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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
'Israel considers building buffer zone inside Syria'
2013-02-03
Israel is considering creating a buffer zone reaching up to 10 miles inside Syria, The Sunday Times quoted sources close to military planners as saying.

The Times reported that the proposal, intended to protect itself from rebels across the northern frontier, has been presented to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

“A buffer zone set up with the co-operation of local villagers lies at the heart of the plan. If the country remains unstable we might have to stay there for years,” The Times quoted a military planner as saying.

A security fence is currently being erected from Mount Avital south to the point where the Israeli, Syrian and Jordanian borders meet on the southern Golan Heights, but, according to the military source, a buffer zone is necessary to prevent daily mortar and rocket attacks.

"We knew then that there was a strongman in Damascus. But not any more. The new wall will be good when itÂ’s ready but without the buffer zone mortar and rocket attacks on Israel would be a daily event," The Times quoted the military source as saying.

The prime minister was previously quoted as saying Israel needs to construct a border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights because the Syrian army has moved away from the frontier, and global jihad elements have moved into the area in its place.
Posted by:tipper

#9  As per FREEREPUBLIC this Superbowl Monday [Guam time], SYRIA = repor prepping up to four SCUDS for possible retaliatory strike agz Israeli targets.

Warheads may be Conventional VHE, or WMD - in any case, Israel + IDF will think + act as per "WMD".

* TOPIX, FOX NEWS > IRAN has given Syria its full support in any counterstrike agz Israel.

LOOKS LIKE THE BAMMER'S "MARCH 2013" DEADLINE FOR IRAN TO PLACE ITS NUCPROG UNDER UNIAEA SUPERVISION/OVERSIGHT MAY END UP BEING MOOT.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2013-02-03 18:57  

#8  Seems like a good move for self-defence. Might have to move it back farther.
Posted by: JohnQC   2013-02-03 18:16  

#7  aka Druzistan.
Posted by: phil_b   2013-02-03 15:37  

#6  Steve - at some point the buffer zone will need a buffer zone and so on until the Turkish and Iraqi borders.... It's only natural.
Posted by: Water Modem   2013-02-03 14:44  

#5  Is this 10 miles beyond the current demarcation of the Golan, or 10 miles beyond the 1967 border? I can't tell from the article.

The former would be seen by most of the world as a provocation, even though we at the Burg would understand. The latter is just the usual; the world doesn't recognize Israel's annexation of the Syrian Golan seized in '67 but it's a fact on the ground.
Posted by: Steve White   2013-02-03 14:17  

#4  Â“A buffer zone set up with the co-operation of local villagers lies at the heart of the plan. If the country remains unstable we might have to stay there for years,”

Anything like say the Kurdish zone in northern Iraq post Gulf War I? Heck, Bill Clinton backed that one for 8 years of his term.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2013-02-03 10:11  

#3   Looks like Bibi decided the Obama 1967 borders were a bad deal.

It's only still proposed, JohnQC. The Prime Minister has not formally made a decision.
Posted by: trailing wife   2013-02-03 08:15  

#2  A depth of 30-35 miles should suffice.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-02-03 08:03  

#1  Looks like Bibi decided the Obama 1967 borders were a bad deal.
Posted by: JohnQC   2013-02-03 08:01  

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