel to seize the entire Upper Jordan River, giving the Israeli regime the advantage of placing its riparian position to fully upstream. Consequently, not only was Syria denied access to Upper Jordan waters, but its territorial and national integrity were assaulted.
Some years later, Haaretz would reveal the existence of a study (Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel-Aviv university) under General Aaron Yariv, a former intelligence services chief, which outlined a “zone of hydraulic security,” which called for placing water resources in Syria and Lebanon under full Israeli control. Disputes continued unabated and the status quo maintained until 1982 when the military prowess of both sides were tested.
A 1987 book by Col. Emmanuel Wald of the Israeli General Staff entitled “The Ruse of the Broken Vessels: The Twilight of Israeli Military Might (1967-1982)” reveals the aims of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon and the month of pre-planning that had gone into it. Wald writes that Ariel Sharon’s master plan codenamed “Oranim” was to defeat the Syrian troops deployed in the Bekaa Valley all the way to the district of Baalbek in North of Lebanon. According to Wald, “during the first days, it was quietly approved by the U.S.”
With this aim, on June 6, 1982, Israel advanced into Lebanon. However, the Syrian army halted the Israeli army advance in the battle of Sultan Yakub and the battle of Ain Zahalta. Sharon’s plan to conquer all of Lebanon and destroy Syria as a military power was thwarted. In reviewing the book and the battles, the famous scholar and activist, Israel Shahak, opined that “the principal purpose of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon was destruction of the Syrian Army.”
Shahak posits that Israel needs to win its wars quickly or not at all. In spite of purported technological and nuclear superiority, another assault on Syria would not predictably bring an easy win to Israel and defenses could ‘drag out a war endlessly.’ He further argues that during the entire history of the Israeli regime, Israeli Jews have shown themselves to be highly sensitive to their losses, and high losses make Israelis “susceptible to political arguments against modes of domination and oppression which they otherwise would accept.”
Shahak’s analysis shed a light on the events that pursued the failure of “Oranim” as outlined in “The Syria Imperative.” Israel continues to pursue its grand strategy, using a different tactic given its awareness of, and its familiarity with the strengths of the Syrian army - an army which must be disrupted from within given Israel’s 1982 failure to do so. And this is the primary reason for arming terrorists posing as “opposition.”
It is not without irony that Netanyahu has recently admitted that he does not rule out arming Syrian rebels, given Israel’s age-old tactic of arming minorities or rebels and cultivating dissent and chaos (such as the Anya Nya in Sudan, later the Sudanese People Liberation Army (SPLA), and the leader of the Sudanese rebels, John Garang, armed by Israel from neighboring countries). This is a scenario being repeated in Syria.
Paradoxically, the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC), which is today on a mission to secure Israel’s vision (with a nod from Washington) by arming rebels and undermining Syria, were all in favor of securing Syria in 2003 when they told Washington, "We think the threat to Syria should stop. We don't think Syria wants a war or to escalate any situation. We reject any infringement of Syria's security.” There is no end to their duplicity.
Amos Yadlin, the outgoing military intelligence chief, warned the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in November 2010 that Israel's next war would take longer and be fought on more fronts.
Yaldin warned that Syria, in particular, posed a greater military obstacle to Israel than at any time in the past three decades. It would appear that the unrest in Syria has allayed his concerns. The Syrian forces that put up such a resistance in 1982, are now engaged in fighting terrorists, while the world is being told that they are the violators. Perhaps Netanyahu’s plan will succeed where Sharon’s Oranim failed.
Regardless, it is important to change the accepted narrative about the unrest in Syria. Given the decades-long demonization of Iran, it may be more palatable to associate the fueling of unrest in Syria to a ‘weaker’ Iran, but let there be no mistake - Syria today is in turmoil in order to promote Israel’s grand strategy - even as the perpetrator - Israel, plays the victim and warns of chemical weapons use by Assad’s regime, demanding intervention.
SSU/HJL Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich is a Public Diplomacy scholar, independent researcher and writer with a focus on US foreign policy and the role of lobby groups.
23 apr 2013
Israel army: Syria's Assad 'using chemical weapons'
President Bashar Assad is using chemical weapons against rebel forces in Syria, a senior Israeli army officer told a conference on Tuesday.
"Assad is using chemical weapons in Syria," said Brigadier General Itai Brun, head of research and analysis in the army's military intelligence division, in remarks quoted on the army's official Twitter feed.
In remarks to the annual INSS security conference in Tel Aviv, Brun listed the physical symptoms suffered by those who had apparently been exposed to chemical agents.
