Syrian army retakes Golan Heights crossing

From CNN.What appeared to be a symbolic victory for the Syrian rebels turned out to be short-lived. The Syrian army recapturedSyria's only crossing to Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian state-run TV reported Thursday. A journalist working for CNN in the area confirmed that account. Just a few hours earlier, an opposition group said Syrianrebels had seized the Quneitra crossing after battling Syrian forces in the city. Clashes continued after the army retook control, but at a lower intensity than before. Quneitra is symbolically important to the Syrian regime because it represents former PresidentHafez al-Assad's attempt to liberate Israeli-occupied territory. Quneitra had been captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, only to be recaptured by Syrian forcesin 1973. The struggle for Quneitra continued until a disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria leftthe city in Syria's hands. The fighting in Quneitra Thursday could be seen from the Israeli-occupied side of the Golan Heights. Rebels opened fire on the Syrian forces, who responded with tank fire to try to force the rebels back.Mortars and small arms fire caused the bushes and shrubs to catch on fire. Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner said mortar shells fell on the Israeli sideof the border near the Quneitra passage. He said Israel is aware of the fighting and is taking necessary precautions to prevent spillover. Lerner said Israeli authorities have instructed farmers in the Golan Heightsnot to approach the border fence in the Quneitra area due to the ongoing fighting on the Syrian side. The Golan Heights, formerly Syrian territory, was seizedby Israel in 1967. The two sides signed an armistice in 1974, and United Nations forces have been stationed there since.