Watch: Palestinian group 'fires rockets at Golan'
Unknown organization posts video it claims documents attack from Syria on observation post in Golan Heights to mark Nakba Day; group apparently referring to mortars that landed in Mount Hebron region: 'We are not celebrating, but avenging the death of our fallen'
An unknown Palestinian organization called The Halal Brigades Abd el-Qader el-Husseini posted a video on Wednesday documenting what it claims is the firing of rockets from Syria toward an observation point in the Golan Heights. The group was apparently referring to the mortar shells that landed in the Mount Hermon region.
The organization claimed the attack was launched to mark Nakba Day, in which Palestinians mourn the "catastrophe" of Israel's inception in 1948.
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"We are not celebrating, but avenging the death of our fallen," the group said in a statement.
Watch video posted by the Palestinian group
The organization, which is affiliated with the "Free Palestine Movement," said the "rocket attack" was launched to commemorate "Palestinians killed" during Nakba Day events last year, but the most recent deaths of Palestinians on Nakba Day took place two years ago. "We are telling our Zionist enemy that this is a campaign of settling scores," the group said in the statement.
Video shows 'rocket fired at Israel'
The video clip, which is dated Wednesday, shows two launchings carried out in the dark. However, the authenticity of the footage has not been verified. The group claims it launched the attack at 5:30 am, while the mortars hit the Mount Hebron region at 6:15 am. A few days ago the Palestinian organization said it managed to hit an Israeli radar station, but its claims have not been confirmed by any other source.
Israel estimates the mortar landings on Wednesday were the result of errant fire from Syrian territory conducted during battles between Syrian army forces and rebels trying to overthrow President Bashar Assad. The battles on the Syrian side of the border, near the Druze village of el-Hadr, not far from Majdal Shams, have intensified in recent weeks.
Syrian, Iran and Hezbollah have threatened to open another front against Israel in the Golan Heights in response to the recent airstrikes on Damascus, which were attributed to Israel.
London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat on Thursday quoted a "knowledgeable source in Tehran" as saying that Iran has convinced Assad to provide Hezbollah with all the military equipment it needs should the Lebanese Shiite movement decide to confront Israel in the Golan. The source said Iran had also persuaded Assad to allow "any interested party" to wage a jihad – or holy war –against Israel from the Golan region.
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