Video - ME Expert Elijah J. Magnier: 'Syria Cannot Counter Israel Now, Turkey’s switching position in Syria'.

Video - Syria Cannot Counter Israel Now, Turkey’s switching position in Syria. HT @EjmAlrai.

More from ME Expert Elijah J. Magnier, Al Rai Chief International and veteran War correspondent & analyst: EU, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya..Terrorism, CT. & Intl. SCUBA. HERE: Geneva talks doomed: Turkey’s changing position in Syria is pushing Russia into more aggression.

UN Security Council rejects Israel’s PM claim to the Golan Heights.

UN Security Council rejects Israel’s PM claim to the Golan Heights. (INN).

UNSC rebuffs PM's declaration that Golan Heights will remain part of Israel 'forever' - but with a relatively tame statement.

The UN Security Council on Tuesday issued a rejection of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's assertion that the Golan Heights would remain part of Israel "forever," but did not go as far in denying Israeli claims as Arab states had demanded.

The The 15-member council agreed that the status of the Golan, which Israel liberated from Syria control in 1967, "remains unchanged," said Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi, who holds this month's council presidency.

Liu recalled a 1981 resolution which states that Israel's "decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights was nul and void and without any international legal effect."

The council statement followed remarks made by Netanyahu earlier this month when his cabinet held its first meeting in the Golan.

Council members "expressed deep concern" over the Israeli statements and "stressed that the status of the Golan remains unchanged," said Liu. The Arab League and the European Union have also criticized Netanyahu over the remarks.

Notably, however, the Security Council resolution stopped short of any drastic statements such as a call for Israel to withdraw from the 1,200 square kilometer (460 square mile) region, despite pressure from Arab states to do so.

The Golan's once-thriving ancient Jewish community was wiped out by the Arab conquest in 636 CE, but since 1967 has seen a major revival, with dozens of thriving Jewish communities. Read the full story here.

Netanyahu to Putin: Israel Will Keep Golan “With or Without Deal”

Netanyahu to Putin: Israel Will Keep Golan “With or Without Deal”. (JN).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a face to face meeting in Moscow on Thursday that Israel would not relinquish the Golan Heights. The meeting marked 25 years of Israeli-Russian relations.

“Israel has clear red lines for self-defense,” Netanyahu told Putin according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office. “We act to the best of our ability to prevent the transfer of advanced weaponry from Iran and Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon,” he said.

“I came here with one central goal: to strengthen the security coordination between us in order to prevent accidents, misunderstandings, and unnecessary conflict,” Netanyahu told Putin.

“As for the Golan Heights,” Netanyahu continued, “we will not return to the days when they fired on our communities and children from the heights of the Golan. Therefore, with or without a deal, the Golan Heights will remain under Israeli sovereignty.”

After Putin offered a blessing for the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins on Friday night, Netanyahu replied that “during the holiday, the people of Israel will sit at the Seder table, including over a million Russian-speaking Israelis, who form the living bond between our peoples.” Read the full story here.

Obama 'admin' rejects Netanyahu’s pledge to hold onto Golan forever.

Obama 'admin' rejects Netanyahu’s pledge to hold onto Golan forever. (ToI).

The United States on Monday objected to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that the Golan Heights will forever remain under Israeli control, reiterating that it does not recognize the Jewish state’s claims to the strategic plateau. 

US State Department spokesman John Kirby said that the Obama administration does not consider the Golan Heights to be part of Israel.

“The US position on the issue is unchanged,” Kirby said at a daily media briefing at the State Department in Washington. “This position was maintained by both Democratic and Republican administrations. Those territories are not part of Israel and the status of those territories should be determined through negotiations.”

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 war and effectively annexed it in 1981. The move was unanimously rejected the same year by the UN Security Council.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz on Monday backed Netanyahu, saying it would be “foolhardy and dangerous” for the world to press Israel to relinquish the territory amid the ongoing Syrian civil war.

“The government of Israel reiterated the reality that the Golan Heights are part of Israel’s sovereign territory. Given the presence of hostile terrorist organizations ranging from ISIS to Hezbollah on Israel’s northern border, it is foolhardy and dangerous for elements in the international community to try to pressure Israel to abandon the Golan to the chaos engulfing Syria. The path to peace cannot involve Israel’s abdication of its own security,” Cruz said in a statement. Read the full story here.

UNIFIL Commander Major General Luciano Portolano: 'Israel must pull out of Lebanon's Ghajar area'.

UNIFIL Commander Major General Luciano Portolano: 'Israel must pull out of Lebanon's Ghajar area'. (Pressstv).

