Today, Israel shot down a Syrian war plane (video) that was bombing ISIS positions inside Syria. A U.S.-made Patriot missile brought the plane down, killing the pilot. The downed plane was a Sukhoi Russian-made bomber. It strayed 1 mile into what Israeli claimed was its own territory in an alleged incursion lasting possibly one second or less. Israeli news media reports indicated that the overflight by the pilot was an accident.
The exact same result happened in 2014, when Israel shot down another Syrian plane in a similar incident. As I mentioned in the post I wrote about that attack, the Israeli missile actually hit the plane when as it flew over the Syrian Golan, which even Israel recognizes as Syrian.
Bibi Netanyahu announced hypocritically that Israel had a zero tolerance policy against Syria permitting its conflict to “bleed” into Israel. That’s of course ironic, because Israel has “bled” the conflict hundreds of times into Syria with its own attacks. Contrary to most media reports claiming that these attacks have mostly been air assaults on Hezbollah or Iranian weapons convoys, Israel has assassinated a number of Hezbollah, Iranian and even Syrian generals in that country over the past seven years of conflict. It has supplied al-Nusra fighters affiliated with al Qaeda and offered intelligence coordination to these forces.
Though a number of media outlets have refused to take Israel’s bait and acknowledge the territory which the plane overflew was Israeli, many others accepted the military phrasing. But the truth is that the Golan, over which the plane flew, is not Israeli territory. It is disputed land which Israel conquered from Syria in 1967. Though it annexed the territory, no foreign governments recognize the Israeli land grab. THere have been two near successful negotiations between Israel and Syria for the return of the Golan, but Israeli leaders either chickened out or sabotaged the final agreement in both cases.
In short, Israel had no right under international law to down either of these planes. It has no legitimate claim to the Golan and destroying Syrian planes and killing their pilots is impermissible. This is yet another example of Israel inventing its own interpretations and pursuing its interests with a vengeance.
Who is claiming that the Syrian jet violated sovereign Israeli territory?
The jet had strayed into ‘Israeli controlled airspace’, and was shot down.
Israel controls part of the Golan in accordance with the 1974 Armistice agreement, and therefore controls the airspace same as it controls what’s on the ground.
The jet had taken off from the T-4 military base, and had been traveling directly toward the Golan “at very high speeds’.
After Israel ascertained that the jet was not Russian, she shot down the Syrian jet.
https://www.rt.com/news/434138-israel-syrian-plane-russia/
Recall that Iran had launched an armed drone from that same T-4 military base and that armed drone had entered sovereign Israeli territory in April.
It’s SO annoying to know that you’re always first to comment, Barbar or whatever your pen name at the moment is, and your comments are all so predictable. By the way, are you paid or doing this on a voluntary basis ?
Were you upset when Syria shut down an Israeli f16 over Israeli territory?
Syria doesn’t shoot down Israeli airplane on regular not bc of its good heart but bc it is incapable of doing so.
@Lior Azar: The F-16 was attacking a sovereign country and not engaged in a defensive operation. I would oppose any country bombing Israel under similar conditions. Though if it was in response to an offensive Israeli provocation, I would not.
I didn’t even comment on the article, did I ? Is Barbar a friend of yours ? Are you member of the same Hasbara team ?
You are arguing that the Armistice agreement is a 1-way street: Syria is not allowed to cross that line, even for 1 second and though it is its own territory, while Israel does not stop crossing it to bomb the hell out of Syrian, Iran and Hezbollah forces.
‘You are arguing that the Armistice agreement is a 1-way street: Syria is not allowed to cross that line, even for 1 second and though it is its own territory, while Israel does not stop crossing it to bomb the hell out of Syrian, Iran and Hezbollah forces.’
He is arguing that. Of course, this is merely an application of a larger principle. Rules and laws are only for others; not Israel.
So true, and that’s what will be its undoing.
@Colin
@Klaas
I haven’t argued anything. I’ve only stated facts.
If you two need straw men to knock down, in order to feel tough, than have at it.
Richard did not make that claim, so why did you need to put in that phrase in your comment? You obviously angled for a reaction & got it.
“C’est le ton qui fait la musique”, as the French say. That’s what you applied and could then pretend you were used as a straw man.
@Frank: can’t you even be bothered to read the friggin’ Haaretz headline right in front of your eyes??? There are many other similar headlines. And yes, as I acknowledged there are a few media outlets which either hedged their language or got it right. But far too many, including so-called liberal ones like Haaretz swallowed Isrsel”s fake narrative hook line and sinker.
