Netanyahu orders military to capture buffer zone in Syria

Netanyahu orders military to capture buffer zone in Syria

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria was a "direct result" of Israel's military campaign against Iran and its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah.

Historic moment in the Middle East

“This is a historic day in the history of the Middle East,” he said. However, in response to the potential threat from unknown rulers in Damascus, Netanyahu announced that he had ordered the army to take over the buffer zone separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria.

Military control of the buffer zone

“Together with the defense minister and with the full support of the Cabinet, I ordered the IDF yesterday to take control of the buffer zone and the dominant positions in its vicinity,” he said during a visit to the Golan Heights. “We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves on our border.” This is the first time Israeli troops have been stationed in the buffer zone since a 1974 agreement, although they have briefly entered no man's land in the past.

Political reactions in Israel

Israel's leaders are watching developments across the border in Syria with a mix of concern and joy, as 50 years of detente have been called into question in a matter of hours.

Geopolitical changes caused by the Assad collapse

Boaz Shapira, a researcher at the Alma Foundation, said: "We don't know much. The situation we were used to in Syria - 50 years with the Assad regime - has completely changed." The collapse of the Assad regime is a "serious blow" to Iran, according to Amos Yadlin, a former major general in the Israel Defense Forces who also served as head of the military intelligence department.

Difficulties for Hezbollah

“The rebels tearing down posters of (Iranian commander Qasem) Soleimani and Nasrallah from the Iranian embassy in Damascus illustrate the severity of the blow to the Axis,” Yadlin added. “Rebuilding Hezbollah will appear even more difficult with the loss of Syria, which served as a logistical backing for weapons from Assad, Iran and Russia.”

The role of the rebels in Syria

The offensive was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which was formerly an al-Qaeda cell. The US government has offered a $10 million reward for the head of its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. Despite its radical roots, early signs appear to be positive. “So far they seem rather rational,” noted Kedar. “As an example, they let the government manage the country.”

Political strategies of the rebels

Jolani called on rebel forces to leave state institutions undamaged. “It is strictly forbidden to approach the public institutions that remain under the supervision of the former prime minister until they are officially handed over,” he wrote on Telegram. This approach shows that they want to learn from the Americans' mistakes in Iraq.

Anticipated risks for Israel

Yadlin said that Jolani “demonstrated great political sophistication and conquered Syria with almost no fighting.” “In the short term, the rebels do not pose a threat to Israel,” he said, emphasizing that Israel must shape the rules for dealing with Syria in the same aggressive way it does in Lebanon.

The Israeli government's reaction

Minister of Diaspora and Combating Anti-Semitism, Amichai Chikli, stated that “the overall situation means that most parts of Syria are now under the control of Al-Qaeda and Daesh.” Regarding the security situation, he called on the Israeli military leadership to establish complete control in the buffer zone that has existed between Israeli and Syrian territories since 1974.

Security strategies at the border

The IDF emphasized in a statement that the deployment of troops in the buffer zone was “to protect the communities in the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel.” Shapira expressed doubts that Israel wants to provoke the new leaders in Damascus by pushing further into the Syrian-controlled Golan. “Claiming more territory means we are dealing with other actors who may not be quite as happy about it,” he added.

Conclusion and future challenges

The Israeli military stated that “the State of Israel does not interfere in the internal conflicts within Syria.” Israel's political and security leaders have so far remained largely silent as they assess the necessary responses to developments in Syria. The opposition is calling for greater regional cooperation with Saudi Arabia and the Abraham Accords countries to jointly counter regional instability.