Quibblling Over Golan with Syrian Reporter

 Nadene Goldfoot                                              

Southern Syria April 26, 2025    getty image

To my surprise, my computer spewed up this information about Israel  unknown to me but given to me this morning.  I thought it was poppycock!  " Based on reports following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, Israel has significantly intensified its military actions in Syria, with data indicating over 600 attacks—including air, drone, and artillery strikes—conducted by the end of 2025."

No wonder!  It came from al Jazeera.  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/26/israel-carries-out-military-incursion-into-syrias-quneitra-in-the-golan#:~:text=Separately%20on%20Wednesday%2C%20the%20state,office%20in%20the%20city%20said.   In their article, they wrote:  According to a tally by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), Israel launched an average of almost two attacks a day for a total of more than 600 air, drone or artillery attacks across Syria throughout 2025.

• Intensity Post-Assad: Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Israel launched a major operation that hit roughly 600 targets in the first eight days alone, severely damaging Syria's military infrastructure, air defenses, and air forces.
• Targets and Locations: The strikes have targeted military sites, former regime army barracks, radar systems, and weapons depots in areas such as Damascus, Quneitra, Dera'a, and the coastal region of Tartus.
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• Strategic Objectives: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has stated these actions are intended to create a military buffer zone in southern Syria and prevent weapons from falling into the hands of extremist groups, including in areas adjacent to the Golan Heights.
• Territorial Incursions: In addition to air strikes, Israeli forces have expanded a buffer zone into Syrian territory, violating the 1974 armistice agreement.
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• Syrian Response: The new Syrian administration, represented by figures such as interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, has denounced these actions as a violation of sovereignty but noted that Syria is not in a position to enter a direct conflict. 

An opinion:  According to a report in Al Mayadeen , the attacks have been characterized by the Syrian side as a "systematic campaign to keep Syria weak". 

Syria takes the action of Netanyahu as an act of                                        war.  

Assad left in 2024 and went to Russia.  When Bashar al-Assad left Syria on December 8, 2024, following the rapid fall of Damascus, he fled to Russia. Russian state media and foreign ministry officials confirmed that Russia granted asylum to Assad and his family, with reports indicating he landed in Moscow to join his family.  Of all places, that's not good news or shouldn't be for the USA or Israel.  He'll be filled with all sorts of Communist propaganda that he'll manage to spread, I bet.       

In this undated photo provided on July 19, 2017, an IDF soldier feeds a Syrian baby in Israel as part of the army's humanitarian aid program to assist Syrians impacted by the civil war in their country. (Israel Defense Forces)

Syrians are saying that bombing is not showing them any kindness, any reason to be a good friend or neighbor to them.  Their view of things come to them through different colored glasses than either the USA or Israel wear if you get my meaning.  

This is false.  Israel has conducted several humanitarian actions aimed at Syrian civilians during the Syrian Civil War, most notably Operation Good Neighbor, which provided extensive medical care, food, and fuel to residents near the border. These acts are distinct from, and often occurred alongside, military actions. 

• Medical Care for Civilians (Operation Good Neighbor): Beginning in 2013, Israel treated thousands of wounded Syrians in field hospitals on the border or in Israeli hospitals.  Humanitarian Supplies: Israel transferred over 360 tons of food, 450,000 liters of gasoline, 50 tons of clothing, and medicines for chronic illnesses to southern Syria.  Infrastructure Aid: Israel delivered infrastructure equipment, including generators and piping, to repair local water systems.   White Helmets Evacuation: In July 2018, Israel facilitated the evacuation of hundreds of Syrian White Helmets rescue workers from a dangerous area in southern Syria, enabling their passage to Jordan.  Healthcare Support: Israel supplied materials to establish a maternal and child clinic on the Syrian side of the border.   

These actions were part of an effort to alleviate the suffering of Syrian residents near the border.

The continuing hatred of Jews that Syrian possess is not making  them open-minded to the Israeli position. Have they placed their military sites among the people like Iran's Gazans have?    They even question why the surrounding other countries of Israel dislike them like Egypt and use that as a reason to question Israel.  They take Netanyahu being called into court today being on trial for the 600 bombings;  knowing nothing about the real accusations. As far as he and I agree, only the UAE are really friends to Israel.   

Resource:

https://jewishbubba.blogspot.com/2026/04/the-golan-heights-as-israel-sees-it.html   read this first: Golan Heights as Israel sees it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Israel_Defense_Forces_operations

https://www.crisisgroup.org/trigger-list/iran-usisrael-trigger-list/flashpoints/golan-heights-and-southwest-syria#:~:text=Israel's%20primary%20interest%20in%20Syria%20is%20to,tens%20of%20purported%20Iranian%20facilities%20across%20Syria.

The Golan Heights As Israel Sees It

 Nadene Goldfoot                                         

The Golan Heights is always mentioned even lately as a point of contention in Syria. 

      Golan Heights overlooking a Syrian controlled area:   The Israeli portion of the Golan rises to 7,297 feet (2,224 meters) at its extreme northeast point on the Mount Hermon slopes.

