Syria’s Iranization becoming real strategic threat for Israel
Israel Ziv/Ynetnews
Published: 03.05.15/Israel Opinion
Analysis: If Iran succeeds in its plan to nationalize Golan Heights and gain control of Damascus basin, Israel will wake up to a much more complicated regional reality; tense relationship with US administration is making things even more difficult.
As the nuclear agreement between Washington and Tehran takes shape, and as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempts to thwart it, we should not underestimate the importance of the situation in Syria, which is not only exacting a bloody toll at a rate of more than 100 people a day, but is also becoming a strategic threat to Israel which is just as serious as the Iranian threat. Iran is fully taking the reins over the situation in Syria. The Iranians are working closely with President Bashar Assad, citing the “need to protect him.” In practice, not a single military decision is implemented without them. Iran no longer trusts Hezbollah, whose performance so far has produced insufficient achievements.
The Revolutionary Guards commanders have taken command of the Golan Heights front down to the southern city of Daraa. Over 10,000 Shiite volunteers from Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan have been sent to Syria to fill the ranks and curb the rebels’ major Sunni offensive towards Damascus.
This is all happening of course over the dissolving Syrian army’s head and over Assad himself, who is turning into a puppet counting down its days and watching its lost country.
Israel is watching the Iranization taking place about 10 kilometers from its border with great concern. Iran is in fact taking the place of the enemy from Damascus, which has been Israel’s “most convenient” enemy for four decades.
Washington, which wants to reach a nuclear agreement at almost all costs, is turning a blind eye. Moscow, which has already given up on Assad and has come to terms with the fact that it will likely never see the money for the weapons it supplied him with, is completely shutting its eyes.
Iran is implementing an extremely realistic strategy and taking advantage of the American disorientation in the area. It’s already clear that the Western coalition’s response is too little, too late. The United States is sticking to a tactic of dismantling the Islamic State by adding more and more force, but is completely blind to the changes in the balance of power in the region. The US is in fact supporting the transfer of control over Damascus to the Iranians for a shaky nuclear agreement, for a bargain price: Two (Damascus plus Yemen) for the price of one.
