Tag Archive for Syria

| June 15, 2013
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Hezbollah condemned by UN Human Rights Council

Resolution brought by Western powers & Arab block, urges all parties to refrain from contributing to a further escalation of the Syrian conflict.

By Reuters

 

 

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday condemned the use of all foreign fighters in Syria‘s civil war, including Lebanese Hezbollah militants backing the government, but stopped short of calling for a halt to the flow of arms.

An image of Syria's President Bashar Assad is seen on a car's windscreen.

An image of Syria’s President Bashar Assad is seen on a car’s windscreen as Hezbollah supporters celebrate, after the Syrian army took control of Qusair from rebel fighters. – Photo: Reuters

The Geneva forum adopted a resolution brought by Arab and Western powers, urging all parties to refrain from contributing to a further escalation of a conflict in which at least 93,000 people had been killed by the end of April. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| June 10, 2013
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Senior Israeli Minister: With Iran & Hezbollah’s help, Assad may win Syrian war

To win, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Steinitz says: “It is in his (Assad’s) interest not to provoke us, so that we get involved.”

Steinitz’s assessment was quickly disavowed by others in PM Netanyahu’s coalition gov’t.

 

By Reuters

Syrian President Bashar Assad, backed by Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, may prevail in the more than two-year-old uprising against him, Israel’s intelligence minister said on Monday.

Free Syrian Army fighters eat Kibbeh

Free Syrian Army fighters eat Kibbeh, a traditional Allepian food, in Aleppo’s Karm al-Jabal district, June 8, 2013. – Photo: Reuters

Though the assessment was quickly disavowed by others in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, it reflected the difficulties facing Israel and Western countries in predicting Syria‘s destiny and weighing intervention. Continue Reading »

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| June 7, 2013
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Putin: Russia prepared to replace Austrian (UN) peacekeepers in Golan Heights

Putin commits Russian troops just a day after Vienna announced it would recall its forces from the UN monitoring force, due to worsening fighting in Syria.

By , and Reuters
 

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia is ready to send peacekeepers to the Golan Heights to replace Austrian forces after Vienna said it would recall its troops from a UN monitoring force due to worsening fighting in Syria.

Quneitra

Clashes at Quneitra on the Israel-Syria border caused brush fire that crossed into Israel. – Photo: Gil Eliyahu

“We could replace the leaving Austrian contingent in this region on the border between Israeli troops and the Syrian army,” Putin told the RIA Novosti news agency. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , , , ,
| June 7, 2013
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Syrian MP threatens Jordan – Jordan threatens to expel Syrian envoy

Syrian Envoy attacked kingdom’s deployment of US patriots so Jordan FM gives Syrian ambassador a final warning

By REUTERS
 

 

AMMAN – US ally Jordan threatened on Thursday to expel Syria’s ambassador, after he warned the kingdom Syrian missiles could be used against Patriot batteries due to be deployed soon along their border.

Jordanian FM Nasser Judeh after GCC conference

Jordanian FM Nasser Judeh after GCC conference – Photo: Reuters/Susan Baaghil

Foreign Minister Nasser Joudeh told state news agency Petra ambassador Bahjat Suleiman had violated diplomatic protocol.

“The Syrian ambassador has breached all norms and diplomatic practices by his behavior … This is considered as a final warning to abide by the rules of diplomatic practice and to stop any meetings or statements that are deemed harmful to Jordan,’ Joudeh said.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| May 31, 2013
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Moscow to sell at least 10 advanced MiG-29 fighter jets to Assad

 

Russian jet manufacturer Sergei Korotkov says his company signed contract to deliver MiG fighters to Damascus. Meanwhile, Russian news affiliates refute Assad’s assertions that he’s already received shipment.

News agencies

Russian arms manufacturer says it is signing a contract to deliver at least 10 fighter jets to Syria.

Russian Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29M-2 - Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Russian Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29M-2 – Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Sergei Korotkov, general director of the MiG company that makes the jets, told Russian news agencies Friday that a Syrian delegation was in Moscow to discuss terms and deadlines of a new contract supplying MiG-29 M/M2 fighters to Syria.

