Israeli security alert as man hang-glides to Syria to join Isil

AN ARAB-Israeli man caused a security scare after using a hang-glider to fly across the border into Syria, apparently to join Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) insurgents.

Taking off at 5pm local time on Saturday, the 23-year-old resident of the Arab-Israeli village of Jaljuliya landed on the Syrian side of the border fence in the western part of the Daraa district.

The Israeli military dropped illumination flares around the Syrian Golan to try to find the man before calling off the searches yesterday.

This triggered fears that Israeli jets had bombed positions occupied by the Lebanese militia Hizbollah, known to be operating in the area alongside Bashar al-Assad regime troops.

The citizen, whose name has not been released, is believed to have planned the trip. Israel is investigating his background. “We don’t know whether anyone was waiting to receive him, but we assume that someone gliding against the direction other people glide does so on purpose,” said Moti Almoz, an Israeli Defence Forces spokesman.

The territory where the man landed is said to be controlled by the Isil-affiliated Shuhada al-Yarmouk group.

Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said the man’s citizenship would be revoked.

“We are constantly fighting Isil, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist organisations. Yesterday an Israeli civilian crossed our border in the Golan Heights into Syria to join the ranks of the enemy. We will act to nullify his citizenship,” said Mr Netanyahu.

Dozens of Israelis are said to have joined Isil. Last week, an Arab-Israeli was jailed after being convicted for taking part in Isil operations in Fallujah, Iraq.