CLEARED FOR PUBLICATION: An Israeli-Arab (23) from Jaljuliya flew a paraglider into Syria on Saturday afternoon, from the southeastern Golan Heights.
There was a full-scale gag order on the event until Sunday morning.
An IDF spotter identified an Israeli paraglider landing on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, which led to a series of events trying to identify and find the pilot.
At the time, Israel did not know the identity of the pilot, and assumed it was an Israeli who had accidentally gone off course and landed in Syria.
The IDF launched a massive search and rescue operation with dozens of helicopters, jets and reportedly, even ground troops who were sent up to the border.
The IDF spokesperson said they do not know where he took off from.
Security forces say the Israeli-Arab pilot wanted to join ISIS.
Earlier, ISIS is claiming they captured an Israeli pilot.
Jaljuliya is an Israeli-Arab town just east of Kfar Saba, at the entrance to the Shomron.
The Shabbak is investigating the man’s background to see if he had previous connections radical Islamic groups.
May he be returned to Israel safely as well as those who have gone to rescue him .
With all due respect, what ELSE would the “operator” of a paraglider be called if not “pilot”?
Yes, we heard them going overhead to Syria.
Stephanie Shapiro Just that: Operator.
A parachuter or paraglider is not considered a pilot under any circumstances.
צנחן הוא צנחן, לא טייס.
Further more, the sentence “downed pilot” has only two meanings:
1- A pilot that had to ditch his aircraft (“Eject”) while in mid flight due to distress (malfunction, aircraft damaged either due to natural causes- birds-, or after being hit by the enemy) in which the pilot is considered “down”.
2- The Pilot doesn’t eject and crash lands his plane. In this case also he is considered “down”.
In the case of this post’s headlines it was leading its readers to believe that an Israeli pilot (in the Air Force) was shot down over Syria.
Not only was there no pilot, but he was not shot down.
A “Hanger”?
It seems this was an Arab-Israeli paraglider/hang glider (not sure which) from the center of the country whose intentions are not clear. Was he joining IS or strayed over the border? Whichever it was considered important to retrieve him with all that that involves. More to be learnt, I suspect.
Could it be a traitor who defected to the other side? A "pilot" and asset of the opposition who was groomed for this very thing.
If it is true that he is an Arab, who wanted to join the Isis, than, no Israeli soldiers need to waist their time and risk their lives to
search and find him
Joe Smith Too bad your moron of a president has armed isis to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons and pretended to be bombing them. BS you say? Why did the Russians do more damage to them in a month than the USA has in over a year? Lets not be suckered by the spin doctors who claim they arent bombing isis and cease your silly conspiracy theory that Israel is in bed with isis. Its more likely your muslim president is. pfft.
Stuart Harling Wel said and very true to the liberal ignorant!
Hard to believe. But somethings up, no doubt about that.
Comments are closed.