“Israel is very afraid that Turkey will enter the country and protect the new Syrian Islamic order, which will then become a base for Hamas and other militants,” said Aron Lund of the US think tank Century International. The US State Department and the National Security Council did not comment for this story.
Israel is lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and decentralized, as well as to allow Russia to maintain its military bases there to counter Turkey’s growing influence in the country, Reuters reported, citing four sources. Turkey’s ties with Israel have been strained during the Gaza war, with Israeli officials telling Washington that new Syrian rulers backed by Ankara pose a threat to Israel’s border.
Such lobbying points to an Israeli campaign to influence U.S. policy at a crucial moment for Syria, as the Islamists who toppled Bashar al-Assad are trying to stabilize the fractured country and force Washington to lift sanctions.
ISRAEL LOBBYING
Israel conveyed its views to senior US officials at a meeting in Washington in February. Two sources also claim that key points in the Israeli ‘white paper’ were also conveyed to several senior US officials. Due to diplomatic sensitivities, all of the sources mentioned spoke on condition of anonymity.
“Israel is very afraid that Turkey will enter the country and protect the new Syrian Islamic order, which will then become a base for Hamas and other militants,” said Aron Lund of the US think tank Century International. The US State Department and the National Security Council did not comment for this story. The Israeli prime minister’s office, as well as the foreign ministries in Syria and Turkey, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
SYRIA ON TRUMP’S RADAR
Sources say it is not yet known to what extent the administration of US President Donald Trump is considering approving the Israeli proposals. Lund claims that Israel has a good chance of influencing US thinking and describes the new administration as ‘very pro-Israel’.
“Syria is barely on Trump’s radar right now. It’s a low priority and there’s a policy vacuum that needs to be filled,” Lund adds. Israel has publicly stated its distrust of the Islamist faction that led the campaign to overthrow Assad, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The group grew out of a group that was affiliated with al-Qaeda.
RIVALRY WITH TURKEY
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will not tolerate the presence of HTS or any other forces affiliated with the new authorities in southern Syria and called for the demilitarization of the territory. Three US sources say Israel is now deeply concerned about Turkey’s role as a close ally of the new Syrian rulers. Turkish President Erdogan said last year that Islamic countries should form an alliance against what he called the “growing threat of expansionism” from Israel.
Turkey has also said it wants Syria to become stable and not pose a threat to its neighbors. Israeli officials have sought to convince the Americans that Russia should keep its Mediterranean naval base in the Syrian province of Tartus, as well as its Hmeimim air base in Latakia province.
RUSSIA’S PRESENCE
Two U.S. sources told Reuters that when Israeli officials presented Russia’s continued presence in a positive light at a meeting with U.S. officials, some present were surprised. They argued that Turkey, a NATO member, would be a better guarantor of Israel’s security. Israeli officials claim that is not the case, and Syria’s new leadership is negotiating with Russia over the fate of the military bases.
The Islamist-led Syrian government has promised an inclusive Syria, seeking to restore diplomatic ties with governments that have shunned Assad. Israeli officials told the Americans they were concerned that the new government could pose a serious threat and that the new Syrian armed forces could one day attack.