The armistice agreement does not
Give Israel control of the Golan. It merel signifies an end of hostilities. The next step would be Israeli withdrawal, which never happened. The Armistice certainly never validated Israel’s annexation.
Now that you’ve botched international law what else would you like to massacre?
The drone was deliberately sent to Israel as an offensive or surveillance operation. The Sukhoi was not flown deliberately over Israeli territory. Israel assuredly listened to the pilot’s on board communication and knew his flight plan as well. He was no danger to Israel and the IAF knew this.
“lasting possibly one second or less”
Why would you make this factually false statement?
To fly 1 mile in 1 second mean the plane flew at over 5 times the speed of sound. Adding to it the fact the plane also turned back, since it was flying back east into Syria, and you are looking at at least 10 seconds.
Now… this is really not important but why was it important to you to make this false claim to begin with?
@Lior Azar: Ok, let’s do some math based on real calculations rather than your finger in the wind.
A Sukhoi bomber can fly 1,550 mph. I’ll estimate it was flying far below maximum speed, say 600 mph. So the incursion might have lasted 7 seconds, not 10 seconds as you claim unless it was flying so slowly it would practically fall out of the skies. If it was traveling 1000 mph it would take 4 seconds. And if 1500 mph, 3 seconds. So sue me, jackass.
You also neglected the qualifying word I used, “possibly.” I wonder why?
I feel it in my bones you are not long for this world (or blog I should say). Passengers fasten your seat belts. Another hasbaroid about to touch down at BG after being sent packing.
You confuse kmh with mph. It is 1.6 factor difference.
And you neglected the fact the plane was already on his way back.
As for the ‘possibly’ statement, no need to sue you but why will you make a faulty statement as such? What do you gain? Good journalism award??? I doubt it.
@ Lior Azar: I was using the maximum speed of a Sukhoi 27 (1500 mph). Now I see the plane shot down was a Sukhoi 24 which has a lower maximum speed. Using that speed, the plane was over the armistice line for four seconds. Not 10 as you falsely claimed.
I made a seat of the pants estimate and said it was “possibly” over the armistice line for one second. So sue me. Oh that’s right, you have threatended to do that!
Again, it wasn’t over Israeli territory at all and therefore Israel had absolutely no right to down it.
Oh please sue me. I love it when people like you make empty threats.
[Comment deleted: you are done in this thread. Do not publish another comment here.]
[comment deleted: I told you not to publish another comment in this thread. You disregarded this direction. Therefore, you are now banned.]
What makes you say he confused mph with kmh, what do you based that statement on?
@ Klaas: I was using the Sukhoi 27 as the basis of my calculation which has a top speed over 1,500 mph. He was using the Sukhoi 24, which is actually the model shot down. Its top speed is under 1,000 mph. I guess that’s why he thought I was using mph instead of kph, which I wasn’t.
Well speed calculations depend what was the altitude of the Su-22 when it was shot down.
The maximum speed of Su-22 is said to be 1.74 mach.
mph = 1.74 * 761.2070 = 1324.5 mph
1324.5 mph/3600 s = 0.37 miles per second.
By the way Liar Azor the maximum speed of Patriot PAC-1: is Mach 2.8 and for PAC-2/PAC-3: Mach 4.1.. If a plane/missile would fly with the speed of Mach >4.1 there is nothing Israel has to shoot them down with some “certanity”. With S-300 Syria has the means to shoot down very fast missiles. Israel should buy S-400 and make Trump “happy”. 🙂
The Golan Heights is not disputed territory. It belongs to Syria.
It is controlled by israel, and under the law of israel. it used to be part of syria but it ain’t no more. you can say by your logic that california is mexican and doesnt belong to US.
@ Francoi: the Golan is not Usraeli. Posession does not determine legality or legitimacy. Co quest of the Golsn and its Occupation is theft. Plain and dimple.
The US. signed a peace treaty with Mexico and paid it for the land we conquered. When did israel do either of those things?
[comment deleted: snark is not wit. You aren’t funny. And try this shit again and you’ll be moderated, if not banned.]
Air missions are carefully scripted. The territory can’t be mistaken even at high altitude – there is a volcanic “wall” on the ground. This wasn’t some accidental pilot error, but a scripted test of Israeli tolerance of its air space, a well known tactic. Once you allow it, it becomes the baseline, on which more “tolerance” tests are performed.
And yes, seconds. This is not America where you can enter US airspace but still have 5 minutes until you get somewhere large. First city is seconds of military airplane flight. There are no margins in a tiny country.
@Gal: Bullshit. Even the Israelis admitted the pilot made an error. You’re just makin’ it up as you go along.