Korotkov did not say how many MiGs Syria were buying, but says it would be “more than 10.” Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| May 31, 2013
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Assad skips questions about Russian S-300 missile delivery to Syria

In an interview on Hezbollah-affiliated TV station, embattled regime leader seemed to contradict previous claim that Syria had taken delivery of Russian air defense systems.

By

Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a television interview broadcast Thursday that Russia has fulfilled some of its weapons contracts recently, but was vague on whether this included advanced S-300 air defense systems

President Bashar Assad

President Bashar Assad speaking during an interview on Syrian state television. – Photo: AP

Assad’s actual comments differed from excerpts the TV station conducting the interview had sent to reporters in a text message on Thursday morning.

In that message, the Al-Manar station owned by the Lebanese militia Hezbollah quoted Assad as saying Syria had already received a first shipment of such missiles. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| May 30, 2013
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Jerusalem will act to prevent Russia’s S-300 missile from becoming operational

Netanyahu informs European foreign ministers that after Russian missiles get to Assad, Israel’s ‘entire airspace will become a no-fly zone’ & therefore it ‘cannot stand idly by.’

By

 

 

Israel’s National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror sketched out what Jerusalem’s “red line” is vis-à-vis the S-300 missile systems Russia intends to send to Syria before the 27 European Union ambassadors in Israel.

IDF on Lebanese border

In this picture taken on Thursday May 23, 2013, Israeli soldiers patrol their side near the southern Lebanese-Israeli border of Hamames village, Lebanon. – Photo: AP

 

Two diplomats who were in the room during the briefing last Thursday, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was a closed event, said that Amidror stressed Israel will act “to prevent the S-300 missiles from becoming operational” on Syrian soil. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| May 28, 2013
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Moscow to arm Assad with S-300 missiles to prevent ‘foreign’ (Israeli) intervention

Top Russian official says Russia will commence with sale of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Assad’s army.

Israeli Defense Minister Ya’alon says that if advanced weapon systems reach Syria, Israel will respond.

By , Gili Cohen and Reuters

A top Russian diplomat confirmed that Moscow will provide Syria with state-of-the art air defense missiles to prevent foreign intervention in the country

A Russian S-300 in Moscow.

A Russian S-300 in Moscow. – Photo: AP

 

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov wouldn’t say whether Russia has shipped any of the long-range S-300 air defense missile systems, but added that Moscow isn’t going to abandon the deal despite strong Western and Israeli criticism. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| May 27, 2013
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Reported: Rocket fired at Israel from southern Lebanon

Lebanese security sources say rocket has been fired in the direction of Israel, although it remains a mystery where it may have landed.

Israeli military & police are searching around Metula for source of impact.

By Reuters

 

A rocket was fired from south Lebanon towards Israel on Sunday, Lebanese security sources said. Residents of the northern Israeli town of Metula reported hearing a blast.

Israel's border with Lebanon.

Archive photo showing IDF soldier on Israel’s border with Lebanon. Photo: Yaron Kaminsky

 

“An explosion was heard. Soldiers are searching the area. The cause is still being investigated,” a spokeswoman for the Israel Defense Forces said. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: , , , ,
| May 25, 2013
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Syrian hackers targeted Haifa’s water system

Israeli official says Syria’s failed cyber attack was launched about 2 weeks ago.

Literally, hundreds of cyber attacks occur every minute against crucial Israeli infrastructure.

By Ilana Curiel

A senior Israeli official revealed on Saturday that Syria has attempted two weeks ago to launch a cyber attack against Haifa‘s water system, in retaliation to the alleged Israeli attack in Damascus a month ago.