"The pupils are small, the foam coming out of the mouth and other additional signs testify as evidence that use has been made of chemical weapons," he said in remarks broadcast on Israel radio.
"Which chemical weapons? Apparently sarin."
Developed as a pesticide in Germany in 1938, sarin is a deadly and volatile nerve agent that is colourless and odourless.
In high doses, it paralyses the muscles around the lungs and prevents chemicals from "switching off" the body's secretions, so victims suffocate or drown as their lungs fill with mucus and saliva.
"Assad is using chemical weapons in Syria," said Brigadier General Itai Brun, head of research and analysis in the army's military intelligence division, in remarks quoted on the army's official Twitter feed.
In remarks to the annual INSS security conference in Tel Aviv, Brun listed the physical symptoms suffered by those who had apparently been exposed to chemical agents.
"The pupils are small, the foam coming out of the mouth and other additional signs testify as evidence that use has been made of chemical weapons," he said in remarks broadcast on Israel radio.
"Which chemical weapons? Apparently sarin."
Developed as a pesticide in Germany in 1938, sarin is a deadly and volatile nerve agent that is colourless and odourless.
In high doses, it paralyses the muscles around the lungs and prevents chemicals from "switching off" the body's secretions, so victims suffocate or drown as their lungs fill with mucus and saliva.
20 apr 2013
European study condemns UN inaction regarding condition of Palestinians in Syria
A European legal study called for providing security, legal and relief protection for Palestinian refugees inside the camps in Syria and on its borders with Lebanon and Jordan. The study issued by the Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights in Geneva, the Action Group For Palestinians of Syria in London and the Palestinian Return Centre in London confirms that 600 thousand Palestinian refugees have left Syria heading to Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt and Libya, since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis on March 15, 2011.
According to the study, the dire humanitarian situation experienced by Palestinian refugees in Syria has become more and more complicated; after being dragged to the Syrian internal conflict by the conflicting parties, in addition to being neglected by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) which does not provide the necessary assistance for the refugees and the displaced.
The study also points out that the Jordanian government refuses to allow the Palestinian refugees to enter its territories, in violation of the international law, while the Lebanese government puts obstacles to the regularization of the situation of refugees who have entered the Lebanese territory.
Nearly 20 thousand Palestinian refugees from Syria live in catastrophic conditions in Lebanon, which has forced large numbers of them to resort to the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon that are originally not able to receive them, reported the legal study.
The number of Palestinian refugees killed in Syria reached 995, in light of the continued daily military operations against the UNRWA's refugee camps and the sieges imposed on them.
The three international institutions demanded the concerned authorities, especially the UNRWA and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to take all the necessary measures to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian refugees in Syria.
According to the study, the dire humanitarian situation experienced by Palestinian refugees in Syria has become more and more complicated; after being dragged to the Syrian internal conflict by the conflicting parties, in addition to being neglected by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) which does not provide the necessary assistance for the refugees and the displaced.
The study also points out that the Jordanian government refuses to allow the Palestinian refugees to enter its territories, in violation of the international law, while the Lebanese government puts obstacles to the regularization of the situation of refugees who have entered the Lebanese territory.
Nearly 20 thousand Palestinian refugees from Syria live in catastrophic conditions in Lebanon, which has forced large numbers of them to resort to the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon that are originally not able to receive them, reported the legal study.
The number of Palestinian refugees killed in Syria reached 995, in light of the continued daily military operations against the UNRWA's refugee camps and the sieges imposed on them.
The three international institutions demanded the concerned authorities, especially the UNRWA and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to take all the necessary measures to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian refugees in Syria.
19 apr 2013
Arming Syria militants complicated question for Israel: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to rule out the possibility of arming foreign-backed militants fighting against the Syrian government.
“We are very careful... I have said that the arming of rebels presents the question of which rebels and which arms, and it is a very complicated question for... Israel,” Netanyahu said in a television interview broadcast on Thursday.
On the same day, Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Ja'afari accused the Israeli regime of assisting the Syrian militants.
“Israel [has a] partnership with… terrorist groups, allowing those armed groups to cross the separation line in the occupied Syrian Golan [Heights], treating their wounded in Israeli hospitals and returning them to the Syrian territory through the separation line anew,” Ja’afari said.
The Israeli regime’s key allies, including the United States and Jordan, are already assisting the foreign-sponsored militants in Syria.
Following the interview, an Israeli expert identified as Moshe Maoz said it would make sense for Tel Aviv to supply the militants with arms in coordination with Turkey.
Tel-Aviv has recently moved to repair its strained ties with Ankara.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.
Damascus says the West and its regional allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are supporting the militants.