 Jewish Israelis overwhelmingly view the Golan Heights as a vital strategic asset and a deeply rooted part of their historical, biblical heritage (the ancient Bashan). The area’s name is from the biblical city of refuge Golan in Bashan (Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8).The region, known as the Bashan, has a rich Jewish history from the Second Temple period, featuring cities of refuge and ancient synagogues. So this establishes that it is part of our ancient history. 

 Jews lost control of the Bashan area (Golan Heights) to Syria through a combination of early Islamic conquests, modern boundary shifts, and 20th-century geopolitical agreements. The region was officially transferred to French-controlled Syria in 1923 by colonial powers, and the final small Jewish presence was expelled by Syrian authorities in 1947 before Israel's independence.                

                                       WAR OF 1967

                                             

Cyrus R. Vance stepped down as Deputy Secretary of Defense in June 1967 due to a severe back condition, having grown disillusioned with the Vietnam War's trajectory. Despite leaving this post, he was immediately reassigned by President Johnson to manage crisis situations, including the 1967 Detroit riots. For more details, visit

The Six-Day War, or the 1967 Arab–Israeli war (5–10 June 1967), was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, primarily Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, in the context of the Arab–Israeli conflict. This has turned out to be a decisive factor with the surprise of Israel winning against such a huge force, but we Jews had everything to lose and fought with heart and soul. Israelis feel they had help from G-d, for the odds against them were terrible.  Winning caused Arabs to go to Kartoum, Sudan,  Africa for a meeting where they decided they all were against Israel in every respect and came up with their No, No No.  Pretty embarrassing for them to lose in 6 days, too.   

Golan Heights, hilly area overlooking the upper Jordan River valley on the west. The area was part of extreme southwestern Syria until 1967, when it came under Israeli military occupation, and in December 1981 Israel unilaterally annexed the part of the Golan it held.   Annexing a piece of land is the legal process of bringing unincorporated, contiguous property into a city's corporate limits, allowing the municipality to extend services like water, sewer, and police to the new area. It is commonly voluntary through owner petitions but can be involuntary, with the aim of expanding tax bases, managing growth, and applying city zoning standards.                               

American president Donald Trump, accompanied by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, signing the document of recognition at the White House.  On March 25, 2019, the United States officially recognized the Golan Heights as being under the sovereignty of Israel.  In 2019 the United States became the only country to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the area. 

The Druze community in the Golan Heights—numbering around 20,000 across five villages—are indigenous to the area, having lived there under Ottoman and French rule prior to Syrian independence. The largest urban locality in the Golan Heights is the Druze town of Majdal Shams, with a population of over 11,000, while Katzrin is the largest Israeli settlement.  It's 1985 population was 22,500 (including Druze).  

 The population of Katzrin, known as the capital of the Golan Heights, is approximately 8,000–8,100 Israeli residents as of late 2024. As the largest Jewish locality in the area, it acts as an urban center for the region's rural communities.

Total population estimates for the area vary, with recent figures indicating roughly 27,000–31,000 Israeli settlers and roughly 24,000–29,000 Druze residents.

When Israel captured the Golan from Syria in 1967, this community was separated from their countrymen and remained under Israeli occupation, later becoming Israeli residents in 1981.  Druze happen to be good friends of Israel.  

It is seen as essential for national security to prevent attacks from the plateau.  Syria had only used the Golan Heights for its height in hitting Israelis below.  The Plateau's Strategic Role: Before 1967, Syria used the plateau to bombard Israeli communities in the valley below.  1973 Yom Kippur War: Syria launched a major offensive on October 6, 1973, from the plateau, temporarily retaking parts of the Golan Heights before being repelled.

                                                 

     2007:  An Israeli tank during a September 2007 exercise in the Golan Heights. Photograph: David Silverman/Getty 

In 2019, the U.S. recognized Israeli sovereignty over the region. Even lately, on July 27, 2024, a rocket attack, attributed by Israel to Hezbollah, hit a soccer field in Majdal Shams, a Druze town in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, killing 12 children and teens. This attack from the surrounding, higher-elevation terrain highlighted the extreme strategic vulnerability of the plateau's topography, which overlooks both the Israeli Galilee region and parts of Syria. Syria is at it again.                                 

 Israel and Syria today confirmed they are holding indirect peace talks with Turkey as the mediator. I don't think either country is happy with Turkey as Erdogan is not a friend of Israel at all. "Erdogan intensifies rhetoric against Israel, MK calls him a 'megalomaniacal dictator'. Erdogan’s harsh rhetoric is considered to be part of his ongoing narrative attempting to position Turkey as a staunch defender of Palestinian rights." 

Since the creation of Israel 60 years ago, the two states have fought three wars, two of them over the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau between the countries that was captured by Israel in 1967.

