Israel repatriates 6 Syrians treated for wounds By REUTERS 02/27/2013 08:37 Israel repatriated on Wednesday six of seven Syrians after treating them for wounds suffered in the insurgency against President Bashar Assad, the IDF said. Israel admitted the Syrians on Feb. 16 through the Golan Heights, whose eastern foothills have seen fighting between Assad's forces and rebels. Israeli officials gave no further details on the casualties' identities. A military spokeswoman said six of them were discharged from hospital and returned to Syria on Wednesday. The seventh was still under Israeli medical care with severe wounds, she said. A statement issued by the IDF said the Syrians' repatriation "was completed at an undisclosed location for their own safety." Israel and Syria are technically at war, and some anti-Assad rebels are jihadists hostile to the Jewish state. The seven Syrians wounded in the upheaval gripping that country for almost two years were taken for surgery at Safed’s Ziv Hospital. Their admission came as a surprise to Ziv, but the hospital spokesman said: “When patients come to the emergency room, we take care of them.” Five arrived at first, followed by two more. All suffered from gunshot or shrapnel wounds. One of the patients, who was shot in the abdomen, was in critical condition but stabilized and operated on. The other six were in less serious condition. The wounded men had arrived at the Syrian-Israeli border fence, and IDF soldiers administered first aid on the scene, an army spokeswoman said at the time. It was the first time that Syrians had been taken to Israel for medical treatment since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began almost two years ago. Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya’alon said on February 16 that Israel’s decision to allow the Syrians into the country did not mark a change in policy. Speaking in an interview with Channel 2, Ya’alon said that Syrian refugees would not be allowed into Israel en masse, and that the incident was an exception. Similar instances in the future would be judged on a case-by-case basis, he said. An army source similarly stressed that the evacuation was “a pinpoint incident that does not signify a change of policy. The policy is not to permit border crossings, except in special humanitarian cases, each of which will be examined individually.” One official said the government had for months been preparing various contingency plans for how to deal with scenarios that could play out along the Golan border. The wounded men came as Syrian troops bombarded the demilitarized zone near Israel in reprisal for rebel action nearby, according to AFP.
In other news, a balloon went on fire and fell doon over Luxor. I actually did that very same balloon trip several years ago. Ye take off just before dawn and go over the Valley of the Kings as the sun rises. Got some absolutely crackin photies of it. Including the wee Indian burd I met there who I ended up banging.
Yup, sending a group back to continue their probable involvement in a proxy directed armed insurrection against a legitimate government that has devastated a nation and caused suffering for millions. Cheers all round. Probably gave them some arms or ordnance to as a parting gift for being such willing pawns.
Firstly, nowhere in either articles does it state whether the injured men were pro- or anti-Syrian government. Secondly, of course Israel didn't re-arm them. Thirdly, your rabid hatred of Israel seems to have blinded you to a genuine act of humanitarian kindness, Jacky. No surprise there then.
What on Earth are you talking about? Israel didn't injure the Syrians, they only gave them humanitarian aid in the form of the best medical care possible.
What on Earth are you talking about? Israel didn't injure the Syrians - their fellow Arabs did. Israel gave them humanitarian aid in the form of the best medical care possible.
No, that was just Abbas whipping-up the Arabs into a Jew-hating fury. Nice to see that the UN's resident anti-Semite Richard Falk is demanding an international inquiry though. Funny how he missed the now 80,000 slaughtered in Syria. But I suppose as that's only Arabs killing Arabs and there's no way to possibly blame Jews, it's of little interest to the UN.
You seem obsessed with bringing Jews into things? Who mentioned that religion even once? Israel are involved, of course they are. The US and Israel have been fermenting trouble in Syria since 2008. Wheres the path to Persia? Through Syria of course. A bonus is Russia lose their only Mediteranean port. Iran-Iraq-Syria signing a multi-billion dollar pipeline deal was enough to get Qatar and Turkey involved (whose own pipeline ambitions wwere under threat) and what better way to get out of paying Assad for running the pipeline through Syria. Saudi Arabia just like to spread Salifism where they can so they got involved. France are getting involved through their own neo-colonial ambitions, and Hague is Obamas lapdog so thats why he has been whining on .... have I missed anyone out? The UN havent got involved because Russia and China can see right through the propaganda and are not prepared to be fooled again like the Libyan no-fly-zone turned "rebel" air force. But its nice to see Israel not missing a trick and taking any opportunity of disaster capitalism when they can get it (see licenses given to drill for oil in Golan heights, another area of land that does not belong to Israel )
Syria lost control over the Golan Heights after it twice launched a War of Annihilation against Israel and lost (1948 & 1967). Perhaps one day it might be returned as part of a genuine peace agreement between the two states, perhaps not. Until then, tough ****.
Funny, I dont see it recognised as Israeli territory in any internationally recognised way. Typical Israeli way to be claiming jurisidiction over land no one recognises is theirs. Its also funny that Israel seem to so keen to replace a government that has kept a peace with Isarael with a rabble that truely despises Israel, one would start to think they desire to be in a continual state of war
Apart from providing humanitarian aid and medical assistance to Syrian refugees and treating those injured in the Syrian conflict in Israeli hospitals, Israel hasn't taken sides or provided weapons to either of the warring parties. How you can possibly blame Arabs slaughtering Arabs on Israel is quite frankly beyond me, Jacky.
I didn't lay the blame on Israel. I laid a portion of the blame on Israel for its role as a behind the scenes actor, along with a host of other regional and international actors, who have stoked a proxy conflict each for their own geostrategic motivations.
Please explain how it is to Israel's advantage having yet another fanatical Islamic state on our doorstep, assuming that Assad's rule is eventually overthrown.
Country fragmented and won't amount to any military threat, they can hate all they want but they aren't going to be able to do much with it. The deal clincher though is the knocking out of Syrias new advanced Russian anti-air batteries which barred the way to the only logistically possible route for Israeli strikes on Iran Iran itself knows it is intrinsically tied up in the fate of Assad and hence the assistance to the Assad gov't