“We are very careful... I have said that the arming of rebels presents the question of which rebels and which arms, and it is a very complicated question for... Israel,” Netanyahu said in a television interview broadcast on Thursday.
On the same day, Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Ja'afari accused the Israeli regime of assisting the Syrian militants.
“Israel [has a] partnership with… terrorist groups, allowing those armed groups to cross the separation line in the occupied Syrian Golan [Heights], treating their wounded in Israeli hospitals and returning them to the Syrian territory through the separation line anew,” Ja’afari said.
The Israeli regime’s key allies, including the United States and Jordan, are already assisting the foreign-sponsored militants in Syria.
Following the interview, an Israeli expert identified as Moshe Maoz said it would make sense for Tel Aviv to supply the militants with arms in coordination with Turkey.
Tel-Aviv has recently moved to repair its strained ties with Ankara.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.
Damascus says the West and its regional allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are supporting the militants.
16 apr 2013
Five Palestinian refugees killed in Syria yesterday
Five Palestinian refugees were killed on Monday during clashes and projectile attacks on refugee camps in Syria.
The action group for the Palestinians in Syria said on Tuesday that a young man named Oday Qendeel from Husseiniya refugee camp died of wounds he sustained two days ago when a projectile fell on his home.
Two other young men were also killed in projectile attacks on Khan Younis refugee camp in Damascus and another was killed during the armed clashes that took place yesterday in Al-Yarmouk camp.
A projectile believed to be fired by the Syrian regime forces also fell in the vicinity of Abdul-Qader Husseini Mosque killing one young man and rendering many others injured.
The action group pointed out that the living conditions in Handarat refugee camp deteriorated very seriously and many vital food supplies, including flour and milk, completely ran out as a result of the violent armed clashes taking place around the camp.
The action group for the Palestinians in Syria said on Tuesday that a young man named Oday Qendeel from Husseiniya refugee camp died of wounds he sustained two days ago when a projectile fell on his home.
Two other young men were also killed in projectile attacks on Khan Younis refugee camp in Damascus and another was killed during the armed clashes that took place yesterday in Al-Yarmouk camp.
A projectile believed to be fired by the Syrian regime forces also fell in the vicinity of Abdul-Qader Husseini Mosque killing one young man and rendering many others injured.
The action group pointed out that the living conditions in Handarat refugee camp deteriorated very seriously and many vital food supplies, including flour and milk, completely ran out as a result of the violent armed clashes taking place around the camp.
14 apr 2013
Two Palestinians killed in Syria and refugee camps still besieged
The action group for the Palestinians in Syria said two Palestinian refugees were killed on Saturday in Damascus and Homs, and affirmed that different refugee camps are still exposed to intermittent shelling by the Syrian regime forces.
In a report on Sunday, the action group said that Mahmoud Akla was killed in the clashes that took place yesterday in Bab Hood area in Homs, while Anas Al-Kabra was killed in armed clashes in Al-Yarmouk camp in Damascus.
The group said that Al-Yarmouk refugee camp suffers from a power and water crisis, which led to the deterioration of the living conditions in the camp.
It added that the Syrian regime forces still prevent the entry of food and medical supplies except for small quantities.
The Palestinians in Aideen refugee camp in Homs also suffer from harsh living conditions, and there are an acute shortage of fuel, bread and many vital needs, not to mention that the water service was cut to their homes.
Meanwhile, the armed clashes between the regime forces and the free army in the vicinity of Handarat refugee camp resulted in the closure of the roads leading to the camp and rendered it under tight blockade.
Most of the medical and food supplies have also run out from the markets of Handarat camp.
As for Sabina refugee camp, there is a humanitarian crisis in every sense of the world, where no single bakery is open and the Palestinian refugees cannot meet their food needs as a result of the ongoing siege imposed on the camp.
In a report on Sunday, the action group said that Mahmoud Akla was killed in the clashes that took place yesterday in Bab Hood area in Homs, while Anas Al-Kabra was killed in armed clashes in Al-Yarmouk camp in Damascus.
The group said that Al-Yarmouk refugee camp suffers from a power and water crisis, which led to the deterioration of the living conditions in the camp.
It added that the Syrian regime forces still prevent the entry of food and medical supplies except for small quantities.
The Palestinians in Aideen refugee camp in Homs also suffer from harsh living conditions, and there are an acute shortage of fuel, bread and many vital needs, not to mention that the water service was cut to their homes.
Meanwhile, the armed clashes between the regime forces and the free army in the vicinity of Handarat refugee camp resulted in the closure of the roads leading to the camp and rendered it under tight blockade.
Most of the medical and food supplies have also run out from the markets of Handarat camp.
