Izrael egy új hadosztályt telepít a Golán-fennsíkra

Az izraeli hadsereg új szárazföldi hadosztályt állít fel, amellyel a megszállt Golán-fennsíkon fokozzák a védelmi képességet – közölte kedden egy katonai szóvivő.

A „Basan” (a fennsík bibliai neve) hadosztályt az 1974-es tűzszüneti vonalhoz vezényelik, és azzal a feladattal bízzák meg, hogy hárítson el minden „biztonsági fenyegetést”. A csapatok erősítik az izraeli hadsereg gyors reagálási képességét is a térségben – mondta.

A Golán-fennsíkon a szíriai polgárháború 2011 márciusi kirobbanása óta feszültebb a helyzet, vannak fegyveres incidensek is, ezek azonban nem súlyosak. Könnyűfegyverek vagy aknavetők lövedékei időnként eltalálják az izraeli hadsereg állásait, amire a katonaság esetről esetre válaszol.

Izrael hivatalosan háborúban áll Szíriával, és 1967 óta megszállás alatt tartja a Golán-fennsík mintegy 1200 négyzetkilométerét. A nemzetközi közösség nem ismeri el a zsidó állam fennhatóságát a területen, amelynek mintegy 510 négyzetkilométere maradt szíriai ellenőrzés alatt.

In the past, mortar fire from Syria has wounded IDF soldiers in Israel. Despite the dangers of their work, soldiers risk their lives to treat Syrian victims. In many cases, medical forces must treat Syrian patients without any knowledge of their medical histories or health conditions. Despite the absence of cooperation between Israeli and Syrian medical services, some patients arrive with notes from Syrian doctors describing recommended care. These notes, written in Arabic or English, have become the only form of communication between doctors from the two countries.

While discussing the relationship between Israeli soldiers and Syrian victims, Col. Bader explained that their connection is quickly strengthening. “The Syrian people trust us now,” he said. “During the first month or so, they were a little hesitant to come to Israel. Today that is no longer the case.”

Once the patients return to Syria, any evidence of their presence in Israel can put their lives in grave danger. In order to keep the civilians safe, the IDF takes painstaking measures to remove any indication that they received care in Israel.

Committed to Humanitarian Aid

Soldiers who serve in the hospital are deeply committed to their humanitarian work. As an expression of respect for the hospital, people all over the world have sent gifts to members of the medical team. Soldiers have received everything from clothing, gift cards and radios from people abroad, who have also sent gifts intended for Syrian patients.

A large number of the patients suffer extreme trauma as a result of the conflict. After seeing death and destruction all around them, they carry difficult memories that are just as painful as their physical wounds. To ease the psychological trauma of young children, clowns visit the hospital on a regular basis, giving them a chance to laugh and smile.

“I myself am a father,” Col. Bader said. “The injuries of children leave the greatest impact on me. I remember a girl whose femur was completely shattered. Had our forces not been there to help her, she would have died or been disabled for the rest of her life. This work makes me proud, both as a physician and a citizen of Israel. Some patients who arrived unconscious were shocked to find themselves in Israel when they woke up. Fortunately, other Syrians in the hospital helped us calm them down.”

This is not Col. Bader’s first time representing a major humanitarian effort as an IDF soldier. He was also a part of the IDF delegation to Haiti in 2010. Whenever he speaks publicly, he is clearly moved by his experiences. “I feel exactly the same about the lives we save on our own border,” he concluded. “It fills me with pride to accomplish this mission.”