March 2013: The “Shrine and Synagogue of Prophet Eliahou Hanabi since 720 B.C. – an ancient synagogue near Damascus has reportedly gone up in flames after being robbed and vandalized. there are additional reports of the destruction of the sacred Eliahou Hanabi (Eliyahu HaHavi) shrine and synagogue.

The 2,000-year-old house of worship was perched upon the cave according to ancient tradition that was used by the Biblical prophet Elijah to conceal himself from those who would arrest and prosecute him. The synagogue, allegedly built by the Biblical prophet Elisha, and subsequently repaired during the first century CE by the Torah sage, Rabbi Elazar ben Arach, is one of Syria’s oldest. It stands at the site where Elijah anointed Elisha as a prophet, to follow him.

There had been almost no structural changes whatsoever to the synagogue since it was built, making it especially unique architecturally as well as historically. That is until the savage civil wars prompted by the region wide “Arab Spring’ launched in March 2011 arrived in Syria. It is clear nevertheless that the preservation of the holy site has been a rare miracle at best.

A video posted online by the Syrian opposition showed the same synagogue,  one of Judaism’s holiest sites severely damaged in shelling by Syrian government forces in the Damascus district of Jobar earlier this month. The video, which appeared on the pan-Arabic Al Arabiya news website, showed a clear photo of the marble plaque indicating the “Shrine and Synagogue of Prophet Eliahou Hanabi since 720 B.C.

Writer Jack Koury added a “Note” to his March 2 post about the incident on the “War in Iraq” blog, showing that the synagogue’s destruction and related attacks on Jews are being encouraged by outside forces as well as those within Syria. “Dear Al-Assad, please destroy any sign of Jewish existence in your country, this maybe the only chance you have right now. After rebellion is dead you will not able to do that. Do not waste the crisis “as jews say” And Rebels are only tools in Jewish hands! May God Bless you”

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and opposition forces are each blaming the other over the destruction, according to a report in a Hebrew-language daily newspaper.

March 16, 2012: Imam Safwat Hejazi, a prominent Egyptian cleric issued a Fatwa calling for the assassination of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. “He who has the chance to kill Al-Assad and does not do this is a sinner,” “Hadn’t I been a known face, I would have gone myself and killed him,”  Imam Safwat Hejazi told a rally held in Cairo in support of a popular revolt against Al-Assad’s rule.

Hejazi was a prominent figure in the popular uprising against ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.  Hejazi added that his anti-Assad fatwa [religious edict] has been echoed by many Muslim clerics.

UN Human Rights officials allege some 230,000 Syrians have been displaced in the ongoing unrest, many of whom have made their way to Egypt. The London-based Observatory for Human Rights has said that a total of 9,114, have been killed since the outbreak of the uprising in the country.  The civilian death toll, they stated, stands at 6,645. UN Human Rights officials, however, have stated the civilian death toll is “at least 7,500.”

Reports of war crimes by forces loyal to Assad have become prevalent as the oppression in Syria intensifies, including sustained artillery and sniper fire on neighborhoods the government claims is “harboring terrorists.” Local residents and human rights activists have reported operations in retaken rebel strongholds include mass executions and the systemic rape and torture of survivors.

Six-members of the Gulf Cooperation Council closed their embassies in Syria. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain had previously recalled their ambassadors. Last month, Egypt recalled its ambassador for Damascus, which prompted the aforementioned to withdraw its own envoy in protest.

November 2011: Israel paid Syrian President Bashar Assad’s grand-uncle $100 million for the Golan Heights before the Six-Day War in 1967, says a former close friend to assassinated Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.

Dr. Mahmoud Jame’ stated Sadat was briefed on the deal, according to the Jordanian-based Albawaba website. Jame’, a member of the first Consultative Council in Egypt, stated, “One morning Sadat took me with him in private and without a guard to the (Syrian part of the) Golan Heights, and I swear by the Almighty G-d that he put his hand on my shoulder and as we were standing on the Golan Heights, he told me literally, ‘Look, Mahmoud, this is the Golan. Can any power seize it so easily, even if it is Israel?”

Sadat’s friend replied, “This is impossible,” and Sadat replied, “I will tell you a dangerous secret, the Golan Heights were purchased by Israel for $100 million. The check was received by both Hafez and Rifa’at al-Assad and deposited in their accounts in a Swiss bank.” In return, Hafez Assad, order the Syrian forces to withdraw immediately from the Golan Heights in the June 1967 war without firing a single shot and handing it over to Israel, Jame’ continued.

“This story and my testimony of this event, has been kept secret for many years until 1999, when I alluded in the book ‘I Knew Sadat’ to the incident without revealing the full details.

“In 2006, when I was hosted by Almihwar channel, I provided the full details frankly, to the extent that even Moataz was stunned. “The next day, Almihwar hosted Mr. Amin Gemayel, Lebanon’s former president, and the subject was raised with him. He supported my words. Then the Beirut-based Future channel tried to invite me to Beirut to discuss the subject, but I apologized, and refused.”