Israel is obliged to withdraw from the northern part of the village of Ghajar, on the border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights, as well as surrounding areas, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) says.

UNIFIL Commander Major General Luciano Portolano said in an interview on Wednesday that Israel must retreat from the Ghajar village as well as the areas adjacent to the Blue Line, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701, the Naharnet reported.

The Blue Line is a border demarcation between occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon determined by the UN.

Israel’s presence in the area violates resolution 1701, Portolano said, stressing that the matter is “nonnegotiable as the territory is Lebanese.”

“We have been firm in discussing the issue during all our bilateral and tripartite meetings with Israel,” Portolano said.

Resolution 1701, which brokered a ceasefire in the war of aggression Israel launched on Lebanon in 2006, calls on Tel Aviv to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The resolution stresses that Israel should end violations of Lebanon's airspace, and respect the Blue Line.

The Lebanese government, resistance movement of Hezbollah and the UNIFIL, have repeatedly condemned Israel for violating UN Resolution 1701 and the Lebanese territorial integrity. Hmmmm......Rumor has it Israel responded by saying 'Make us move'.

Al-Assad says 'pressure' to open Israel Golan front.

Al-Assad says 'pressure' to open Israel Golan front.(HD). Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on May 30 there was "popular pressure" to open a military front against Israel on the Golan Heights, which the Jewish state has occupied since 1967.

"There is clear popular pressure to open a new front of resistance in the Golan," al-Assad said in an interview with al-Manar, the television channel of his ally, Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement.

"There are several factors, including repeated Israeli aggression," he said, referring to reported Israeli air strikes on Syria.

"We have informed all the parties who have contacted us that we will respond to any Israeli aggression next time," he said.

Al-Assad also told the Lebanese television that he will run in the leadership election scheduled for 2014 if the Syrian people want him to contest the polls.

"This question will be decided at the given moment... If I feel there is any need for my candidacy, and that will be decided after consulting the people, and if I feel they want my candidacy, I will not hesitate to stand," the embattled leader said. "But if I feel that the Syrian people does not want it... I will not stand," he added.

Al-Assad said that any agreement between his regime and the opposition at the proposed Geneva-2 conference backed by Washington and Moscow would be subject to a "referendum".

"They say they want a transitional government where the president has no role," he said, referring to calls from the opposition and Western countries for him to quit.

But, he added, "the powers of the president are fixed by the constitution and the president cannot abandon his powers, the constitution does not belong to him". Hmmmm......Hezbollah fighters are getting killed at a pretty good rate, i don't think they want to engage Israel also.Read the full story here.

Carl in Jerusalem has the following to say about Hezbollah's fighting capabilities: Experts: Hezbullah forces in Syria exhibit 'major lack of operational preparation'

Four Filipino UN peacekeepers seized on Golan Heights by A Syrian rebel group.

Four Filipino UN peacekeepers seized on Golan Heights by A Syrian rebel group.(BBC).Four Filipino UN peacekeepers have been abducted by armed men while patrolling in the demilitarised area between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

UN spokesmen said efforts were "under way to secure their release now".

A Syrian rebel group, the Martyrs of Yarmouk, published a photo purportedly showing the four men and said they were being held for their own safety.

It said there had been clashes and heavy shelling in the Yarmouk Valley, in the south of the separation zone.

In March, the Martyrs of Yarmouk detained 21 UN observers from the Philippines, before releasing them three days later.

UN spokeswoman Josephine Guerrero said the Filipino peacekeepers were abducted on Tuesday while patrolling near Position 86 inside the demilitarised zone, about 4km (2.5 miles) from the Jordanian border.

A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he "strongly condemns the detention of four UNDOF peacekeepers by armed elements" and "calls for their immediate release".

"The secretary-general calls on all parties to respect UNDOF's freedom of movement and safety and security," Martin Nesirky added.

In a post on its Facebook page, the Martyrs of Yarmouk Brigade insisted the peacekeepers were not hostages. The heavy presence of Syrian government forces posed a danger to the peacekeepers, as well as "criminal elements" in the area, it added.

A member of the Martyrs of Yarmouk, Abu Iyas al-Hourani, later told the Reuters news agency via Skype: "The brigade does not want this issue blown out of proportion like the last incident." "[The peacekeepers] are safe and sound, and will be handed over as soon as possible."Read the full story here.

UN observers kidnapped in the Golan near Syria-Israel border.

