Syrian 'White Helmets' flee to Jordan with Israeli, Western help

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Syrian 'White Helmets' flee to Jordan with Israeli, Western help

By Dan Williams and Suleiman Al-Khalidi

 

People walk past Israeli soldiers as they board a bus during the Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, extraction from the Golan Heights, Israel in this still image taken from video, provided by the Israeli Army July 22, 2018. Israeli Army Handout via REUTERS

 

JERUSALEM/AMMAN (Reuters) - Hundreds of Syrian "White Helmet" rescue workers and their families fled advancing government forces and slipped over the border into Jordan overnight with the help of Israeli soldiers and Western powers, officials said.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a brief video statement on Sunday he had helped the evacuation at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders - and there had been fears that the workers' lives were at risk.

 

The group, known officially as Syria Civil Defence, has been widely hailed in the West and credited with saving thousands of people in rebel-held areas during years of bombing attacks by Damascus and its allies.

 

Its members, known for their white helmets, say they are neutral. But Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his backers, including Russia, have dismissed them as Western-sponsored propaganda tools and proxies of Islamist-led insurgents. There was no immediate response from Damascus on Sunday.

 

A Jordanian government source said 422 people were brought from Syria, over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights frontier and into Jordan, down from a figure of 800 announced earlier by the foreign ministry in Amman.

 

The evacuees will be kept in a "closed" location in Jordan and resettled in Britain, Germany and Canada within three months, the source said.

 

A second non-Jordanian source familiar with the agreement said the original plan had been to evacuate 800 people, but only 422 made it out as operations were hampered by government checkpoints and the expansion of Islamic State in the area.

 

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman al Safadi was quoted in a foreign ministry statement as saying he had discussed in a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov the details of the mission to bring the rescue workers to Jordan.

 

Syria and its Russian allies have launched an offensive on rebels in the sensitive southwestern border zone.

 

'FANTASTIC NEWS'

Netanyahu said Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others had spoken to him recently asking for help in extracting the White Helmets. "The lives of these people, who have saved lives, were now in danger. I therefore authorised their transfer via Israel to other countries as an important humanitarian gesture," Netanyahu said.

 

Trump did not mention the operation during a series of tweets on Sunday.

 

The U.S. State Department said in a statement that it welcomed the operation and renewed its call on "the Assad regime and Russia to abide by their commitments, end the violence, and protect all Syrian civilians."

 

In the first public statement by the United Nations, the UNHCR acknowledged it had received 422 Syrians who were seeking asylum in Canada, Germany and Britain at the request of these countries. The U.N. refugee body praised Jordan's move to give them temporary sanctuary.

 

"While in Jordan, UNHCR in close collaboration with the involved governments, is supporting their temporary stay in anticipation of their onward relocation to third countries," the statement said.

 

Britain hailed the evacuation, saying it and other allies had requested it.

 

"Fantastic news that we - UK and friends - have secured evacuation of White Helmets and their families - thank you Israel and Jordan for acting so quickly on our request," tweeted British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

 

German weekly magazine Bild, which broke news of the evacuation and published footage of buses used to transport the Syrians across Golan, said 50 of them would be granted asylum by Berlin.

 

"Humanity dictates that many of these brave first-aiders should now find protection and refuge, some of them in Germany," it quoted German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas as saying.

 

A spokeswoman for the German interior ministry said Berlin would take in eight White Helmets plus their families. It was not immediately clear whether that amounted to the same 50 people.

 

A Canadian Foreign Ministry statement on Saturday said the White Helmets "have witnessed vicious atrocities committed by the Assad regime and its backers". It added: "We feel a deep moral responsibility to these brave and selfless people."

 

Russia's embassy in the Netherlands welcomed the White Helmets' departure. "Definitely there will be less chances of new so-called #CW (chemical weapon) attacks in Syria after forced evacuation by the collective West of the notorious #WhiteHelmets," it tweeted.

 

Damascus and its allies have accused rebels and their supporters of staging chemical attacks in an attempt to frame the government. Western powers have accused Syria of attacking rebel-held areas with illegal chemical weapons.

 

(Additional reporting by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem, Dominic Evans in Istanbul and Michelle Martin and Holger Hansen in Berlin, and Denis Pinchuk and Mary Milliken in Washington; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Dale Hudson and Andrew Heavens)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-23

 

[ezzra]

Gee, i find it hard to believe that the Israeli army is actually doing something positive to a complete strangers for a change that doesn't involve palestinian casualties, apartheid acts, occupying territories or just everyday cruelty towards the arab population...

[i claudius]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Gee, i find it hard to believe that the Israeli army is actually doing something positive to a complete strangers for a change that doesn't involve palestinian casualties, apartheid acts, occupying territories or just everyday cruelty towards the arab population...

Well at least they are not trying to convert us to their religion and blowing up and killing anyone who does not see things their way .

well done Israel,we support you .one thing ,he was your God first . 

[sammieuk1]

Something positive for a change In the middle east when was the last time this happened?  

[JulesMad]

Good to hear that Israel is doing something positive ? It has been a very long time...

trumpy did not tweet, because he don't know what going on in the real world ?

 

[AGLV0121]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

i find it hard to believe that the Israeli army is actually doing something positive to a complete strangers for a change

Maybe you have not heard of Israeli help in Haiti or other earthquakes zones. 

Or israel opening borders to wounded Syrians

Maybe so many want to hit at Israel, this is why these news are unheard of.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-syria-assad-treating-airstrikes-military-wounded-injured-war-a7673771.html

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/06/29/israel-sends-aid-syrian-refugees-will-not-allow-cross-border/

 

and so many more ata theater near you (but not publicized)

 

[JAG]

11 hours ago, ezzra said:

Gee, i find it hard to believe that the Israeli army is actually doing something positive to a complete strangers for a change that doesn't involve palestinian casualties, apartheid acts, occupying territories or just everyday cruelty towards the arab population...

