Israel/Palestine
Related: About this forumSyria conflict: Rebels take Golan Heights crossing
Syrian rebels have taken over a UN-run border crossing in the Golan Heights after heavy clashes with regime forces.
Fighting is continuing near Quneitra, close to Israeli-held territory.
The fighting comes a day after Syrian troops - backed by Lebanon's Hezbollah militants - retook the key town of Qusair after a three-week siege.
The battle for Qusair has highlighted Hezbollah's growing role on the Syrian conflict, which has heightened sectarian tensions in the wider region.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22795655
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)BBC has corrected it to read "Syria conflict: Army 'retakes Golan Heights crossing'"
One event was obviously overtaken by another :
Syrian rebels seized a UN-manned crossing between Syria and the Golan Heights on Thursday, opposition sources said, but Israeli security sources reported Syrian troops later retook it after heavy fighting.
The rarely used Quneitra crossing, in a UN-patrolled demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights, is the only transit point between Syrian and Israeli disengagement lines set in 1974. Battles for its control seemed likely to heighten Israeli security concerns stoked by Syria's civil war.
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Syrian-army-retakes-Golan-crossing-point-from-rebels-315673
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)So thumbs down.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)Rebels briefly overran a border position near the destroyed city of Quneitra early Thursday before Syrian government troops retook it.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10104630/Fighting-seen-in-Syrian-town-of-Quneitra-from-Israeli-side-of-the-border.html
note the word briefly
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Israel reacts angrily to Austria's withdrawal from Golan Heights
Syrian rebels groups briefly seized control of the Quneitra border crossing after hours of sustained and intense fighting with tanks and artillery, during which several shells exploded inside Camp Ziouni, a UN compound inside the demilitarised zone, and three mortars reportedly exploded inside Israeli-occupied territory.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/israel-angry-austria-golan-heights
bemildred
(90,061 posts)The UN peacekeepers are pulling out, Israel is moving tanks up.
aranthus
(3,385 posts)That isn't in either the JPost or BBC reports. In fact, the BBC report was that the Syrians had moved in tanks, but that Israel was not going to respond.
aranthus
(3,385 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)azurnoir
(45,850 posts)The group was received by the IDF, which examined them at the crossing. However, after the IDF decided the Syrian side of the Quneitra crossing was no longer dangerous, it decided to send the group back to their war-torn country.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4389373,00.html
I wonder how 'safe' is being determined here