UN observers kidnapped in the Golan near Syria-Israel border.HT: IsraelMatzav.
20 United Nations Disengagement Observer Force members were kidnapped by Syrian rebel forces about a mile east of Syria's border with Israel in the Golan Heights. The UNDOF has been monitoring the Israel-Syria border since 1974. The rebels are demanding the withdrawal of Bashar al-Assad's forces from the village of Jamla, which is in the same area, within 24 hours. Otherwise, they say they will treat the observers as prisoners.

Here's a description of the video.

"The command of the Martyrs of Yarmouk announced that it is holding forces of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force until the withdrawal of forces of the regime of (President) Bashar Assad from the outskirts of the village of Jamla," said the man, wearing civilian clothes.


"If no withdrawal is made within 24 hours we will treat them as prisoners," he said, accusing them of collaborating with Assad's forces to push the rebels out of Jamla. UNDOF supervises a 1974 ceasefire agreement between Syria and Israel.The United Nations said about 20 peacekeepers had been detained by around 30 armed fighters in the Golan Heights on the border between Syria and Israel on Wednesday.

"The UN observers were on a regular supply mission and were stopped near Observation Post 58, which had sustained damage and was evacuated this past weekend following heavy combat in close proximity, at Al Jamlah," the United Nations said in a statement issued in New York. It did not say the nationality of the observers but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group which is in contact with the rebel brigade said they were Filipino.

The United Nations said it has sent a team to resolve the situation, while the 15-member Security Council condemned the incident and demanded the immediate release of the peacekeepers.
UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told the council in an emergency briefing that the fighters who had detained the peacekeepers were "associated with Syrian armed opposition group elements," said Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who is president of the council in March.

He added that the captors have made "some demands associated with the actual situation on the ground in Syria." He gave no further detail

I am so glad Israel can count on the commitments given to it by the United Nations and the 'international community.' It's so encouraging to know that the UN is competent to defend us if we make 'concessions.'Read the full story here, more here.

United Nations Silent as Canadian legal adviser disappears on Golan Heights.

United Nations Silent as Canadian legal adviser disappears on Golan Heights.(Yahoo).OTTAWA - The United Nations has confirmed that one its staff members, believed to be Canadian, is missing along the Syrian-Israeli border.
Eduardo Del Buey, deputy spokesman for the secretary general, told a media briefing in New York that an employee working with the peacekeeping mission along the Golan Heights is unaccounted for in the region.
He would not confirm a name or nationality, but media reports in Israel identify the man as Carl Campeau, a Canadian legal adviser.
Del Buey refused all other comment.
The Times of Israel reports that the staffer was stationed with the UN Disengagement Observer Force, which is based on the Syrian side of the demilitarized zone separating the two countries.
Troops loyal to the regime of President Bashar Assad have apparently fled the Golan Heights, leaving rebel forces in control of the area.
Campeau has apparently been missing for several days.
Foreign Affairs has not commented on his disappearance, although government sources said an internal team, usually activated when a Canadian is taken hostage overseas, has been assembled within the department to investigate.
Government sources said Campeau is a civilian working directly for the United Nations and is not acting on behalf of the Canadian government.Hmmmm.....Now if he were Palestinian the UN would already have an extra meeting planned to condemn Israel.Read the full story here.

Japanese UN Troops to Leave Golan Heights.

Japanese UN Troops to Leave Golan Heights.(Fars).The troops, which now total 47 in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force monitoring the cease-fire, will leave because it has become difficult to secure their safety, the Tokyo newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported Monday.
Considering the erosion of security, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto concluded it would be difficult to ensure the troops' safety, and will make a final decision after Japan's Dec 16 House of Representatives election, government sources said, UPI reported.
Japan has had personnel in the Golan Heights since 1996, but the crisis in Syria had led to a deteriorating security situation, the newspaper said.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country.
In October 2011, calm was eventually restored in the Arab state after President Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but Israel, the US and its Arab allies are seeking hard to bring the country into chaos through any possible means. Tel Aviv, Washington and some Arab capitals have been staging various plots in the hope of stirring unrests in Syria once again.Read the full story here.

IDF fires warning shot into Syria after shell hits Golan.

