Syrian Tanks Move into Israel's Golan Heights

By Douglas V. Gibbs

The Times of Israel is reporting that three Syrian tanks have crossed into the Golan demilitarized zone, raising the alert level in Israel.  Watching how the fighting in Syria spilled over into Turkey, Israel has been preparing for the Syrian fighting to spill over into Israel.

Israel complained to the U.N. peacekeeping force in the area after the tanks entered, as if the blue helmets will, or even can, do anything about it.

The incident occurred as a result of Syria's tanks facing of against Syrian rebel forces, the first time the Syrian military has crossed into Israeli controlled land in 40 years.  The event is not being reported as an incident of hostility toward Israel.

It is also being reported that two Syrian armored personnel carriers also crossed into the zone.

The Demilitarized Zone in question is about 7 kilometers (3.5 miles) at its widest and 200 meters (yards) at its narrowest, was created after the 1973 war in which Syria tried to retake the strategic plateau.

Syrian military entry into the zone is a violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and extended Israeli law to the area.

There is concern in Israel that if the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad is toppled, the country could fall into the hands of Islamic extremists or descend into sectarian warfare, destabilizing the region, as has been happening in other Muslim countries like Egypt, Lybia, and Tunisia.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

3 Syrian Tanks cross into Golan demilitarized zone, Israel raises alert - The Times of Israel