Resource:

https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/consequences-1967-war

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_recognition_of_the_Golan_Heights_as_part_of_Israel

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-892720

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia (Book)

https://www.britannica.com/event/Syrian-Civil-War

Our Druze Cousins in Golan Heights

 Nadene Goldfoot                                        

Druze are found in Israel, Syria and Lebanon and come from Islam.  Out of a total of over 200,000+20,000 who migrated overseas, 53,000 live in Israel living in Western Galilee villages and on Mt. Carmel.  Over 20,000 Druze live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights region of the Quneitra Governorate, predominantly residing in five villages, while only a small number remain in the small part of the governorate under Syrian control. These residents are largely from the Druze community, maintaining Syrian identity while living under Israeli administration.  They  worked with Israelis since 1948 and have Reps in the Knesset.  Like Jews, they have their own religious courts that administer Druze religious law.  

On March 20, 2026, the Israeli military (IDF) conducted airstrikes against Syrian government military infrastructure in southern Syria, specifically targeting command centers and weapons storage to protect the local Druze minority in Suweida province. This action followed clashes where Syrian forces were accused of killing civilians, as Israel declared it would not tolerate threats to the Syrian Druze population.

As of March 2026, Israel has intensified strikes in southern Syria, targeting military infrastructure in Sweida and Quneitra in response to local clashes and to protect Druze communities. Israel maintains a significant military presence in southwestern Syria following the 2024 collapse of the Assad regime, while new Syrian leadership of Jolani demands a full withdrawal.

• Targeted Strikes: The IDF conducted airstrikes in the Sweida Governorate, targeting Syrian military infrastructure following clashes between government forces and Druze militias.  Druze are a minority group.  Armed attacks against Syrian Druze communities, particularly in the Sweida region, stem from volatile sectarian tensions, local militia clashes, and political crackdowns. Since July 2025, violence has surged due to clashes between Druze, Bedouin, and state forces, with accusations of anti-minority sentiment, revenge killings, and attempts to suppress local autonomy.
• Israel protects the Druze due to a "blood covenant" alliance established in the 1950s, where the community pledged loyalty and mandatory military service in exchange for protection and integration. This policy strengthens ties with the roughly 150,000 Druze citizens in Israel and supports a trusted, loyal Arab minority.  Israel also defends Druze in Syria/ Golan Heights.  
• Druze populations in the Levant share a deep, ancient genetic connection with Jewish populations, particularly with Ashkenazi and Levantine Mizrahi Jews, often positioning them as close genetic neighbors or, in some studies, even closer to each other than to other nearby regional populations. This similarity is largely attributed to both groups possessing significant ancestral components from the Bronze Age Levant and the ancient Near East. Druze turn out to be the closest group to Jewish DNA.  
• Sectarian Clashes: Intense conflict erupted between Druze armed factions and Bedouin tribal fighters.
• Retaliatory Attacks: Druze groups clashed with government forces and their allies (including Bedouin clans) after rising security incidents, leading to significant casualties in areas like Al Doura and Al Douweira.
• Marginalization & Control: Syrian government forces, in an effort to maintain control post-2024, have used artillery and engaged in activities causing heavy loss of life, kidnappings, and destruction of property in Druze areas.
• Political Conflict: The Druze, often seeking to remain neutral during the conflict, have faced tensions for refusing to support the ruling regime of Jolani and for demanding greater autonomy.
•                                Golan Heights
  
  
                            Quneitra, part of Golan Heights near DMZ, gray/yellow on map
• Israeli Occupation & Incursions: Israeli forces continue to occupy key areas of the Golan Heights which is more than occupation:  Israel seized the territory from Syria in 1967, annexed it in 1981, and officially recognizes it as part of its northern territory, a stance supported by US recognition in 2019., with reports of military vehicles performing incursion operations in Quneitra. 
•  On June 10, 1967, the town was captured by Israeli forces. Quneitra was abandoned almost entirely, as most of its inhabitants fled to other parts of Syria. The Syrians temporarily regained Quneitra during the Yom Kippur War of October 1973, but Israeli forces soon recaptured the town. The disengagement agreement signed in 1974 called for the Israeli military forces to withdraw from the town, and Quneitra was included in the territory that was incorporated into a demilitarized buffer zone between Syria and Israel and placed under the supervision of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).
• Deadlock on Security: Talks regarding a formal security agreement between Israel and the new Syrian government have reached a standstill, with Syria demanding a full withdrawal and Israel insisting on maintaining security buffers.
• Regional Instability: These clashes come amid a broader regional conflict, with Israel warning it will not allow the Syrian government to use the situation to target Druze communities in the south.
• Russian Presence: A Russian military delegation has arrived in Kunetra, suggesting potential renewed influence in the region. 

Current Tensions

• Drone and Air Action: The region is seeing increased drone activity and precision strikes from Israel.
• Strategic Positions: Israel has solidified control over the strategic Mount Hermon summit in southern Syria. 
• Resource:
• AI
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Golan-Heights
• https://www.google.com/search?q=DNA+of+Druze+closest+to+jewish+DNA&sca_esv=4e0bfa84728bf4dd&sxsrf=ANbL-n7qGB5MDQLYxZgzW_SwjHNpJPjJlQ%3A1774557382746&source=hp&ei=xpjFaciWK66Qm9cPqrmduQs&iflsig=