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Syria and Rebels Clash at Golan Heights Border Syrian Rebels Seize U.N. Border Post in Golan Heights
(about 3 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Rebels fighting the Syrian government on Thursday seized control of the only border crossing operated by United Nations peacekeeping forces along the Israeli-Syrian cease-fire line in the Golan Heights, according to the Israeli military and rebel forces. Israeli forces were placed on alert in the sensitive and disputed area as the violence of the civil war threatened to spill over into Israeli-held territory. JERUSALEM — Rebels fighting the Syrian government seized the only border crossing operated by United Nations peacekeeping forces along the Israeli-Syrian cease-fire line in the Golan Heights on Thursday, according to the Israeli military and rebel forces, bringing the Syrian conflict ever closer to Israeli-held territory.
A few hours later the situation remained confused. Israeli media reports said that the Syrian government forces appeared to have retaken the Quneitra crossing and the Syrian state news agency SANA said that a unit of the government forces had “repelled terrorist groups” that had “tried” to take over Quneitra border crossing. Israeli forces were placed on alert along the frontier as the violence of the Syrian civil war threatened to spill over.
But Ahmad al-Basheer, a member of the local revolutionary committee in the Quneitra area who was reached by Skype, insisted that the crossing was still under the rebels’ control and that the entire province of Quneitra had been “liberated.” The rebel takeover of the border crossing, Quneitra, lasted for at least several hours, and it was unclear by late Thursday whether Syrian government forces had retaken control. Clashes in the area raged through much of the day.
The mayhem was enough to threaten the continuation of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, the longtime peacekeeping mission in the sensitive and disputed area.
The Quneitra crossing is patrolled by Austrian United Nations peacekeepers, who were ordered to pull back for their own safety.
In Vienna on Thursday the Austrian government said it was withdrawing its contingent from the force. Austria’s chancellor, Werner Faymann, was quoted by APA, the Austrian press agency, as saying he had spoken with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, and “personally informed him about the decision.”
Josephine Guerrero, a spokeswoman for the United Nations peacekeeping forces, confirmed in an e-mail message that Austria had informed the United Nations of its intended withdrawal.
“Austria has been a backbone of the mission and their withdrawal will impact the mission’s operational capacity,” Ms. Guerrero said. “We are in discussions with them about timing, and with other troop-contributing countries to provide replacement troops.”
She also said two personnel from the peacekeeping force were injured by mortar rounds fired in the area but did not further identify them.
Austrians account for about 380 of the 1,000-strong United Nations force that has monitored the disengagement zone between Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights since 1974. The Philippines provides about 300 and India provides the rest. A fourth country, Croatia, withdrew its contingent earlier this year.
Twice in recent months a rebel group has taken groups of the Filipino peacekeepers captive, releasing them unharmed after several days. The Philippine government has been considering pulling its peacekeepers out of the area.
There was no immediate official comment on the Austrian decision from the Israeli government or the military.
But one senior Israeli government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that in general there was “skepticism among the senior Israeli leadership as to the utility of international forces or monitors when things get tough.”
The official emphasized that he was not referring specifically to the Austrian decision or criticizing it, but that he was talking about “the larger picture.”
The Israeli government has long insisted on a doctrine of self-reliance regarding its security.
But analysts said that a disintegration of the United Nations peacekeeping force could certainly complicate the situation along the Israeli-Syrian frontier.
Amnon Sofrin, a retired Israeli brigadier-general who now lectures at Israel’s National Defense College, told reporters in a telephone briefing that the rebels were sending a message to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria that they were prepared to attack the government’s symbols after Syrian government forces and their Hezbollah allies from Lebanon pushed the rebels out of their symbolic stronghold of Qusayr this week.
Mr. Sofrin said that if the United Nations peacekeeping force withdrew, the buffer zone on the Golan Heights would become “a no-man’s land” where Israel might have to face the rebels more directly.
Hours after the rebel takeover of the crossing, the situation remained confused. The Syrian state news agency SANA said that a unit of the government forces had “repelled terrorist groups” that had tried to take over Quneitra border crossing, referring to the rebels.
Some rebel fighters and activists said that the rebel forces had withdrawn from the crossing. But Ahmad al-Basheer, a member of the local revolutionary committee in the Quneitra area who was reached by Skype, insisted that the crossing was still under the rebels’ control and that the entire province of Quneitra had been “liberated.”
