BICOM

For the first time, the Syrian government yesterday took responsibility for opening fire at Israeli troops on the border between the two countries.

Stray fire from the fighting in Syria has landed in Israeli territory on the Golan Heights on several occasions over the last few months. Just last week, two mortar shells fired from Syria landed in the Israeli Mount Hermon area. Until now, Israel’s military has considered such incidents as an unintentional overspill from fighting in Syria.

However, a Syrian military statement said yesterday “Our armed forces have destroyed an Israeli vehicle with everything that it had in it. The vehicle had crossed the ceasefire line.” Israel refuted the Syrian account of events, a military spokesman saying that an IDF jeep making a routine border patrol came under fire, the vehicle sustained just light damage and that no soldiers were injured. IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz described the suggestion that Israeli forces had violated the armistice line as “ridiculous.” Israel responded by firing Tammuz precision missiles, which the IDF said achieved a direct hit “at the source of gunfire.”

However, the admission of responsibility by the Syrian government and the prospect of further similar incidents will concern Israeli leaders, eager not to become embroiled in Syria’s bloody internal conflict. Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon said yesterday that “we do not and will not allow any Syrian fire to enter our territory.” At the same time, he emphasised that “We do not interfere in what goes on in Syria, or in its civil war.” Gantz warned Assad that “If he disturbs the Golan Heights, he will have to bear the consequences.” However, some Israeli analysts this morning suggested that yesterday’s incident may not signify a shift in Assad’s policy, but could have been the result of an independent decision by Syrian troops in the field to open fire.