People walk on debris of damaged buildings at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus
People walk on debris of damaged buildings at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus, December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT)
First snow in Syria camps presages lethal winter to come
Snow has wreaked havoc across the region and grounded the start of a humanitarian airlift into Syria's northeast
A man surfs in the Mediterranean sea in Tel Aviv
A man surfs in the Mediterranean sea in Tel Aviv December 11, 2013. High winds and heavy rain showers poured across Israel on Wednesday with local media reporting by mid-morning 45 mm of rain in a central town near Tel Aviv, and snow had covered Mount Hermon near Israel's border with Syria. REUTERS/Nir Elias (ISRAEL - Tags: ENVIRONMENT SPORT SOCIETY TRAVEL)
A man kite surfs in the Mediterranean sea in Tel Aviv
A man kite surfs in the Mediterranean sea in Tel Aviv December 11, 2013. High winds and heavy rain showers poured across Israel on Wednesday with local media reporting by mid-morning 45 mm of rain in a central town near Tel Aviv, and snow had covered Mount Hermon near Israel's border with Syria. REUTERS/Nir Elias (ISRAEL - Tags: ENVIRONMENT SPORT SOCIETY TRAVEL)
A man kite surfs in the Mediterranean sea in Tel Aviv
A man kite surfs in the Mediterranean sea in Tel Aviv December 11, 2013. High winds and heavy rain showers poured across Israel on Wednesday with local media reporting by mid-morning 45 mm of rain in a central town near Tel Aviv, and snow had covered Mount Hermon near Israel's border with Syria. REUTERS/Nir Elias (ISRAEL - Tags: ENVIRONMENT SPORT SOCIETY TRAVEL)
A view of a damaged house at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus
A view of a damaged house at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus, December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT)
People stand in a damaged house at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus
People stand in a damaged house at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus, December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT)
A man climbs a wall at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus
A man climbs a wall at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus, December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT)
A man stands on debris of damaged buildings at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus
A man stands on debris of damaged buildings at a site hit by what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus, December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT)