Today ICRC started transferring apples through the Kuneitra crossing point between the Israeli Occupied Golan and Syria.

This is a good news story for all sides. People from the Israeli Occupied Golan can ship their apples to Syria.

The Israeli Defence Force gain some excellent points for their fair, friendly and agreeable assistance. 

The Syrian people get this fruit for their use.

The Syrian military gain some excellent points for their fair, friendly and agreeable assistance.

I was actually encouraged to take photos today - by all sides. This is an extremely rare happening.

However, despite the careful overseeing of this transfer and obvious close attention to security by all parties, there was a bit of an air of festiival.

Making it a good news story for all parties concerned.

I was quite pleased to play a small part. I might add it was quite cold but the temperature did not seem to be able to spoil the mood.

Essentially the apples show up at the A-Gate in large delivery vans on the Israeli Occupied Golan side. They are then transferred to ICRC (Red Cross) vehicles. I admit to sampling a couple - but out of thousands of tonnes of apples I am sure they will not begrudge me on or two apples!

Now it must be remembered that Israel and Syria are still officially at war - although the A/B lines between the two parties is and has been reasonably quiet for some years. I attribute a great deal of this peace to the quiet and determined professionalism of the UNTSO military observers and the UNDOF soldiers.

So to make this transfer happen and maintain complete neutrality, the Red Cross arranged to actually truck the apples from Israeli Occupied Golan, through the Israeli Crossing (Alpha-Gate), past the United Nations Check Point (Charlie-Gate) and finally through the Syrain Gate (Bravo-Gate).

Once through the A / C / B gates the apples are transferred to waiting Syrian trucks for transportation and delivery. It went very well today.

This operation will continue for another few weeks until all apples are transferred into Syria.

Below is a selection of pictures I took today with short descriptions.

1. The apple delivery trucks arrived on the Israeli Occupied Golan side of the crossing point and lined up to transfer their loads into Red Cross trucks. I managed to beg an apple from one of the men from Buqata and it was pretty good. Mind you anytime I can get fresh fruit I am a happy camper - it was good!

2. Using two forklifts, each truck was loaded with apples in a matter of a few minutes.

3. This is a view of the A Gate where the apple trucks will come from Israeli Occupied Golan into the neutral area at the United Nations C Gate.

4. This is a view of the United Nations crossing point. We call it the C Gate. It sits in the middle between the A & B Gates. The trucks will be stopped and checked here to ensure a neutral party inspects the trucks after leaving the Israeli Occupied Golan and entering Syrian territory. 

5. This is a view of the Syrian gate or the B Gate from the UN checkpoint at the C Gate. Once the trucks have been released by the United Nations military police, they will travel down this road and enter Syria.

6. From the Syrian side you can see the very first apple truck coming!

7. Dignitaries, citizens and media gather around the first truck as it enters to be unloaded. 

8. A lot of people wanted to take part - especially the reporters and the photographers. 

9. The trucks started coming steady after the initial ceremonies were over.

10. Loading the Syrian trucks for distribution. 

11. Inside the Syrian gate looking back at the A / C Gates.