Assad Rebounds by Roy Tov

Assad may be a wounded lion by now (“Assad” means “Lion” in Arabic), but he is rebounding. Pretty soon, the mercenaries and rebels may disappear into the desert sands that vomited them in disgust one year and seven months ago. Afterwards, Syria will begin a lengthy restoration process. Bashar al-Assad learned a painful lesson.

Israeli soldiers taking aim next to the Syrian-Israeli border fence near Majdal Shams, June 5, 2011
Photo courtesy of Reuters

Shortly after the war began, Israel intervened directly. June 5, 2011 – was commemorated the Naksa Day, on the 44th anniversary of the 1967 Six-Day War. The events included demonstrations on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, mainly near the destroyed city of Quneitra and near the Druze village of Majdal Sham. The IDF killed at least 23 people in the rally. Official Syrian news agency SANA quoted Health Minister Wael al-Halki as saying the death toll included a woman and a child, adding that another 350 people suffered gunshot wounds. UN chief Ban Ki-moon said live Israeli fire had caused casualties and UN monitors were seeking to confirm facts. The IDF said that since all the casualties were on the Syrian side of the border it was unable to provide an exact count. Assad did nothing in the aftermath to defend his people, accepting the brutal murdering. At no moment, the unarmed pheasant on the Syrian side of the border posed any danger to Israel.
Apparently, this was a well-calculated Israeli provocation. Israel assumed that Syria won’t react due to the ongoing protests in the country. Back then they hadn’t yet deteriorated into a war. Israel was right. Bashar al-Assad didn’t react and the event triggered the intensification of the protests. Also Israel miscalculated. One year later, we may be witnessing the end of the war in Syria. Right after that, a wounded lion will sit next to the fence delimiting its southwestern border. This time, the lion will roar.
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