BICOM

White House Spokesperson Jay Carney said yesterday that the US expresses regret for the loss of life in the clashes along Israel’s borders with Syria, Lebanon and Gaza on Sunday and said that Israel “has the right to prevent unauthorised crossings at its border.” The US accused Syria of inciting the deadly border clashes that took place on Sunday between the Israeli army and Palestinian protesters who attempted to infiltrate Israel. Carney added that the US was “strongly opposed to the Syrian government’s involvement in inciting yesterday’s protests in the Golan Heights,” and said that the behaviour served as a distraction by the Syrian government to the ongoing domestic anti-government protests it faces and the crackdown it has implemented on these protesters across Syria. In related news, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Meron Reuben sent two letters to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council yesterday, lodging a formal complaint to the incidents that took place on Sunday along the Israeli border with Syria and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Israel decided not to release footage of the Lebanese army opening fire at demonstrators on Sunday. The footage was taken by the IDF just north of the town of Avivim, where Palestinian protesters gathered before attempting to infiltrate the Israeli border. Ten people were killed in the incident, who according to IDF officials were most likely shot by LAF forces. The IDF and the Israel Prime Minister’s Office decided not to release the footage in case it deterred the LAF from responding to protests in the future.