Syrian Shells Land In Israel For Second Day: Netanyahu Warns ‘We Won’t Allow Anyone To Fire On Our Citizens’
After Syrian shells landed in Israel for the second straight day on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a blunt warning to Syria. While demanding the indiscriminate firing from Syria cease immediately, Netanyahu made his extreme displeasure clear, saying Israel “will not allow anyone to breach our borders or to fire on our citizens.”
Israel has expressed serious concern about the fire from Syria. Many of the nation’s leaders believe that Syria strongman Bashar Assad is trying to provoke a war with Israel in order to divert attention from the murder of his own people. Thousands of Syrian civilians have been slaughtered by Assad’s military since open rebellion against his tyrannical regime began on March 15, 2011.
During the last few days, mortar shells have been fired into Israel from Syria, and earlier in the month, Syrian tanks crossed into Israeli territory. The Assad government has claimed the shells were fired by the Syrian rebels and the tanks crossed the border accidentally in pursuit of rebel forces.
On Sunday, Israel fired a warning shot in response to Syrian shelling, but on Monday, Israel reports the IDF destroyed the Syrian target with an advanced Tapuz-type missile. The exchange between Israel and Syria is the first time Israel has fired into Syria since the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
“Israel’s army fired tank shells into Syria on Monday and scored direct hits on Syrian mobile artillery in response to a Syrian mortar shell that struck the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. On Sunday the military said it had a fired a warning shot across the disengagement line, while on Monday it said it had fired back at the source.”
IDF spokesman Brig.- Gen. Yoav Mordechai spoke about the recent incidents:
“In the midst of Syrian infighting, a mortar shell fired by the Syrian Army struck near an [IDF] outpost at Tel Azeka, 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. We will not accept any firing into our territory. This was a signal to the Syrians, that we will not be so forgiving of everything that lands in a territory.”
Syria has also managed to irritate Turkey, when Syrian tanks violated the long established borders between the two nations. On several other occasions, Syrian gunners have fired into Turkish territory, These violations of sovereignty caused an aggressive response from Turkey, who fired back after each encroachment across her borders.
As the news of Sunday’s incident became known, some the world’s media exhibited their usual bias against the Jewish state, referring to the Golan Heights as occupied territory, and running headlines like “Israel Opens Fire On Syria Again,” while neglecting to mention the Syrians initiated the attack and Israel was defending its territory. Israel made it clear she considers the Golan Heights part of Israel and she will continue to protect her citizens from any and all aggression from the Syrian military.
