ISRAELI TROOPS yesterday opened fire on protesters trying to cross the border from Syria to mark the anniversary of the 1967 Arab-Israeli six-day war, when Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights. According to Syrian television 18 people were killed and more than 200 wounded.
Israeli officials had warned in advance that there would be no repeat of the events three weeks ago, when about 100 infiltrators crossed from Syria into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to mark Nakba (catastrophe) day, the anniversary of the founding of Israel.
The Israeli security forces were on full alert and deployed along the northern borders with Lebanon and Syria, and at Israeli crossing points with the West Bank and Gaza. The soldiers were supplied with large quantities of riot dispersal equipment, but were ordered to shoot live rounds at anyone trying to cross the border.
A few hundred protesters carrying Palestinian and Syrian flags gathered across the border close to the Golan Heights village of Majdal Shams. Throughout the afternoon, they repeatedly tried to approach the border, ignoring warnings from Israeli troops.
Israeli military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich told reporters the troops had no choice but to open fire after the protesters ignored loud-speaker calls in Arabic to turn back and warning shots fired into the air.
“This is an attempt by the Syrian regime to divert the world’s attention from the Syrian bloodshed that has been taking place in recent weeks,” she said.
Red Cross ambulances ferried the casualties to hospitals inside Syria. The Israeli military reported that some of the casualties were from four land-mine explosions close to the Syrian border. The mines exploded after the demonstrators threw petrol bombs which set the minefields alight.
The Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian borders were quiet .The Lebanese army had declared the border area a closed military zone, prompting Palestinian organisers to cancel a planned march. Protests in the West Bank and Gaza were also relatively low-key, although troops used tear gas to disperse more than 100 protesters at the Qalandia West Bank crossing north of Jerusalem.
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu blamed extremist elements determined to breach the country’s borders.
“We will not allow them to do so,” he told the weekly cabinet meeting. “I have instructed the security forces to act with determination, with maximum restraint, but with determination to protect our sovereignty, our borders, our communities and our citizens.”
Israeli officials said the protests yesterday and last month were part of a Palestinian campaign to keep up the pressure on Israel ahead of the expected push for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations in September. Similar actions are expected throughout the summer, as well as another maritime aid flotilla to Gaza, which is expected to set sail later this month with the participation of hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists, including from Ireland.