Tag Archive for Syrian Druze

REPORT: Syrians celebrate Israel’s bombing of Iranian sites in Syria

An Israel Today contributor interviews sources in the Golan Heights to verify a Syrian news report that Syrians were indeed cheering Israel’s destruction of ‘Iranian sites occupying Syrian territory’.

By Yochanan Visser

 

Support for Israel Growing among Syrians and Druze on Golan Heights

Reporting about Syria is a difficult job since there are few foreign reporters in the country due to the dangers they encounter, and because of the amount of fake news about the Syrian war, which is mainly coming from Iranian media and Syria’s state-controlled media.

Masyaf, Syria (13 April 2019) Aftermath of IAF strike on Iranian weapons facility.-

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REPORT: ISIS beaten, driven out of last Syrian villages near Golan Heights

Despite the fact that the IDF have forcefully engaged both ISIS and Syrian rebel groups when they’ve attacked Israel, the Syrian regime continues to assert the narrative that describes ISIS as part of a resistance force created by the US, Israel, and Syrian rebels.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN

 

Islamic State was driven out from the last major villages it still held near the Golan Heights – in an area called the Yarmouk Basin – on Monday, according to the Syrian regime and local websites.

The ISIS affiliate group, Jaysh Khalid bin Walid, has held the area for several years but has only clashed with Israeli forces once. Continue Reading »

IDF deploys to protect Syrian Druze after Israeli injured in Golan by spillover

After an Israeli resident of the Druze village Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights was treated, IDF is focusing on the developments of Syrian infighting in the Hader region, just across the Israeli border.

By UDI SHAHAM

 

Israel Defense Force spokesperson Ronen Manelis said in a statement that the IDF will stand by the side of the Druze population as the fighting in Syria intensifies, after a resident of Majdal Shams was injured by gunfire on Friday from was seems to be spillover from the Syrian war.

Syrian Fighting in Golan Heights – Google Maps

“In recent hours we witness the intensifying of the fighting at the area of the Druze village of Hadher in the Syrian part of the Golan Heights,” he said. Continue Reading »

Lebanese newspaper: Syrian rebels armed by Israel

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON

 

A top Syria expert told The Jerusalem Post that a report published on Thursday in a Lebanese newspaper close to Hezbollah claiming that Israel arms Syrian rebels was “really not serious.”

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Free Syrian Army: The fight is increasingly against Iran

Interview with Revolutionary Command Council spokesman in Quneitra & Golan, detailing FSA struggle near Israel’s border.

 

“The current military situation in the Quneitra area has resulted in the Syrian regime forces being cut off under blows from the opposition, and we are turning toward an active system of defense and attack instead of hunkering down,” Ayas Ghalib, director of the political bureau of the Revolutionary Command Council in Quneitra and Golan, told The Jerusalem Post in an email interview.

Smoke rises following an explosion on the Syrian side near the Quneitra border crossing between the Golan Heights and Syria, August 29, 2014.

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Reveled: Israel Aiding Syrian Rebels On Condition They Don’t Attack Druze Towns

Israel’s Defense Minister Yaalon: ‘Rebels near Israel’s border receive humanitarian aid on condition that they don’t attack Druze and block terrorists.’

By Gil Ronen and Ari Soffer

 

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said Monday that Israel is offering humanitarian assistance to Syrian rebels near the border, “on condition that they prevent terrorist organizations from nearing the border fence and that they refrain from attacking Druze.”

Yaalon was speaking at a briefing for Israel’s diplomatic correspondents. He said that the rebels are taking over the Golan and defeating Syrian strongman Bashar al Assad.

Regarding the Druze in Israel and Syria, Yaalon said that surprisingly: “No terror attacks [against Israel] have emanated from the area under rebel control, but there have been terror attacks from the area under Druze control.” Continue Reading »

IDF Chief Promises to Protect Syria’s Druze from ‘Massacre’

Responding to Israeli Druze anxieties, Lt. Gen. Eizenkot vows to prevent harm to Druze community on Syria’s side of the Golan Heights.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Israel pledged Tuesday to protect any refugees who fled towards the Jewish state after a rebel offensive in Syria and Islamist violence there raised fears about the Druze minority’s safety.

A significant number of Druze live in Israel, and leading members of the community have called on the government to help their brethren in Syria following the recent violence.

Without mentioning the Druze, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot said the authorities were preparing for a possible influx of Syrian refugees and would prevent a potential massacre at the border. Continue Reading »

IDF Declare Northwest Area of Golan Heights “Closed Military Zone”

Civilians who are not local residents cannot travel in the area because of the intensive battles between Assad forces & rebels on the Syrian side of the border.

 

The IDF and Israel Police declared a section of the north east of the Golan Heights a closed military zone on Tuesday.

An IDF soldier looks out from a position on Mt. Hermon

An IDF soldier looks out from a position on Mt. Hermon. – Photo courtesy: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT

The decision means civilians who are not local residents, such as tourists, cannot travel in the area.

It comes after intensive battles raged between Assad regime forces and rebels on the Syrian part of the border in recent days. Continue Reading »

Analysis: Israel & Hezbollah’s interest in Syrian Druze

The biggest threat to the Druze 700,000 strong community is the advancement of Islamic State in the region known as ‘Mount Druse’, 60 km. from the Jordanian border and 50 km. from Israel’s Golan Heights.

 

If the 50-month-long civil war in Syria – with its 200,000 fatalities and with unexplained rivalries and alliances – has created a big mess, a more convoluted threat is emerging, a threat to the Druse community, which may drag Israel unwittingly into the killing fields.

Israeli soldiers stand near the border with Syria in the Golan Heights. – Photo: REUTERS

On the surface, Israel is closely monitoring the situation. Continue Reading »

Report: Israel Plans Creation of Buffer Zone to Save Syrian Druze

By i24news

 

Israel intends to create a humanitarian buffer zone inside Syria, along its border, in order to help that country’s Druze, according to the Walla News web site. Israel is in contact with the Red Cross and various countries regarding the buffer zone.

Haim Zach

Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin visits the grave of the prophet Jethro in the Galilee, in honor of the Druze holiday Nebi Shuayb, April 27, 2015 – Photo: Haim Zach

A diplomatic source told Walla that “there is no intention to ignore the possibility of a massacre against the Druze.” Continue Reading »