IDF fires warning shot into Syria after shell hits Golan.(JPost).The IDF fired a warning shot at the Syrian military on Sunday, after a Syrian shell landed in the Golan Heights for the second time in recent days.
Israel has not fired at Syria since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
"In the midst of Syrian infighting, a mortar shell fired by the Syrian army struck near an outpost at Tel Hazeka," IDF spokesman Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai said. The shell failed to cause injuries or damages.
"In light of the policy instituted by IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz, a warning round was fired back into Syria. We don't believe it caused injuries or damages," Mordechai added.
At the same time, Israel sent a warning message to the UN, saying that any further firing into Israel will result "in a real response," sources added.
Israel limited its return fire, since its policy is to only fire intensively in response to coming under major Syrian fire. "We didn't continue firing because this was one mortar we were responding to," the source said.
"We will not accept any firing into our territory," he added. "This was a signal to the Syrians, that we will not be so forgiving of everything that lands in a territory." The source stressed that as of now, Israel and Syria were not a in a conflict situation.
The IDF is currently on standby for a security deterioration on both the northern front and the border with Gaza.
Just hours earlier, Defense Minister Ehud Barak threatened that Israel would respond should stray Syrian ordnance continue to strike the Golan Heights, highlighting international concerns that the civil war in Syria could ignite a wider regional conflict.
"The message has certainly been relayed. To tell you confidently that no shell will fall? I cannot. If a shell falls, we will respond," Barak said, without elaborating, in an interview with Army Radio.
At the Sunday cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that Israel was closely following events along the Syrian border, and was prepared for all possibilities on that front.
Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter said Israel needed “nerves of steel” to deal with the instability in Syria. He added that there was nowhere for Israel to respond, due to the chaos over the border.Read the full story here.

Israel preparing to Stop Syria’s chemical weapons from spreading.

Israel preparing to Stop Syria’s chemical weapons from spreading.(JPost).HT: IsraelMatzav.When considering the potential fallout from Bashar Assad’s downfall, at the top of Israel’s list of concerns is the possibility that Syria’s chemical weapons will fall into rogue hands, possibly al-Qaida or even Hezbollah. That is why – depending on developments in Syria – the day may come soon when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will need to make a critical decision if presented with intelligence that the weapons are on the verge of proliferating. Started in the mid-1970s, Syria’s chemical weapons program is run by the Scientific Studies and Research Center and includes the industrial production of Sarin and VX nerve agents as well as mustard gas, all deployable in warheads that can be carried by its operational Scud missiles. As a result, it is likely that Israel, like other Western countries, is considering its options to stop the potential proliferation. This dilemma was articulated last week by OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Yair Golan, who said in a speech at Bar-Ilan University that the government would need to consider attacking convoys carrying sophisticated and advanced Syrian weaponry if they are detected ahead of time. “Would it be wise to intercept such a transfer or would this be nonsense?” Golan asked, presenting the dilemma. Israel’s options vary.
One possibility could potentially be to attack convoys of chemical weapons or bases where the weapons are stored from the air. While this would be seen as an act of aggression by Israel, if done in the twilight of Assad’s regime, the chances that it would spark an all-out war would be slim. Israel is however not the only country that is likely considering such scenarios.
The United States has reportedly been leading talks with a number of countries to prepare for the day after Assad falls. Earlier this month, the US and Jordan held a large multinational military exercise, which reportedly included drills aimed at preparing forces for such operations. “This is a major concern for the IDF which is seriously looking at the threat and considering a variety of scenarios,” a senior defense official explained. Concern is also growing within Israel over the possibility that Syrian nationals will rush the border in the Golan Heights in an attempt to escape Assad’s continued violent crackdown. 
Israel is concerned with two scenarios – firstly that Syrian civilians from cities like Hama or Houla, which have seen some of the worst fighting in recent weeks, would rush the border. The other scenario is that following Assad’s downfall, his former loyalists – mostly of Alawite origin – will also try fleeing to Israel to escape possible retaliation. A senior IDF officer said over the weekend that the military has obtained video recordings of the violence in Syria from villages and cities “close to the border with Israel.”Read the full story here.

Israel to resume oil search on Golan Heights - report.

Israel to resume oil search on Golan Heights - report.(Globes).Hebrew daily "Yediot Ahronot" reports that, 20 years after Israel decided, for diplomatic reasons, not to explore for oil and gas on the Golan Heights, Minister of Energy and Water Resources Uzi Landau has decided to resume the granting of exploration licenses. Since the application of Israeli law on the Golan in 1981, it was decided that the Petroleum Law (5711-1951) also applied to the Golan and that it was possible to search for oil. Following attempts at negotiations with Syria by the Yitzhak Rabin government, the government froze exploration licenses. In 1996, during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's first term as prime minister, there were calls to renew the exploration licenses. The Syrians quickly denounced the move, Israel officially denied any such intention, and the idea to renew the licenses was never put into effect. A few weeks ago, Landau decided to reopen the Golan to oil and gas exploration and the decision was secretly approved.Read the full story here.