I'd guess Israel would rather the current Regime stay in power.

Would be harder to keep the Golan Heights were Syria to get a legitamite government.

Well. Kind of a harsh reaction but aai guess they had the right to do it if it were in their airspace. Did they issue a warning before firing?

Jews keep their heads down for a very long time now, not only in regard to Syria, but almost every event of "arab spring" gets mild or no reaction at all from Israeli authorities. During early Egypt events Israeil press was disoriented and full of "we are in danger" kind of articles. Even with all my usual attitude "если в кране нет воды - значит выпилы жиды", I must say they play a role of victims here :D So it's bigger than Golan Heights issue.

Even the slowest Jewish partocrat should understand now that the whole Near East is going to a situation when the very existance of Israel in it's current state is questionable. So they aren't eager to gain some tactical victories but lose strategically. The Near East and the Maghrib that was carefully crafted into smth worthwhile is rapidly turning into pre-WWII situation.

When you see "Trepassers will be shot" sign, what you do? Imagine, that everyone's airspace has this kind of sign. Not everyone got shot though, it depends on the size of the balls of the "shooter" and if it worth the effort :D

Me believes people understimate the accident with Turkish "Phantom". It's Rubikon for a "war party", they either start a war now or never. Since every person needs a rest and nobody just won't bother until Monday, we'll find out if the accident will pass unnoticed or mass media hysteria will start next week :D

It's not surprising, really. Israel's trying to save its leeway for stuff they think they really need to do, whereas Turkey has more leeway and is trying to build its regional influence, a key plank of Erdogan's foreign policy.

Something i didn't think of (which should be the immediate point to notice here) is that Syria has now potentially committed hostile war acts towards a NATO member.

Shit's about to get real

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidesyria/2012/06/201262483740123476.html?utm_content=automate&utm_campaign=Trial6&utm_source=NewSocialFlow&utm_term=plustweets&utm_medium=MasterAccount

That was actually the first thing I thought of... but then the thought that they let a fighter get shot down as an excuse for NATO to intervene seemed excessive.,

A successiveful war against the 'evil' Syrian government would do wonders for Obama's re-election campaign, it would'nt be the first time America went to war to boost the current presidents approval ratings.

If NATO were to take the shooting down of a Turkish jet as a hostile action, would that mean that mean they could respond militarily without approval of the UNSC? Russia and China really aren't budging there >.>.

They could use it as a justification sure.

Afterall Russia invaded Georgia on a similar dopey pretext of goading the Georgians into firing back at South Ossetia.

I'm not sure it'd help his reelection campaign though.   I mean, I don't think anybody who is a swing voter things Obama is weak on national security.  He's already fought one war, killed Osama bin laden, and there have been some huge leaks lately detailing other ways he's been hard on terrorism.

Stuxnet, that he picks who dies, and all kinds of other stuff.