Birds of prey are now feasting in the Syrian skies, smelling the stench of carrion and coming to tear the flesh: Israeli air force planes are bombing and destroying the Syrian army, and ground forces are occupying its territory. Just as water seeks the lowest places, so Israel finds another opportunity in the abundance that appeared on its way. An opportunity to destroy the Syrian army and tear up its territory at a time when the battered and bruised country is waking up from the nightmare of the previous regime to an unknown future.
On the face of it, this seems like a smart move by Israel as this is a chance to destroy the military capabilities of yet another enemy. No one in post-traumatic Syria after the coup can stand up to Israel. But we must not ignore the fatal damage that this ugly robbery can cause in the long run. Maer shalal hash baz - quick to plunder - that's what the prophet Isaiah called one of his sons. And then there was an intention to destroy Damascus (and Samaria). "Maer Shalal Hash Baz" is also Israel's operational plan three thousand years later.
Hope is now spreading in Syria. It may be unfounded, it almost certainly is, but the first days of the emerging regime still give some hope. The rebel leader, meanwhile, proves to be wise and cautious. Contrary to the revolution in Iraq, the Syrians are not tearing down the old world, not shedding blood and not destroying infrastructure. For now, Muhammad al-Julani is doing everything to stabilize the situation and establish power. Israel is currently his last concern. His past is not promising, but maybe he has changed. The Syrian people deserved it.
While Syria feels its way in the dark, Israel acts in its violent and aggressive way, bombing and conquering, championing the weak and wounded. Perhaps they will derive some benefit from it, but it may also happen that Syria recovers and does not forget who attacked it without reason and without identification in a difficult hour. A moment of weakness is seemingly a good opportunity to attack, but it could also have been an opportunity to lend a hand - which might turn out to be ill-founded or be rejected in disgust. But when events unfold at a dramatic speed, one does not know exactly what to do.
At least Israel could have tried. Instead of threatening Syria, he would have nothing to lose if he called for the opening of a new chapter in relations. Cynics will say it's madness, but the real madness is not trying at all, and right now.
The Syrian people will not forget who is now taking advantage of their weakness and destroying their country. At last week's demonstration in support of the coup in Majdal Shams, a citizen told me: "If they leave the fate of Syria to its citizens, there is a chance and hope." But Israel is already interfering, leaving the Syrian army with only Kalashnikovs and bullets."
Israel is not only destroying the Syrian army, but also tearing up the territory of the sovereign country to a still uncertain extent. Let's leave the incredible arrogance and insolence of trampling on the sovereignty of another country and violating international law for no reason. Let's just imagine that now Syria is splitting Kiryat Shmona from the Israeli state. The damage that would be done to Israel is quite obvious. Such tearing off of territories will be the reason for the next war. Like Havat Sheba on the Golan, these dubious Israeli occupations are never temporary, never lasting, and ultimately create an incurable wound.
Israel will not be in a hurry to withdraw from the territories it has now conquered. Withdrawal will be considered a surrender that will be opposed by the right and the left.* Israel tells the new Syria: forget the new chapter. We will continue to wage war against you forever. All in all, it's very logical, but it extinguishes hope.
(Haaretz; Peščanik.net, translation from Hebrew: Alma Ferhat)
* Military reporters are enthusiastic about the capture of the Syrian part of Mount Hermon, they talk about its beauty and the advantages it has compared to the Israeli part. They are surprised by the "abandoned" villages and the fact that they arrived only thirty kilometers from Damascus. The general mood was described by Rogel Alper with the sentence "every Israeli knows that what falls into our hands, we do not take back"; prim. prev.
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