“Anyone who tries to cross the border will be killed.” That was the message Israeli soldiers had today, the anniversary of the day when Golan Heights fell from Syrian hands to Israeli ones. Today, dozens of protesters, mostly Palestinian, went up to the border of the strategically-important piece of land — and were fired upon by Israeli soldiers. At least 14 died, and hundreds were injured during the protests. Prior to the violence, Benjamin Netanyahu told Israeli soldiers to act with restraint but determination while protecting the border. “To my regret, today there are extremists around us trying to breach our borders, and threaten our towns and citizens,” he said to his cabinet. “We will not allow this.” source
» Israel’s long-term plan: While Obama continues to push Israel to return to their 1967 borders, Prime Minister Benjamain Netanyahu has plans for the capital, now a single piece thanks to the Six-Day War, which changed those borders. ”The city was united 44 years ago,” he noted, “and we returned to our ancestral lands. Since then Jerusalem has flourished.” The multi-year package would increase funding for tourism, education grants and also give bio-technology companies incentives to work in the long-divided city.
“Indefensible”: So said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on one of the key, specific policy calls that President Obama made in his big Mid-East speech, namely that the borders of both an Israel and Palestinian’s border talks should start with on those present in 1967, before the Six Day War that saw Israel take control of the Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, West Bank, and the Golan Heights. This was a surprise from Obama, and one that he had to know would rankle Israeli stalwarts. Netanyahu says that such a move would hurt Israeli security, and force them to abandon settlements within the Palestinian territories. source
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