On their way
Photo: Avihu Shapira
550 Druze cross border to visit Syria
Hundreds of Golan Heights residents leave for five-day visit to Syria as part of joint operation between IDF, Red Cross, Israeli and Syrian interior ministries
Some 550 Druze residents of the Golan Heights left Thursday for a trip to Syria
in a joint operation between the IDF, the Red Cross, and the Israeli and Syrian interior ministries.
This is the 14th year in which such an operation is taking place. This year, a particular large number of people have decided to cross the border.
The entourage, including many religious figures and women scheduled to get married to Syrian citizens, will cross the border at the Quneitra crossing. Their trip will last five days, during which they will visit the tomb of Prophet Habil.
Emotional Day
Hagai Einav
Israeli woman bids her family farewell, crosses border in order to marry Syrian man
"This activity joins student exchanges with Damascus University, transferring brides from Israel to Syria and from Syria to Israel, and the export of Golan Heights apples to Syrian markets," said the International Red Cross spokeswoman in Israel, Yael Segev-Eitan.
According to Segev-Eitan, the Syrian Interior Ministry refused to allow the women to cross over the border at first due to a lack of manpower at the border during the Eid al-Fitr holiday. However, Red Cross intervention ultimately secured Syrian approval for the women to visit.
Crossing into Syria (Photo: Avihu Shapira)
Among those accompanying the border crossing Thursday was Deputy Minister for the Development of the Galilee and the Negev Ayoob Kara, who worked on obtaining an increased number of permits to cross the border.
"I see great importance in strengthen the economic and social ties between Israel and Syria and am glad the Israeli government granted permission to increase the number of pilgrims," said Kara.
A number of young Syrian women protested on the Israeli side of the border because they have been forbidden from reuniting with their family members in Syria after marrying Israeli citizens. Kara emphasized that he intends to take action to ease terms of passage between the two countries.
"Unfortunately, there is still inflexibility in the Interior Ministry's criteria, which set the age of women allowed to cross the border at 70 and the minimum age of men at 35. I intend to work towards lowering this bar," Kara explained.
The deputy minister also expressed hope that the crossing of pilgrims, students, and goods will promote a future peace process between the two countries. "The security arguments and the issue of land need to be left for a later stage. Today we can already take action to start a process that will ultimately establish peace between Israel and Syria without preconditions, a true peace just as it needs to be," he said.
