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Israel Weighs Approaches to Syria

(Jerusalem Post) Ohad Merlin - Israel is emerging as a "strong horse" in the Middle East, Hazem Alghabra, a former senior U.S. State Department adviser born in Damascus, told the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA) last week. "Neither Turkey nor Iran has an interest in direct conflict with Israel, whose fighter jets and beeper operations made the country a formidable opponent no one wants to upset....It's worth attempting to make it clear to the Syrians that Israel brings a message of peace out of a victor's position." "Peace is a process of hundreds of years, not merely weeks. The stronger side initiates peace, and Israel is the stronger side here....The Syrian people know that they need economic opportunities and rapprochement with the international community. Both can be consolidated through peace with Israel." Dr. Dan Diker, president of the JCFA, said, "We have met in the center with people from Arab countries, some of which don't have diplomatic relations with Israel, and many have said that they're prepared to honor Israel if it would honor them back." Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, director of National Security and Middle East Affairs at JCFA, said, "We must remember that many Druze, Kurds, and even Sunnis have their reservations regarding" Syria's new leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani. Kuperwasser recalled that Julani did not conquer Damascus himself, but rather, it was rebel forces from the south who were more loyal to the Russians.
2025-01-12 00:00:00
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