Damascus
Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Israel has pressured the United States to ensure Syria remains weak and fragmented by allowing Russia to maintain its military base on Syrian soil.
Tel Aviv wants to keep Russian bases in Syria as a counterbalance to Turkey’s expanding influence in the country.
Read more: Israel Pressures Washington to “Keep Syria Weak”
The sources added that Turkey’s often strained relations with Israel came under heightened pressure during the Gaza War. Israeli officials reportedly warned Washington that a new Ankara-backed government in Damascus could pose a threat to Israel’s borders.
According to the sources, Israeli officials sought to persuade their American counterparts that Russia should maintain its naval base in Tartus and its air base in Hamimim, Latakia, to take control over Turkey’s growing influence in Syria.
Israel conveyed these concerns to senior U.S. officials during meetings in Washington last February, as well as in subsequent discussions with U.S. Congress representatives in Israel.
Aaron Lund, a fellow at the United States think tank Century International, stated that Tel Aviv’s greatest concern is the possibility of Turkey intervening to protect the new Syrian administration, while potentially turning it into a stronghold of Hamas and other armed groups.
He added that Israel has significant influence over U.S. policy, particularly since Syria is not currently a priority for President onald Trump.
Two of the sources revealed that when Israeli officials proposed maintaining the Russian presence in Syria during their meeting with American officials, some attendees were surprised, They argued that Turkey, as a NATO member, would be a more suitable guarantor of Israel’s security. However, Israeli officials insisted that this was not the case.
Two days ago, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Tel Aviv does not trust the new Syrian administration, following similar remarks made earlier by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa ‘aar.
On February 23, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Tel Aviv would not allow the military forces of Syria’s new administration to enter the country’s south.
He added that Israeli army forces would remain in several areas of southern Lebanon to monitor villages and towns in northern Israel. He also noted that he had said in previous statements that Israel would change the Middle East and that had already happened.
