Israel Ready to Invade Syria to ‘Protect’ Druze Village

November 4, 2017 Articles, Commentary
Israel has routinely bombed Syrian under various pretenses. (Photo: File)

Amid tension in the Golan Heights, a part of Syria that is illegally occupied by Israel, Israel has vowed to ‘assist’ locals within Syria’s territory after violence erupted.

After a car bomb detonated in the village of Hader, which killed nine and injured 23 in the mostly ethnic Druze population, Israel has vowed to ‘protect’ the village of Hader over potential spillover from Syria’s conflict.

According to the Syrian news agency (SANA), the radical Salafi group, Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaida affiliate, was responsible for the attack. Other reports suggest that the radical group, Tahrir al-Sham, committed the attack, though these groups are under the same umbrella.

Jabhat al-Nusra allegedly announced that they would launch a campaign to ‘liberate’ towns around the Golan Heights from the control of the Syrian government, though they added that they would not attack neutral actors or civilians.

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) claims that several others in Majdal Shams were hit with gunfire that allegedly originated in Syria’s territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on Facebook: “We guard our borders in the north and the south and  maintain our support for our Druze brethren.”

IDF spokesperson Ronen Manelis said in a statement that the IDF would stand by the Druze population in the Golan Heights.

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

Manelis continued that the IDF “will prevent the harming or the conquering of the village of Hader out of deep commitment to the Druze population.”

Oddly, as the Wall Street Journal reported in 2016, Israel is known to provide logistical support to Syrian opposition forces, including Jabhat al-Nusra, in a bid to secure its illegally occupied territory from Syrian government-aligned forces.

Amos Yadlin, the former head of Israel’s military intelligence, explained: “There is no doubt that Hezbollah and Iran are the major threat to Israel, much more than the radical Sunni Islamists, who are also an enemy.”

Druze leaders under Israeli administration condemned the attack led by Jabhat al-Nusra and vowed to stand with their families in Syria. Several tried to cross over to Syria by passing over a barricade and were stopped by police.

Israeli police have increased presence along key junctions in the north near the Golan Heights to prepare for possible attacks.

Neither Netanyahu nor Manelis specified a plan of action for addressing spillover from the Syrian conflict.

Critics believe this announcement by Israeli officials will spark even more conflict in the Golan Heights.

Throughout the course of Syria’s bloody conflict, Israel has, on numerous occasions, bombed Syrian army and Hezbollah positions near the Golan Heights in a breach of Syria’s airspace.

Israel’s most recent breach targeted a copper factory in Homs province which led the Syrian government to reach out to the United Nations (UN) for assistance.

(teleSUR, PC, Social Media)

    Learn More     Watch Video
(The Palestine Chronicle is a registered 501(c)3 organization, thus, all donations are tax deductible.)
Our Vision For Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders & Intellectuals Speak Out