[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: One hopes that this and other remarks by various
officials are more a reflection of an approach to treat the Israeli public
like children while they themselves realize that they screwed up and are
acting to rectify the situation.

The size of the Golan did not change yesterday ( "you have to remember that
this [the Golan Heights] is a very large area") - so that's hardly an
explanation that can justify failure.

Also the line that "At a certain point, the Syrian crowd started throwing
stones" is deceptive as it leaves the impression that the forces were
deployed and then this transpired when in truth the invasion was apparently
underway before Israeli forces were even in a position to respond.

And, of course, this remarkable narrative: "after this (shooting at legs)
they withdrew".

They didn't "withdraw". Those inside the Druze village interviewing with an
Israel Radio reporter remained there for hours.

This, in fact, was perhaps the most distressing element of the story: those
listening to the live broadcast of Israel Radio Reshet Bet heard the
correspondent talking live with invaders from Syria at the very same moment
that Israeli defense spokespeople were giving the impression that the
invaders had been repulsed. All this while for over an hour IDF Radio
ignored the event altogether.]

Golan Brigade commander: Infiltration of Syrians did not surprise us
16 May 2011 , 17:36 IDF Website
http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/2011/05/1605.htm

"We prepared for such situations, in which people climbed the border fences,
but you have to remember that this [the Golan Heights] is a very large
area," commander of the Golan Brigade, Colonel Eshkol Shukrun, said on
Sunday evening (May 15) following violent clashes on the Israel-Syria border
when Syrian demonstrators breached the border fence. "Their infiltration was
not a complete surprise."

Col. Shukrun himself was slightly injured in the clashes but continued to
command the forces on the ground.

"At a certain point, the Syrian crowd started throwing stones, some of them
large stones that endangered the soldiers," Col. Shukrun said. "When I
understood that the event had gotten out of control, I realized that it was
time to begin to shoot at the legs of protesters, mainly those who appeared
to be the main inciters of the event. After this, they withdrew."

Col. Shukrun explained: "Because it was a crowd that included women and
children, the orders to soldiers were to cause as little harm as possible.
We tried to exercise restraint and cause little damage. "

Col. Shukrun said that the IDF cooperated with United Nations forces during
the event.

"International forces assisted in handling the event, and were in touch with
us particularly in the final stages. They took charge of the incident at the
'Shouting Hill' in terms of moving the demonstrators back to the east. The
cooperation was good," Col. Shukrun said.