{"article":{"id":272665,"heading":"Israel Planning Ground Operations in Syria?","author":"Stephen Lendman","created":"2015-08-17 10:18:34","modified":"2015-08-17 10:18:34","last_modified":"Mon, 17 Aug 2015 17:18:34","article":"<p>Israel Planning Ground Operations in Syria? <br><br> by Stephen Lendman <br><br> Israel partnered with Obama&rsquo;s war on Syria since conflict began in March 2011. It supports ISIS and other takfiri terrorists - providing arms, treating wounded fighters in Israeli hospitals. <br><br> It conducted half a dozen or more terror bombings on Syrian targets as well as several cross-border attacks.  <br><br> It&rsquo;s kept a relatively low profile in partnering with Obama&rsquo;s war to topple Bashar al-Assad, eliminate a regional rival and isolate Iran ahead of likely greater destabilization and possible war on the Islamic Republic based on fabricated threats - the same scheme used to ravage other regional countries. <br><br> On Sunday, Israeli media reported IDF preparations for possible Golan Heights ground operations on Syria&rsquo;s side of the border if alleged terror attacks occur against Israel - likely false flags it can use as justification for aggression. <br><br> Israeli media reported state propaganda about threatening Islamists along Israel&rsquo;s border. The IDF on high alert in response conducted a large-scale drill last week simulating three scenarios: countering a claimed terrorist attack on Israeli forces, a ground incursion into Syria, and repelling an alleged Iranian directed Hezbollah attack. <br><br> Fact: No evidence suggests Islamic State or other terrorist elements in Syria turning on their sources of support.  <br><br> They haven&rsquo;t attacked Israel or its military any time throughout nearly four and a half years of conflict. Nor has Iran or Hezbollah - neither indicating any intention to do so. They want regional peace, not war - but are prepared to act in response if attacked. <br><br> Israeli claims about earlier Iranian and Hezbollah attacks on its territory from Syrian Golan positions or Lebanon are a complete fabrication - used as pretext for possible aggression. <br><br> On Sunday, an IDF source lied claiming &ldquo;(i)t&rsquo;s clear that Iran is behind all of the (Golan area) terror attacks&hellip;in the past two years. The Iranians are using the border - &nbsp;they establish units - whether it&rsquo;s (Jihad) Mughniyeh (a Hezbollah member Israel killed), (Samir) Kuntar (a Palestine Liberation Front operative), and more - to carry out&rdquo; attacks. <br><br> These and similar reports are part of Israel&rsquo;s propaganda war (at times turning hot) against Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. <br><br> Longstanding US\/Israeli plans call for balkanizing Syria - part of their scheme to redraw the Middle East map, first by likely establishing a buffer and no-fly zone with Ankara in northern Syria. <br><br> US warplanes have been bombing Syrian infrastructure targets for nearly a year on the pretext of targeting ISIS. Turkey is involved attacking Kurdish forces in Syria. <br><br> Perhaps Israel now plans joining them more directly by sending troops cross-border into southern Syria - against Assad, not nonexistent terrorist threats. Will Libya 2.0 follow? <br><br> Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net\" rel=\"nofollow\">lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net<\/a>.  <br><br> His new book as editor and contributor is titled \"Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.\" <br><br> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html<\/a> <br><br> Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.  <br><br> Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. <br><br> It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. <\/p>\n","contact":"lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net","link":"sjlendman.blogspot.com","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"Syria","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2015\/08\/272665.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}