BICOM

Robert Serry, the United Nations’ (UN) Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process yesterday warned that fighting in Syria, which has strayed onto Israeli territory on the Golan Heights on multiple occasions, could draw Israel into the Syrian conflict.

Serry was reportedly addressing the UN Security Council and said that instances of stray fire landing on Israeli territory could “jeopardise the cease-fire” which UN peacekeepers have monitored since 1974. Serry noted that “heavy clashes” last week between President Assad’s forces and opposition fighters led to five artillery shells and one tank shell landing on the Israeli side of the truce line. He noted that Israel did not take any retaliatory action.

However, this was just the latest incident over the past few months in which mortar and gunfire from fighting in Syria has landed on Israeli territory with some regularity. On occasion, Israel has returned fire with precision rockets, but more often than not the Israeli military has determined errant Syrian fire to be unintentional. In July, an IDF border patrol came under fire while a month previously fighting between Syrian government and opposition forces reached the town of Quneitra, just dozens of metres from Israeli military positions.

Meanwhile, it was reported yesterday by Israel Radio that a 28-year-old Arab Israeli man was killed while fighting for Syrian opposition forces against the Assad regime. The man, named as Mueed Jumaa came from the village of Musherifa in the Wadi Ara area of northern Israel. He is thought to have entered Syria via Turkey several weeks ago. Apparently Jumaa’s family received a photo of his body earlier this week. A family member told YNet “We never thought he’d think of entering Syria to fight alongside the rebels against Assad.”