By Gil Yaron
Published: 07.11.07, 14:08 / Israel News
Ynet
Major-General Wolfgang Jilke... commands the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, comprised of 1,300 troops who were charged with maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights since 1974.
The UN troops observe the two countries' lineup of forces on a 50-kilometer (31.05-mile) wide strip – 25 kilometers (15.525 miles) east and west of the Yom Kippur War's ceasefire line.
Jilke was appointed to the role on February 2007.
...Contrary to the Israeli view, which regards Syria as a strategic threat, Jilke says that actually Israel bears the brunt of the responsibility for causing the current tensions.
"The tensions on the Golan Heights have not been so high in years. I am worried," he says.
According to him, the Syrians have not stationed any special forces in the area next to the border that would be capable of launching a surprise attacking against Israel.
"On the Syrian side I do not notice any unusual preparations," he says.---
"On the Israeli side, however, we see intensive activity… Israel's right to defend itself is self-understood, but its current activities do not contribute to the efforts to diminish the tensions in the region… The actions on Israel's side are not very helpful when it comes to calming the Syrians down."
"We must remember that the antitank and antiaircraft missiles Syria is purchasing are not offensive weapons. Syria is renewing its weapon inventory like any other army in the world. I do not view this as something unusual," he says.UNDOF sources, who likened the Golan to a "crowded military camp", told Ynet of the poor state of Syrian forces. "Their trucks barely work, their tanks are rusty," sources said.
In light of the balance of power, Jilke estimates that "the chances the Syrians will surprise Israel are very low, and in any case, the Israelis have prepared and positioned themselves in a way that guarantees their advantage and deny the Syrians any gains."
"In Syria, you see three soldiers with one shovel trying to prepare trenches in the hard rocks of the Heights. On the Israeli side, we see bulldozers massively altering the terrain," they explain.
...Jilke claims that since March, Israel has changed the rules.
The "Alpha Line" limits the deployment of IDF soldiers to the east. West of the line, the IDF has erected a security fence and a patrol road.
In some areas, the fence is several hundred meters away from the Alpha Line. Through the years, Syrian shepherds and farmers have begun to use the land, which technically is under control of the army, even though IDF soldiers did not use to venture east of the fence.
Since March, however, Israeli troops renewed their patrol between the fence and the "Alpha line", blocking access to Syrian farmers who had worked the land until then. On three occasions, IDF soldiers arrested and questioned Syrian citizens for several hours.
According to Jilke, the situation at the border could potentially erupt.
"I'm worried. In light of the tense atmosphere that has been created here, a little incident could ignite a bushfire in an instant," he says.
...Despite the image of Syria as a warmonger, Jilke said the local residents and the soldiers posted in the area wanted calm.
"When you ask a young Syrian soldier what he thinks of Israel, he won't tell you that he wants to fight in order to return the Golan to his homeland. Quite the opposite; he will say that he is very curious and would like to visit Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as a tourist, to see how people live here.
"This came as no surprise to the seasoned general: "The deeper you delve into the region's history, you learn that people of all origins usually got along much better with each other than their governments," he concludes.
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