As Israeli leaders try to use the deaths among the Druz community to widen its attacks on Hezbollah, Majdal Shams residents expel Smotrich...and refuse to receive Netanyahu. News media reported that the families of those killed in occupied Golan Heights are refusing the meet with Israeli leaders and warn against more violence. Media outlets in the region provided wide coverage of this development which can trigger a regional war. Here is a summary of regional and global media reports on this matter.
The Israeli Channel 13 reported that residents of the town of Majdal Shams "attacked members of the Israeli Likud party who participated in the funeral of the victims of the attack that the town was subjected to yesterday, Saturday."
The Israeli website "Walla" reported that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich faced protests upon his arrival in the town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights to participate in the funeral of the victims.
The participants' protests against the Israeli minister's presence continued until he was expelled from the funeral.
The people of Majdal chanted slogans against Smotrich, saying: "Leave here.. We don't want you here, you murderer. You want to dance on the blood of our children."
Jumblatt commenting on the Majdal Shams incident: We are on the lookout for the occupation’s sedition alongside the resistance
Jumblatt said that, in light of Hezbollah's statement denying the Islamic Resistance's involvement in what happened, everyone must be aware of what the enemy is doing to sow sedition, calling on everyone in Lebanon and the occupied Golan to beware of "any slippage or incitement in the context of the enemy's destructive project."
He pointed out that the occupation has been working for a long time to ignite sedition, fragment the region, and target its components, adding: "We have previously thwarted the Israeli project," but "it is rearing its head again, and we are on the lookout for it alongside the resistance and all the resistance fighters."
Jumblatt pointed out that the history and present of the occupation are full of massacres against civilians, adding that what is required is "not to expand the war, and an immediate cessation of aggression and shooting."
He stressed that targeting civilians is unacceptable and condemned, whether in occupied Palestine, the occupied Golan Heights, or in southern Lebanon.
This statement comes after the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah - categorically denied the allegations reported by several Israeli media outlets and various media platforms regarding the targeting of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
The incident that took place in the town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights yesterday, Saturday, and resulted in the death of 12 people, sparked numerous international and regional reactions ranging from condemnation and calls for restraint to warnings of the expansion of the war in the region.
Despite Hezbollah's denial of responsibility for the incident and its statement that an Israeli interceptor missile fell on Majdal Shams and that it had informed the United Nations of this, Tel Aviv insisted on holding the party responsible and threatened it and Lebanon with "paying a heavy price."
The White House spokesman also accused Hezbollah of carrying out the attack, noting that Washington has been holding ongoing discussions with the Israelis and Lebanese since the incident occurred yesterday and is working on a diplomatic solution to stop the attacks on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had confirmed earlier today that the United States does not want the conflict to expand, saying "we are in dialogue with Israel" on the matter.
He added, "All indications point to the rocket that struck the Golan Heights being from Hezbollah," stressing his country's commitment to supporting Israel's right to defend its citizens against what he described as "terrorist attacks."
He also said that the ceasefire in Gaza would be an opportunity to achieve lasting calm along the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon.
Avoiding escalation
France, in turn, announced its condemnation of the attack, and called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any military escalation.
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed - in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - that Paris is "fully committed to doing everything possible to avoid a new escalation in the region," according to the Elysee.
For his part, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the raid on the occupied Golan Heights, expressing his "deep concern" about the risk of further escalation.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also warned of the risk of opening a new war front with Lebanon following the Majdal Shams strike.
Iran warns
With the escalation of the Israeli threat and intimidation of the Lebanese Hezbollah, and the raids launched by the Israeli occupation army on the Bekaa and southern Lebanon yesterday evening and today at dawn, Iran warned Israel today, Sunday, against attacking Lebanon.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued by its spokesman Nasser Kanaani that Tehran "warns of unexpected repercussions of any new adventures by the Zionist entity towards Lebanon under the pretext of the Majdal Shams incident."
The statement added that "any foolish step by the Zionist entity could lead to the expansion of the scope of the crisis and war in the region."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry continued that Israel seeks, through presenting imaginary scenarios, to confuse public opinion regarding its crimes in Gaza, noting that the Lebanese Hezbollah denied responsibility for bombing the village of Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan.
Netanyahu and Galant authorized to respond to Hezbollah after Majdal Shams incident
Hebrew sources reported that the Israeli security meeting to discuss the response to Hezbollah has ended, indicating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant have been authorized to make the decision to respond.
This meeting comes in the context of the incident in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights yesterday, Saturday, where 12 boys were killed in a missile attack that Hezbollah denied any connection to.
According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the security cabinet has determined the target that will be attacked in Lebanon, and said that estimates indicate that it will be limited but its impact will be strong.
Israeli Army Radio reported that security officials have confirmed to the political leadership that the plans in place can be implemented immediately.
It added that Israel is not interested in a comprehensive war with Hezbollah, but rather in dealing it a painful blow only.
Israeli Army Radio had previously said that the army had formulated several possible scenarios for an attack on Lebanon and presented them to the political leadership.
In the same context, the municipal councils of the Upper Galilee and Western Galilee advised residents to stay near shelters after the developments in Majdal Shams.
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