“The regime won’t recapture this crossing even if we all have to die to thwart it,” he added.“The regime won’t recapture this crossing even if we all have to die to thwart it,” he added.
As the fighting raged, the Israeli military declared the Israeli side of the crossing a closed military zone and ordered farmers to stay out of fields near the cease-fire line, apparently anticipating more conflict between Syrian government forces and the rebels. As the fighting raged, the Israeli military declared the Israeli side of the crossing a closed military zone and ordered farmers to stay out of fields near the cease-fire line.
The Quneitra crossing is patrolled by Austrian United Nations peacekeepers and Col. Michael Bauer of the Austrian Defense Ministry confirmed that it was overrun and seized by the rebels early on Thursday. Colonel Bauer told The Associated Press in Vienna that the Austrian peacekeepers had pulled back and were unharmed. The ministry’s crisis committee was meeting to evaluate the situation, he said.
On Thursday morning, a rebel force declared on its Facebook page, “The heroes of the Liberation of Quneitra Front, in collaboration with the heroes of al-Mutasem bi-Allah brigade, have liberated the border crossing with Israel,” and claimed to have “inflicted overwhelming losses” on the Syrian government forces and to have destroyed four of their tanks. It added that the operation was led jointly by the Liberation of Quneitra Front and the Mutasem bi-Allah Brigade.On Thursday morning, a rebel force declared on its Facebook page, “The heroes of the Liberation of Quneitra Front, in collaboration with the heroes of al-Mutasem bi-Allah brigade, have liberated the border crossing with Israel,” and claimed to have “inflicted overwhelming losses” on the Syrian government forces and to have destroyed four of their tanks. It added that the operation was led jointly by the Liberation of Quneitra Front and the Mutasem bi-Allah Brigade.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group based in Britain, reported that “a campaign of simultaneous attacks” was under way against government checkpoints in the province of Quneitra. It added, “Several areas along the border with the occupied Golan are getting shelled by regime forces as fierce clashes rage in the village of Qahtaniya which is adjacent to the old town of Quneitra.” The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group based in Britain with contacts inside Syria, reported that “a campaign of simultaneous attacks” was under way against government checkpoints in the province of Quneitra. It added, “Several areas along the border with the occupied Golan are getting shelled by regime forces as fierce clashes rage in the village of Qahtaniya which is adjacent to the old town of Quneitra.”
SANA, for its part, quoted an unnamed official as saying that a large number of the rebel groups’ members were killed, while others were injured, and noting that the rebels “fled” toward Qahtaniya village. SANA, for its part, quoted an unnamed official as saying that a large number of the rebel groups’ members were killed, while others were injured, and that the rebels had “fled” toward Qahtaniya village.
An Israeli military official said that two mortar shells had already landed in open areas on the Israeli side of the frontier in the course of the fighting that morning. An Israeli military official said that two mortar shells had landed in open areas on the Israeli side of the frontier in the course of the fighting that morning.
“We’re watching the border carefully and are ready for any eventuality,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity under military orders. He described the situation as “fluid.”“We’re watching the border carefully and are ready for any eventuality,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity under military orders. He described the situation as “fluid.”
The Israeli military also confirmed that two injured Syrians had reached Israeli forces at the frontier and had been taken for treatment at a hospital in northern Israel. Israel Radio reported that the trauma unit at the hospital in Safed had to be temporarily evacuated after staff found a live fragmentation grenade in the pocket of one of the Syrians. A bomb disposal unit was brought in to deal with the grenade and afterward the staff continued to treat the fighter, the radio said. The Israeli military also confirmed that two injured Syrians had reached Israeli forces at the frontier and had been taken for treatment at a hospital in northern Israel. Israel Radio reported that the trauma unit at the hospital in Safed had to be temporarily evacuated after staff found a live fragmentation grenade in the pocket of one of the Syrians. A bomb disposal unit disarmed the grenade and afterward the staff continued to treat the fighter, the radio said.
SANA said that Israeli ambulances had transported some of the injured “terrorists” — referring to the rebels — into the Israeli-occupied territories, which it said constituted “new proof of the close link between these terrorist groups and the Israeli occupation.” SANA said that Israeli ambulances had transported some injured rebels, whom it called terrorists, into the Israeli-occupied territories, which it said constituted “new proof of the close link between these terrorist groups and the Israeli occupation.”
