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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a Security Cabinet meeting on June 24 regarding Syria in connection with Lebanon, following United States President Donald Trump’s recent comments about handing over responsibility for Hezbollah to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Channel 12 reported.
In an interview with Fox News aired on June 21, Trump stated that Israel has been unable to “put Hezbollah away” in Lebanon.
The U.S. president suggested, yet again, during the interview that Sharaa could be more effective in dealing with the group.
“I am close to giving this to Syria,” Trump said in terms of dealing with Hezbollah.
Still, Sharaa stressed in an interview aired on Al Mashhad TV later on the same day that Syria has no plans to take military action against Hezbollah despite past grievances over the group’s intervention in the country on the side of former president, Bashar al-Assad.
“We will sit at the same table with Hezbollah if it serves the interests of Syria and Lebanon,” he added.
Despite these denials that Syria would intervene in Lebanon, Channel 12 reported that Israel has identified indications that Syria is looking to seize control of parts of the country.
According to the news channel, analysts in Israel believe that Syria is strengthening its influence in border areas, while also moving to take control of Lebanese power centers. They are concerned about a return to Syrian dominance in Lebanon, similar to pre-2005 era, as well as strengthened ties between Syria, the U.S., and the Gulf States.
“This is like tossing a match into a powder keg; we will get al-Qaeda and [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan on our northern border,” an Israeli official told Channel 12, referring to Sharaa who used to be the leader of al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria.
There have indeed been several reports of a notable Syrian military buildup along the border with Lebanon in recent weeks.
According to Channel 12, Israel’s defense establishment is searching for alternative solutions to dealing with Hezbollah that do not involve the “worst-case scenario” of Syrian intervention. Such an intervention, they believe, would result in Turkish encroachment. Erdogan and Sharaa would also favor with Trump in the backdrop of a potential falling-out with Netanyahu.
Israel’s weighing of a decision to hand over recently captured Hezbollah tunnels to the Lebanese military may be a result of such considerations, a source familiar with the details told the news channel.
Channel 12’s report indicates that a Syrian intervention in Lebanon against Hezbollah could put Sharaa in a confrontation, not with Iran, but also with Israel.
While this is a major risk for the war-ravaged country, ultimately it will likely go down to what will be decided by Trump, not Sharaa.
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jewish theater
jewlani is just another fake jihadi, a joo stooge who will never lift a finger against the amerikunts and jooz – only their enemies.
if the isrealis were able to show consideration to nonjewish lives they could use their economic influence and technological edge to create a group of countries under its lead that are stable and successfull. lebanon and jordan as well as the coast and other parts of syria could have been part of this and act as hub for the entire region but they are too obsessed what their holy book says belongs to them.