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Tuesday, June 28, 2005 

Israel claims Syrian troops shot at them

Israel has claimed that Syrian troops fired on Israeli soldiers in the illegally occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

The UN's 1000 strong force along the dividing line could not confirm the Israeli account.

More inexplicably, the gung-ho Occupation soldiers chose not to return fire. They claimed they were reparing a fence on the border of the occupied land. If that was the case, UNDOF peacekeepers would have needed to be present.

If the Israeli claims are true, it would be the first time in thirty years that the ceasefire has been breached (apart from the Israeli air-bombing of Damascus in 2003, and the Israeli car-bombing of Damascus in 2004).

Last year a Syrian was caught in the Occupied Syrian Golan by Israeli soldiers who claimed he was 'tresspassing' in their land.

Israel has lodged a complaint with the UN forces, but as the Lebanese will tell you, that wont achieve anything: Lebanon lodges complaints every time Israeli warplanes break the sound barrier over Beirut, Tripoli and other cities - it's a noise which sounds like a bomb but only smashes windows.

Just read that Sharon asks a gesture from the President i.e. to repatriate Elie Cohen's remains

full return of preseners and remains should happen only after the signing of a just peace treaty ,may be sharoon should give syria a gestur of good well and offer to abide by international law and the return to 1967 border for a full peace treaty as syria offerd for the peacfull coexestat of Arabs and Israeies. ,naim

Ya Libnam reports "Hizbollah launched Katyusha rockets and mortar rounds into the occupied Shebaa Farms on Wednesday, ... Israel responded with fighter planes, and by bombarding Southern Lebanon."

I do believe that Hizbolla did initiate that flurry, as they seem to be feeling their oats lately, which I think comes from two factors: First, with Ahmadinejad ((not a reformer!) being overwhelmingly elected President of Iran, Hizbolla's base in Iran has been made secure. With the recent election sweep on Southern Lebanon, Hizbolla has a right to feel that the people are really behind them. With many outsiders (USA, UN) calling for them to disarm, they NEED to prove that they are still needed to protect the country against Israel, and they could do that if they could convince the Lebonese population that the attack was initiated by Israel.

Hizbolla is slowly morphing from a militia into a political party, whether they want to or not. I expect to see many more incursions by them into Sheeba Farms in the coming weeks to bolster their claim as being Lebanon's protector. The fundamental problem with their declaired intent (to destroy Israel) is that they are a secondary force -- the Palestinian armed groups are the primary foes, and Hizbolla has a back seat - making them more and more concerned about their relevance in Lebonese society..

I believe that Lebanon would be more rapidly propelled into a stable and active financial position if Hizbolla does disarm and becomes a political party.

Very interesting comments, thank you anonymous.

I too wish to see Hizbollah take a peaceful path, but contrary to your quote from Ya Libnan, reports suggest Israeli troops made an incursion into Lebanese land yesterday, provoking the Hizbollah attack.

We'll have to wait for a UNIFIL (United Nations) comment to find out who's telling the truth.

You refer to Hizbollah's 'incursions' into Sheba - that's a very dangerous use of language. Hizbollah can not make 'incursions' into Occupied Lebanese/Syrian territory - that suggests that Israel has soverignty over Sheba.

Anonymous at 5:08

The gesture Sharon asks for won't cost anything and might start a new process; why be stubborn about the remains ?
Of course, they are going to make a big deal about him and revive sarcasm about how Cohen fooled the trusting Syrians, but then, stick and stones ...

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