Israel has repeatedly declared that it has no intention of getting involved in the Syrian civil war but that it will act to protect its own interests. Israel’s minister of defense, Moshe Yaalon, said this week that Israel would not tolerate the transfer of advanced weapons from the Syrian government to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia; a loss of Syrian government control over chemical weapons; or a heating up of the Golan frontier and a spillover of fire into Israeli-held territory.Israel has repeatedly declared that it has no intention of getting involved in the Syrian civil war but that it will act to protect its own interests. Israel’s minister of defense, Moshe Yaalon, said this week that Israel would not tolerate the transfer of advanced weapons from the Syrian government to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia; a loss of Syrian government control over chemical weapons; or a heating up of the Golan frontier and a spillover of fire into Israeli-held territory.
Tensions have risen between Israel and Syria after three airstrikes on Syrian soil this year that targeted advanced weapons and were attributed to Israel.Tensions have risen between Israel and Syria after three airstrikes on Syrian soil this year that targeted advanced weapons and were attributed to Israel.
There have been numerous instances of fire spilling over into the Israeli-held Golan Heights. The Israeli military said that much of it was assumed to be stray fire. But last month, Syria acknowledged it had intentionally attacked an Israeli target, a military vehicle that was shot at as it patrolled the cease-fire line. Syria said the jeep had crossed into its territory on the Golan Heights, which Israel denied.There have been numerous instances of fire spilling over into the Israeli-held Golan Heights. The Israeli military said that much of it was assumed to be stray fire. But last month, Syria acknowledged it had intentionally attacked an Israeli target, a military vehicle that was shot at as it patrolled the cease-fire line. Syria said the jeep had crossed into its territory on the Golan Heights, which Israel denied.
In that instance and others, Israeli tanks have fired back several times at Syrian positions.In that instance and others, Israeli tanks have fired back several times at Syrian positions.
President Bashar al-Assad warned recently that Syria would retaliate against Israel for any further airstrikes and said that he was under popular pressure to open a new front against Israel in the Golan Heights. Mr. Assad of Syria warned recently that the government would retaliate against Israel for any further airstrikes and said that he was under popular pressure to open a new front against Israel in the Golan Heights.
Israel has beefed up its forces there in recent months and has been constructing a sturdy fence along the frontier.Israel has beefed up its forces there in recent months and has been constructing a sturdy fence along the frontier.
The Quneitra crossing is run by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force that was set up in 1974 to monitor the cease-fire line and buffer zone established between Israel and Syria after the 1973 war. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force was set up to monitor the cease-fire line and buffer zone established between Israel and Syria after the 1973 war.
As well as United Nations personnel, the crossing is used by members of the 20,000-strong Druse community of the Israeli-held Golan Heights who are Syrian citizens and travel to Syria to study or marry. Druse apple farmers also ship their crops to Syria via the crossing. Officials of the observer force had no immediate comment on Thursday morning. As well as United Nations personnel, the Quneitra crossing is used by members of the 20,000-strong Druse community of the Israeli-held Golan Heights who are Syrian citizens and travel to Syria to study or marry. Druse apple farmers also ship their crops to Syria via the crossing.
Israel seized a portion of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and later effectively annexed the strategic plateau, which commands northern Israel and its main water sources.Israel seized a portion of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and later effectively annexed the strategic plateau, which commands northern Israel and its main water sources.
Israel and Syria are still technically at war but the quiet that has prevailed for decades along the frontier has allowed Israel to develop the area as a military arena and a tourist destination. The wild and rocky terrain is also home to up to 20,000 Israeli Jews in more than 30 settlements although Israel’s annexation of the area has not been internationally recognized.Israel and Syria are still technically at war but the quiet that has prevailed for decades along the frontier has allowed Israel to develop the area as a military arena and a tourist destination. The wild and rocky terrain is also home to up to 20,000 Israeli Jews in more than 30 settlements although Israel’s annexation of the area has not been internationally recognized.

Jodi Rudoren contributed reporting from northern Israel, and Hania Mourtada and Hwaida Saad reported from Beirut, Lebanon.

Reporting was contributed by Jodi Rudoren from northern Israel, Hania Mourtada and Hwaida Saad from Beirut, Lebanon, and Rick Gladstone from New York.