As for Sabina refugee camp, there is a humanitarian crisis in every sense of the world, where no single bakery is open and the Palestinian refugees cannot meet their food needs as a result of the ongoing siege imposed on the camp.
12 apr 2013
Israel shells Syria side of Golan Heights
Israeli military forces have fired artillery shells into the Syrian side of the Golan Heights in the latest of a series of shooting incidents on the strategic plateau.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Israeli military said it had fired artillery into Syria.
There were no immediate reports of casualties on the Syrian side.
Clashes between Syrian forces and foreign-sponsored militants have spiked dramatically in the Golan Heights over the recent weeks.
The Israeli military has set up a “military field hospital” at military outpost 105 in the occupied Golan Heights to treat wounded militants fighting against the government in neighboring Syria.
Israel launched an airstrike on a research center near the Syrian capital Damascus earlier this year.
The Syrian Army said in a statement on January 30 that two people were killed and five others injured in the Israeli airstrike in Jamraya, located 25 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of Damascus.
On January 31, the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah condemned the Israeli attack as “barbaric aggression”.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants fighting in the country are foreign nationals.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Israeli military said it had fired artillery into Syria.
There were no immediate reports of casualties on the Syrian side.
Clashes between Syrian forces and foreign-sponsored militants have spiked dramatically in the Golan Heights over the recent weeks.
The Israeli military has set up a “military field hospital” at military outpost 105 in the occupied Golan Heights to treat wounded militants fighting against the government in neighboring Syria.
Israel launched an airstrike on a research center near the Syrian capital Damascus earlier this year.
The Syrian Army said in a statement on January 30 that two people were killed and five others injured in the Israeli airstrike in Jamraya, located 25 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of Damascus.
On January 31, the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah condemned the Israeli attack as “barbaric aggression”.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants fighting in the country are foreign nationals.
8 apr 2013
Three Palestinians including child killed in Syria
Three Palestinian refugees in Syria were killed during the past twenty-four hours after their refugee camps came under Syrian regular army shelling.
Action Group for Palestinian refugees in Syria stated in a press release on Monday that among the martyrs was the child Jinin Sbaki who was killed in shelling on Zein neighborhood in the Yarmouk refugee camp. Four other children were injured during the shelling.
Kholoud Kadya was martyred during the bombing of Khan Sheikh refugee camp, in addition to the Palestinian refugee Sherif al-Khatib who was shot by a sniper in Aleppo.
The Syrian security forces arrested Ibrahim Abdel-Hafiz in Dummar Balad area, the Working Group said, adding that three Palestinian refugees went missing since Thursday after they got out of Yarmouk refugee camp.
On the other hand, Palestine Charity Commission announced that 50 new graves were dug in Yarmouk cemetery in order to ensure the rapid burial of the victims.
The Working Group said that the Palestinian refugee camps suffer an acute shortage in food, medicines, and fuel in addition to continued power and communication outages.
Action Group for Palestinian refugees in Syria stated in a press release on Monday that among the martyrs was the child Jinin Sbaki who was killed in shelling on Zein neighborhood in the Yarmouk refugee camp. Four other children were injured during the shelling.
Kholoud Kadya was martyred during the bombing of Khan Sheikh refugee camp, in addition to the Palestinian refugee Sherif al-Khatib who was shot by a sniper in Aleppo.
The Syrian security forces arrested Ibrahim Abdel-Hafiz in Dummar Balad area, the Working Group said, adding that three Palestinian refugees went missing since Thursday after they got out of Yarmouk refugee camp.
On the other hand, Palestine Charity Commission announced that 50 new graves were dug in Yarmouk cemetery in order to ensure the rapid burial of the victims.
The Working Group said that the Palestinian refugee camps suffer an acute shortage in food, medicines, and fuel in addition to continued power and communication outages.
7 apr 2013
2 Palestinians killed in Syria camp shelling
A Palestinian man and a woman were killed in Syria late Saturday, bringing the Palestinian death toll to 1,206 since the conflict began, an activist group said.
“Sharif al-Khartib who carries the Palestinian nationality and lives in Hindarat refugee camp was shot dead in al-Awaijeh area in Halah," the working group for Palestinians said.
"Khulod al-Qadiyeh was killed in shelling on Khan al-Shiekh refugee camp,” it added.
Also Saturday, in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, nine children were among at least 15 people killed in an airstrike on a mainly Kurdish district, a watchdog said.
"The number of people killed in an air strike on the western edges of Sheikh Maksoud has risen to 15 ... Among them were nine children aged under 18 years and three women," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
It was not immediately clear if any of the casualties were fighters from the Democratic Union Party, Syria's branch of Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, the Britain-based Observatory said.