I know, especially as there haven't been any natural disasters for a couple of years which have allowed the evil Israelis to deploy field hospitals or military engineers to be cruel towards the victims...

[Scott]

Troll post removed.  

 

[simple1]

9 hours ago, German farang said:

About Israel:  Right, they don't force us to their religion, shoot or blow us - because they need us! How could a vampire survive without victims & slaves?!?

About "White Helmets":  if they were real neutral first-responders & lufe-savers they wouldn't be in need to run! But they fear by a good reason since they were deeply involved in the stageing of multiple fals-flag attacks which costs many innocent lifes from civilians incl. children!

Many of this so-called "White Helmets" belong to the court for war crimes & mass murder!!!

And yes:  those who support them now are those who fear to be exposed in case of investigations & interrogations ?

Cheers

Interesting you are echoing the propaganda of Assad supporters. False flag accusations against White Helmets are unproven conspiracy theories. "White Helmets" have been offered sanctuary by Western countries, including the US, due to being targeted for killing, primarily by Syrian & Russian forces.The killing of humanitarian workers is a war crime. 

 

Below is an example of the propaganda to which you and others subscribe  - proud of yourself?

 

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/07/23/569021/Syria-White-Helmet-Israel-evacuation-US-Canada-US

 

 

[Stargeezr]

Comment to german farang commenter, I seem to remember something about Nazis in your country being a problem in the past. Anyway this is a good news story.

I have no doubt that these White helmets would have been killed off by Assads thugs, no doubt at all.

[German farang]

5 hours ago, simple1 said:

Interesting you are echoing the propaganda of Assad supporters. False flag accusations against White Helmets are unproven conspiracy theories. "White Helmets" have been offered sanctuary by Western countries, including the US, due to being targeted for killing, primarily by Syrian & Russian forces.The killing of humanitarian workers is a war crime. 

 

Below is an example of the propaganda to which you and others subscribe  - proud of yourself?

 

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/07/23/569021/Syria-White-Helmet-Israel-evacuation-US-Canada-US

 

 

It appeares that there's a difference between you & me: you got your input online but I know what I talk about (otherwise I wouldn't say it since I never suppirt any kind of probaganda).

[German farang]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Israelis are vampires huh? From a German?

 

Yep! ?

Here's why I say it: 

A certain old slogan ("Work makes freedom") was terrible wrong, agree! But " the ability to think free (out of the probaganda-box)" does!

Edited July 24, 2018 by German farang

[FritsSikkink]

5 hours ago, simple1 said:

Interesting you are echoing the propaganda of Assad supporters. False flag accusations against White Helmets are unproven conspiracy theories. "White Helmets" have been offered sanctuary by Western countries, including the US, due to being targeted for killing, primarily by Syrian & Russian forces.The killing of humanitarian workers is a war crime. 

 

Below is an example of the propaganda to which you and others subscribe  - proud of yourself?

 

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/07/23/569021/Syria-White-Helmet-Israel-evacuation-US-Canada-US

 

 

They are NOT humanitarian workers, btw the western world invaded Syria without any UN resolution, that is a war crime.

Edited July 24, 2018 by FritsSikkink

[Scott]

Baiting, bickering troll posts removed.   Continue and face a suspension.  

[simple1]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

They are NOT humanitarian workers, btw the western world invaded Syria without any UN resolution, that is a war crime.

Many Western governments disagree, including the US which under Trump isn't known for visas for Muslims from Syria.

 

"The White Helmets were recognised for "outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians".

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37442277

 

In response to your deflection, the West was legally authorised to attack areas not under central government control (international law - non governed), the exception being the limited retaliatory attack for use of chemicals against civilians.

 

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

Many Western governments disagree, including the US which under Trump isn't known for visas for Muslims from Syria.

 

"The White Helmets were recognised for "outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians".

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37442277

 

In response to your deflection, the West was legally authorised to attack areas not under central government control (international law - non governed), the exception being the limited retaliatory attack for use of chemicals against civilians.

 

Many western governments started a war against Iraq because there were weapons of mass destruction, which was a blatant lie. Sorry, I don't buy there story just because they say so. 

Supporting insurgents with weapons and then when they occupy territory DOESN'T give you the right to invade a country. Legally authorized by which law?

Chemical attacks, give me some proof that the government did it. Never seen it yet. More stories to try remove Assad, put a proxy government in place like Iraq and Afghanistan, so they can control the countries resources. 

[simple1]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

Many western governments started a war against Iraq because there were weapons of mass destruction, which was a blatant lie. Sorry, I don't buy there story just because they say so. 

Supporting insurgents with weapons and then when they occupy territory DOESN'T give you the right to invade a country. Legally authorized by which law?

Chemical attacks, give me some proof that the government did it. Never seen it yet. More stories to try remove Assad, put a proxy government in place like Iraq and Afghanistan, so they can control the countries resources. 

Iraq is off topic. As to to the rest of your rant - Zzzzzzz

[bristolboy]

On 7/24/2018 at 1:35 PM, simple1 said:

Many Western governments disagree, including the US which under Trump isn't known for visas for Muslims from Syria.

 

"The White Helmets were recognised for "outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians".

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37442277

 

In response to your deflection, the West was legally authorised to attack areas not under central government control (international law - non governed), the exception being the limited retaliatory attack for use of chemicals against civilians.

 

I wasn't even aware that "the West" included Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Jordan and Hezbollah. Much less that they. along with the United States, the UK and France were authorized.