(AP / Lolita Baldor)
Planned retirement of the US administration of Syria is bad news for Israel, both militarily and diplomatically, experts said on Wednesday, leaving a vacuum in the war - torn country which most likely will be occupied by Iran .
While the US Army. UU. He had only about 2,000 troops in Syria, mainly in the eastern part of the country and did not actively participate in the ongoing efforts of Israel to prevent the Islamic Republic entrenched there, Iran and its Russian allies, probably interpret the American movement as an admission of defeat and would be encouraged to act in Syria as they please .
"Until now, while he was physically present in Syria, the US contribution to the main fight of Israel, to stop the war machine of Iran in Syria, was marginal to zero , " said Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror, former national security adviser of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Los Angeles Times .
"The effect of this decision is mainly psychological and diplomatic: the recall, the United States leave Syria and leave Israel alone. In these arenas, this is a very important decision, "he said.
However, beyond perceptions, the withdrawal represents a particular danger to Israel in southeastern Syria , where US troops. UU. have played a role in preventing the border region with Iraq becoming a weapons smuggling, said Brig. General (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, former director of the Ministry of Strategic Affairs of Israel and former head of the Research Division of Military Intelligence.
EE output. UU. "Mean that Assad's forces and Iranians will have full control over Syria and this would mean that they could try to deliver weapons from Iran through Iraq to Syria and then to Lebanon and there is nothing between to stop them," he said.
"Especially the Iranians will be empowered and you will feel much stronger," he added.
Kupperwasser supported largely the statement of US President, Donald Trump, that the "territorial caliphate" of the Islamic State in Syria had been defeated, but warned that "it is not clear that the Islamic State can not re-emerge, taking advantage the weakening of their adversaries in this area. "
Trump said the only reason to have troops in Syria was to defeat the Islamic State, breaking with advisers, including his main assistant security, John Bolton, who had said that thwarting Iran's entrenchment was also an important goal of the United States the country.
But for Israel, thwarting the relentless efforts to hold Iran militarily in Syria was and remains the most pressing foreign policy objective of Jerusalem.
Israel risked a total war with the Islamic Republic and endured a serious crisis with Russia, but apparently has not wavered in its stated goal of preventing Tehran establish a foothold near its borders commitment.
The withdrawal of US troops will not erase gains Israel to keep Iran on his heels and away from the Golan Heights, but once the last American soldier is dismissed, you can expect an Iran recently emboldened make another effort to establish military bases near the Israeli border.
It could not come at a worse time for Israel. Russia, which has pledged to keep the Iranians about 100 kilometers from the border and looks like a much bigger player in Syria that the United States, still embittered by the October incident in which one of its spy planes was shot down by a Syrian missile after an Israeli attack .
Since then, Israel has apparently reduced their previously untaxed air campaign in Syria, and possibly a direct line suspended coordination with Moscow.
Russian officials visited Israel on Wednesday for efforts against the tunnels on the border with Lebanon, which reportedly Jerusalem interpreted as a sign of thaw, but it is unclear how it will respond Moscow to a new Iranian momentum after the US withdrawal. UU., Whether to grant a freer hand than in the past.
Alon Ben David, a leading defense analyst News Channel 10 Israel, described the withdrawal as "a painful blow to Israel", reflecting Israel's dismay at the move.
Many conservative politicians and foreign policy analysts in the United States agreed, dismissing as "clumsy" movement of President Donald Trump and a betrayal of the allies of the United States that only benefit the enemies of the United States, especially Iran Hezbollah and Russia.
"With its decision on Syria, Syria Trump has actually delivered to Russia, Iran, Assad, Hezbollah and Turkey , " he tweeted Jonathan Schanzer at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
"The debacle of the red line Obama was a dark day for American leadership in the Middle East. This is much worse, "he said.
Officially, he said Jerusalem would deal with the withdrawal and continue defending himself. But Netanyahu made little effort to hide his disappointment with a terse statement issued after the announcement.
"This is, of course, an American decision. Study your schedule, how to implement and, of course, its implications for us, "he said, his domestic political opponents beat him by" a failure of foreign policy ".
Netanyahu said he had spoken with Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who had stressed that "have other ways to express their influence in the area," Netanyahu said, and promised to "maintain the security of Israel".
As cautious as it may seem this response (imagine the fury of Netanyahu if Barack Obama had taken a similar decision) can not cover up the serious disagreement between the Israeli government and the government of Trump. Israel wanted the United States to stay, but Trump refused.
According to media reports of Hebrew media, Trump flatly rejected all appeals Netanyahu and simply informed him that his decision to withdraw all Syrian troops was final.
His government made him happy to Israel when he moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem, he renounced the nuclear deal Iran and imposed the toughest sanctions on Tehran.
End the US presence in Syria, Israel let alone to deal with Iran, Hezbollah and Russia, it is the first major setback in the harmonious relationship between the United States and Israel
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