Tag Archive for Syrian unrest

| May 5, 2013
No comments

Israel has the right to hit missiles, Obama says after strike

 

Obama: “What I have said in the past and I continue to believe is that the Israelis justifiably have to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry to terrorist organizations like Hezbollah,”

By JTA

 

WASHINGTON — It is Israel’s right to prevent Hezbollah from getting weapons, President Obama said, a day after Israeli jets reportedly destroyed Iranian missiles in Syria bound for the Lebanese terrorist group.

President Barack ObamaNeither the U.S. nor the Israeli governments have confirmed multiple reports quoting anonymous officials in both countries as saying that Israel was responsible for the strike early Friday on Damascus airport.

Obama, in his first remarks on the issue, in an interview Saturday with Telemundo, also would not confirm Israel’s role in the strike. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| May 4, 2013
No comments

Hezbollah vows: We won’t allow Israel & US conquer Syria

After reports of Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah-bound missiles shipment, Hezbollah

political chief says  ‘ready to prevent Syria from falling into Tel Aviv & Washington’s hands’

By Roi Kais

In the wake of reports that Israel attacked a shipment of “game changing” long range, ground-to-ground missiles intended for Hezbollah in Syria Friday night, Ibrahim Amin al-Sayed, head of Hezbollah’s political bureau, said that his organization “is ready to prevent Syria from falling into Tel Aviv and Washington’s hands”.

Hezbollah rally in Lebanon (archive) Photo Reuters

Hezbollah rally in Lebanon (archive) Photo: Reuters

Al-Sayaed even admitted that Hezbollah operatives were active in Syria to protect Lebanese citizens “from the Israeli-American cooperation.” Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| April 30, 2013
No comments

Wounded Syrian Taken to Israeli Hospital

A Syrian man who was wounded by shrapnel & gunfire from the continuing civil war was transferred to the Ziv Hospital in Tzfat (Safad).

By Elad Benari

 

A Syrian man who was wounded in the ongoing civil war in his country was transferred on Monday evening to the Ziv Hospital in Tzfat, after IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz authorized the move.

The man, who suffered moderate wounds to his waist, was taken to the hospital’s trauma unit for initial treatment. He is expected to undergo surgery overnight Monday.

Israeli media reported that the man’s wounds were caused by shrapnel and gunfire. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| April 29, 2013
No comments

Russian sends deputy FM to meet with Nasrallah

Mikhail Bogdanov meets with Nasrallah & other Lebanese leaders to discuss Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria’s conflict.

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON

 

 

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday night along with other top Lebanese leaders to conclude his three-day visit to the country.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah broadcasting from his underground hiding place - Photo Reuters

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah broadcasting from his underground hiding place – Photo: Reuters

The Russian ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Zaspikin, also took part in the meeting, which dealt with the unstable situation in Lebanon and Syria, according to a report in the Lebanese Daily Star.

Hezbollah’s Al-Manar website reported that Ammar Mousawi, the group’s official responsible for international relations, was also in attendance.

Continue Reading »
Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| April 8, 2013
No comments

Israel Concerned After Syrian Troops Withdrawn from Golan

Damascus withdrew large numbers of gov’t troops from the Golan Heights & rebels have taken over, the Guardian reported.

By Elad Benari

 

 

The Syrian government has withdrawn large numbers of troops from the Golan Heights, in a move that has cast doubt over the future of a UN peacekeeping force on the strategically vital plateau, the British Guardian reported Sunday.

Western diplomats told the newspaper that the Syrian redeployments near the Golan ceasefire line were the most significant in 40 years, with at least several thousand soldiers thought to have been moved in recent weeks to battle fronts closer to Damascus. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| April 7, 2013
No comments

New Lebanese PM Seeks Neutrality on Syrian Uprising

Lebanon’s new PM Tammam Salam pledged to safeguard the country from the ongoing war in Syria.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Moderate Lebanese MP Tamam Salam was named on Saturday as the country’s new prime minister, pledging in his first address to the nation to safeguard the country from the war raging in neighboring Syria.

Lebanon's newly named PM Tamam Salam - Photo AFP

Lebanon’s newly named PM Tamam Salam – Photo AFP

“There is a need to bring Lebanon out of its state of division and political fragmentation, as reflected on the security situation, and to ward off the risks brought by the tragic situation in the neighboring country and by regional tensions,” he said, according to a report by the AFP news agency. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| April 3, 2013
No comments

IDF targets source of cross-border fire from Syria

After 2 incidences of cross-border fire from Syria on Tuesday evening, IDF tanks target the source.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon visited the borders with Syria & Lebanon earlier on Tuesday saying, ‘We will respond to all fire from Syria’.

By Danny Brenner and Lilach Shoval

 

Israel was struck twice on Tuesday by cross-border fire from Syria. In the first incident, a mortal shell exploded in the Tel Fares area of the Golan Heights on Tuesday evening. Shortly afterward, Israeli soldiers near the Tel Hazeka military post came under fire from Syria. There were no injuries or damage in either incident.

Continue Reading »
Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| March 28, 2013
No comments

Israel establishes ‘field hospital’ to treat the injured Syrians

Officials confirm that due to growing number of injured Syrians arriving at Israel’s border, a ‘military field hospital’ was built on an IDF outpost in the Golan Heights.

Yoav Zitun, AFP

 

In light of the steady increase in the number of wounded Syrians Israel has been treating, the IDF has set up a “military field hospital” at army outpost 105 in the Golan Heights, AFP reported Thursday.