“Sharif al-Khartib who carries the Palestinian nationality and lives in Hindarat refugee camp was shot dead in al-Awaijeh area in Halah," the working group for Palestinians said.
"Khulod al-Qadiyeh was killed in shelling on Khan al-Shiekh refugee camp,” it added.
Also Saturday, in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, nine children were among at least 15 people killed in an airstrike on a mainly Kurdish district, a watchdog said.
"The number of people killed in an air strike on the western edges of Sheikh Maksoud has risen to 15 ... Among them were nine children aged under 18 years and three women," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
It was not immediately clear if any of the casualties were fighters from the Democratic Union Party, Syria's branch of Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, the Britain-based Observatory said.
1 apr 2013
16 Palestinian refugees including six children killed in Syria
A barrage of Grad rockets and mortar shells showered the Yarmouk refugee camp south of Damascus killing and wounding dozens of refugees.
A statement by the action group for Palestinians in Syria on Monday said that 16 Palestinians were killed over the past 24 hours due to the Syrian regular army’s extensive shelling and sniper fire targeting refugee camps.
It said that the bombardment targeted main streets and suburbs in Yarmouk refugee camp, adding that 30 Palestinians were also wounded in the attack including seven in serious condition.
The group said that hospitals in the camp declared a state of alert and appealed for blood donations, and asked doctors nearby to rush to aid in the emergency rooms in view of the shortage in medical supplies and manpower in those hospitals.
It said that a Palestinian woman and her four children were wounded in Syrian bombing of Al-Husseiniya refugee camp.
A statement by the action group for Palestinians in Syria on Monday said that 16 Palestinians were killed over the past 24 hours due to the Syrian regular army’s extensive shelling and sniper fire targeting refugee camps.
It said that the bombardment targeted main streets and suburbs in Yarmouk refugee camp, adding that 30 Palestinians were also wounded in the attack including seven in serious condition.
The group said that hospitals in the camp declared a state of alert and appealed for blood donations, and asked doctors nearby to rush to aid in the emergency rooms in view of the shortage in medical supplies and manpower in those hospitals.
It said that a Palestinian woman and her four children were wounded in Syrian bombing of Al-Husseiniya refugee camp.
Israeli spying devices in Syria targeted Russian naval activities: Report
This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA shows devices that resemble rocks and that were found in Syria’s coastal region, northwest of Damascus, Syria, on March 7, 2013
Israeli spying devices discovered earlier by Syria on its Mediterranean coast had been planted to monitor Russian naval movements, a new report says.
Israel’s naval commando unit Flotilla 13 had planted the spying equipment on a tiny island opposite the Syrian port city of Tartus, close to a Russian naval base, the UK's Sunday Times newspaper reported on Sunday.
Citing a report by Lebanese television Al-Manar, the British daily added that the devices could be employed to track the Russian warships’ movements and transmit pictures to Israel in real time via satellite.
Earlier in March, Syria said that Israeli spying devices were found on its Mediterranean coast. Syria’s state television released footage of the equipment hidden in objects that resembled rocks.
Russia has criticized the Western countries’ support for the militants in the Arab country.
In mid-January, Russia launched its largest naval exercises in decades in the Mediterranean and Black Seas near the territorial waters of Syria amid the ongoing crisis in the Arab country.
In February, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that a flotilla of four Russian warships headed to the Mediterranean Sea near the Syrian waters to join an escort ship and smaller vessels.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government has said that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and that a very large number of the militants operating in the country are foreign nationals.
Israeli spying devices discovered earlier by Syria on its Mediterranean coast had been planted to monitor Russian naval movements, a new report says.
Israel’s naval commando unit Flotilla 13 had planted the spying equipment on a tiny island opposite the Syrian port city of Tartus, close to a Russian naval base, the UK's Sunday Times newspaper reported on Sunday.
Citing a report by Lebanese television Al-Manar, the British daily added that the devices could be employed to track the Russian warships’ movements and transmit pictures to Israel in real time via satellite.
Earlier in March, Syria said that Israeli spying devices were found on its Mediterranean coast. Syria’s state television released footage of the equipment hidden in objects that resembled rocks.
Russia has criticized the Western countries’ support for the militants in the Arab country.
In mid-January, Russia launched its largest naval exercises in decades in the Mediterranean and Black Seas near the territorial waters of Syria amid the ongoing crisis in the Arab country.
In February, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that a flotilla of four Russian warships headed to the Mediterranean Sea near the Syrian waters to join an escort ship and smaller vessels.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government has said that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and that a very large number of the militants operating in the country are foreign nationals.