נשיא סוריה אסד. הפעיל את "יחידת הצבא הסורי האלקטרוני"? (צילום: AP)

Syria’s Bashar Assad – Photo: AP

Yitzhak Ben-Yisrael, chairman of the National Council for Research and Development, said that Israeli critical infrastructures such as electricity, water and the stock exchange undergo hundreds of cyber attacks every minute. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| May 23, 2013
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In the Theater of the Absurd: Syria charges Israel for health violations at UN

 

At an official UN’s World Health Organization conference, Syria accuses Israel of conducting medical experiments on Syrian prisoners, burying nuclear waste on Golan Heights, placing “nuclear land mines” on cease-fire line and some more craziness.  

Israel: It’s absurd how the U.N. is being cynically abused.

By Amir Mizroch

 

In an act of macabre political theater, Syria presented a report to the U.N.’s World Health Organization on Monday slamming what it says is the “deterioration of the health conditions of the Syrian population in the occupied Golan as a result of the suppressive practices of the Israeli occupation.”

The Quneitra Crossing between Syria and the Israeli Golan Heights - Photo AP

The Quneitra Crossing between Syria and the Israeli Golan Heights – Photo: AP

In a report to the WHO’s 66th World Health Assembly, Syria’s Health Ministry said that Syrians were being deprived of medical treatment for rejecting Israeli citizenship, and there was an “acute shortage of primary and tertiary health care services owing to the lack of integrated medical centers in the occupied Syrian Golan.”

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| May 19, 2013
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Netanyahu: Mistake to think Israel prefers Assad to rebels

Israel’s Prime Minister corrects the Times of London report that quoted a senior Israeli intelligence officer saying, he ‘does not represent the gov’t’s position,’.

By

 

 

A Friday report in the Times of London, according to which Israel prefers the regime of Bashar Assad than see a takeover of the country by rebel Islamist militants, is untrue, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a meeting of Likud ministers on Sunday.

Syria - Reuters

A man stands in a damaged street filled with rubble in Deir al-Zor, May 18, 2013. Picture taken May 18, 2013. – Photo: Reuters

 

“The statements attributed to an Israeli intelligence officer do not represent the Israeli government’s position,” Netanyahu said, according to a source present at the meeting. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| May 19, 2013
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UK Report: Syria Aims their missiles on Tel Aviv

Britain’s Sunday Times writes Assad’s regime sets advanced surface-to-surface Tishreen missiles on standby with orders to hit Tel Aviv if  Israel should launch another strike.

 

Analyst: Missiles ‘extremely accurate’ and can cause ‘serious harm’

Ynet

 

Syria has put its most advanced missiles on standby with orders to hit Tel Aviv if Israel launches another strike on its territory, The Sunday Times reported overnight Sunday.

האיום המיידי: טילי S-300 (צילום: AFP)

Russian S-300 missile – Photo: AFP

According to the British newspaper, reconnaissance satellites have been monitoring preparations by the Syrian army to deploy surface-to-surface Tishreen missiles.

An Israeli official told The New York Times that Israel, which has launched three recent attacks on Syria, was considering further strikes and warned President Bashar Assad that his government would face “crippling consequences” if he hit back at Israel. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| May 19, 2013
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PM Netanyahu: Israel will prevent transfer of arms to Hezbollah

Prime Minister Netanyahu says the Israeli gov’t is operating in a ‘responsible, determined & level-headed’ manner to prevent advanced weapons from reaching the Lebanese terror group.

By

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a government meeting on Sunday that Israel will prevent advanced weapons from being sent from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon. “The Israeli government is acting in a responsible, determined and level-headed manner in order to guarantee the safety of the citizens of Israel,” he said, “in accordance with the policy we have set of preventing as much as possible” the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| May 17, 2013
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Turkey’s PM Erdoğan confirms his June visit to the West Bank & Gaza

At the joint White House press conference with Turkey’s PM Erdoğan, President Obama cites need for further evidence before making decision on Syria.

PM Erdoğan: Turkey is in ‘full consensus’ with the U.S. on a need to end Syria bloodshed.

By and Reuters

 

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced Thursday that he plans to travel to the Gaza Strip in June, for a trip that will also include a visit to the West Bank.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Barack Obama during a joint news conf

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Barack Obama during a joint news conference in the White House, May 16, 2013.

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