A bomb blast has sparked panic attacks at an Israeli airport after an American family appeared with an unexploded ordnance in the Golan Heights, intending to bring it back as a souvenir. Videos circulating on the Internet showed passengers crouching for cover, running and screaming in the departure lounge of Ben Gurion International Airport on Thursday. Airport officials said security officials sounded the alarm when they discovered the unexploded ordnance. At least one person was injured when he tried to run on a conveyor belt, he said. Normal operation resumed after the shell was safely removed shortly afterwards. The family was released after questioning. Israel occupied the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war, and the region experienced heavy fighting during that war and another Arab-Israeli war six years later. Areas known to contain unexploded ordnance are clearly marked and fenced. Israel annexed the strategic plateau in 1981 and today is a major tourist attraction, with wineries, popular hiking spots and a small, short-season ski resort. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced plans to strengthen Israeli settlements in the territory in December. The Trump administration has broken with decades of American policy to recognize Israel’s claim to the Golan Heights, making the United States the only country to do so. Israel says it needs the Golan Heights, which has heightened views on Lebanon and Syria, on its security. Syria has long insisted that the entire territory be returned to it in any peace agreement.