Netanyahu looks at Syrian patient IDF field hospital. – Photo: KOBI GIDEON/GPO

Israeli officials confirmed that the hospital was set up to treat injured Syrians near the border fence and avoid having to evacuate them to hospitals inside the country. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| March 28, 2013
No comments

UNSC: Both Syria & rebels must ensure safety of UN in Golan

UN Security Council calls on Syrian gov’t & rebel leaders to ensure the safety of all UN peacekeeping force monitoring ceasefire line on Syria-Israel border in the Golan Heights.

Associated Press

 

Also Wednesday, the UN Security Council called on the Syrian government and rebel fighters to ensure the safety and freedom of movement of the UN peacekeeping force that has monitored a cease-fire line between Israel and Syria for nearly four decades.

UN peacekeepers kidnapped by rebels – Photo: AFP/Youtube

Council members underscored the increased risk the conflict poses to UN personnel, highlighted by the recent hostage-taking of 21 peacekeepers by armed opposition elements. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| March 27, 2013
No comments

Assad Appeals to Int’l Economic Forum to Help ‘dry sources of terrorism’ in Syria

Assad’s appeal to non-Islamic countries, India, China, Brazil, Russia, & South Africa comes a day after the Arab League endorsed Syria’s Western-backed opposition coalition, delivering another blow to the regime in Damascus.

 

Syria’s increasingly isolated President Bashar Assad on Wednesday appealed to the leaders of a five-nation economic forum meeting in South Africa to help end his country’s two-year conflict.

Syrian President Bashar Assad - Photo by AP

Syrian President Bashar Assad – Photo: AP

Assad’s appeal came a day after the Arab League endorsed Syria‘s Western-backed opposition coalition, delivering another blow to the regime in Damascus.

Assad sent a letter urging the leaders of the five nation BRICS forum – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – to “work for an immediate cessation of violence that would guarantee the success of the political solution” in Syria. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| March 27, 2013
No comments

Again, Syrian wounded seek treatment in Israel

Number of Syrians wounded  in critical condition secretly transferred to hospital in Israel with IDF chief’s authorization. One Died.

Maor Buchnik

 

A number of injured Syrians made their way to the border with Israel Wednesday morning, the IDF said. Two of the Syrians, who were critically wounded, were evacuated to Israeli hospitals with the authorization of IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz.

Illustrative – Photo Courtesy IDF Spokesperson’s Office

The two, who are in their 30s, were initially taken to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, but were later transferred to a hospital in Nahariya. One of them was pronounced dead several hours after being hospitalized. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| March 24, 2013
No comments

Syria’s Jihadist Rebels Seize the Jordan-Israeli DMZ Buffer Zone

Jihadist rebel militias in Syria have seized a 25-km (15 mile) demilitarized buffer zone from the Jordanian border to the Golan Heights.

By Chana Ya’ar

 

Syrian rebel forces have seized a 25-kilometer (15 mile) buffer zone stretching from the Jordanian border to the Golan Heights.

Syrian rebelsAccording to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog agency, “Fighters loyal to Al Nusra Front, Al Yarmuk Brigade, Al Mutaz Billah Brigade and others took control of Al Rai military checkpoint” east of Sahem al-Golan, in the Dara’a province.

“The fighters seized the site after regime forces retreated,” the statement continued. “The 25-kilometer area located between the towns of Muzrib (near the Jordanian border) and Abdin (in the Golan Heights) is now out of regime control,” AFP reported. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| March 20, 2013
No comments

Steinitz: ‘Apparently, Chemical Weapons Were Used Against Syrian Civilians’

Either Assad’s regime or Syrian rebels used chemical weapons in their country’s civil war, said Israel’s new Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz.

By Rachel Hirshfeld

Either Syrian rebels or the Damascus regime have used chemical weapons in the country’s two-year civil war, Israel’s newly appointed Minister of Intelligence and Strategic Affairs, Yuval Steinitz, said on Wednesday.

“It’s apparently clear that chemical weapons have been used against civilians by the rebels or by the government,” Steinitz told Army Radio.

“This is very concerning for us and we must deal with it urgently,” he said.

Syrian rebels and the regime exchanged accusations of chemical weapons use on Tuesday for the first time since the March 2011 uprising, which has already claimed the lives of over 70,000 people. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| March 20, 2013
No comments

IDF admits 2 more wounded Syrians into Israeli hospital

IDF treats 4 Syrians wounded in their civil war strife at the border.

Syria fires 5 shells into Lebanon.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS

 

The IDF provided medical care to four wounded Syrians who approached the border fence with Israel on Wednesday, evacuating two of them to Israeli hospitals for further treatment, the IDF Spokesman’s Office stated.

Netanyahu looks at Syrian patient IDF field hospital. – Photo: KOBI GIDEON/GPO

The treatment was provided for humanitarian reasons and was approved by IDf Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz.

The IDF emphasized that the incident did not constitute a change in Israel’s policy regarding the acceptance of refugees from Syria.

Continue Reading »
Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| March 14, 2013
No comments

In increasing radicalism Mideast, Arab-Israel conflict far more complex to solve

IDF Military Intel chief Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi says Iran producing enough enriched uranium for 5-6 bombs, should it decide to arm.

Turkey, Egypt, Iran & Saudi Arabia are all led by religious leadership who see Israel as unwelcome regional element.

By Amir Mizroch

 

 

IDF Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi on Thursday presented a grim picture of Israel’s strategic surroundings, saying that four of the Middle East’s superpowers — Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt — were all led by religious leadership whose fundamental view of Israel is one of a “foreign, unwelcome element” and who increasingly see the world through religious lenses.

Continue Reading »
Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
« Older Entries   Recent Entries »