By Vestnik Kavkaza
On January 30 the Israeli Air Force struck at targets in Syria. It was an escort convoy near the Lebanese border, which could transport armament for Hezbollah. The minister of defense of Israel Ehud Barack confirmed that Tel Aviv was involved into the air strike: “Israel has many times stated that it won’t let armaments and military technologies be transported to Lebanon, and I think we have proved it.”
Official Damascus believes that the real target was the center of defense studies to north-west from the Syrian capital. Russian experts comment on the situation.
Sergei Baburin, Chairman of the Committee of Solidarity with the people of Libya and Syria
The point is not so much whether they fired at a facility near Damascus, Dzhambriya or, as Israeli officials say, a convoy, which allegedly was carrying weapons to the Lebanese forces. The question is the fact of the violation of international law. This suggests that the existing system of international security guarantees does not work. It also concerns the Security Council and the UN itself, mechanisms to ensure equitable treatment in the world. Syria now has a moral right to respond, and many are now waiting for its answer. It is assumed that this will be an adequate assessment, appropriate action. So it has to be a counter-attack. If we go down this path, we will inevitably become witnesses of a new outbreak of armed conflict in the Middle East. People and politicians who are in favor of Israel's actions are pushing us in this direction.
Konstantin Sivkov, Vice-President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems
Many now wonder why the Israeli aircraft struck quietly and left without incurring losses. The reason is simple. Syria today is an uphill battle against international terrorism, that with the support of the Western powers is actively trying to take down the legitimate government of Bashar al-Assad and establish terror, like the one that is going on in Libya, so Syria did not expect the Israeli air strike.
What are the goals of Israel? It is clear that if Syria is ruled by radical Islamists, Israel will be in the most difficult geopolitical situation, where it would be surrounded by regimes of radical Islam, or close to it. Why did Israel inflict such a blow? In fact, the explanation can be found in the indirect statements of the Israeli leaders. Under the guise of protecting chemical weapons in Syria from possible seizure by Islamic radicals, under the guise of preventing the establishment of a radical Islamic regime in Syria, Israel is pursuing the task of military incursion into Syria to overthrow the legal regime of Bashar al-Assad and to establish a puppet regime that will be beneficial to Israel and the West. Apparently, the Israeli government hopes that these actions will be helped.
Today the Turkish government, with its pronounced anti-Syrian policies, is forming defense troops on the borders with Syria, which could turn into invasion troops. Then concentrated strikes from the north and the south will be attempted in order to occupy the territory and destroy not only the Syrian government, but also the radical Islamist groups who are fighting against it. They will not be needed. Because the establishment of an Islamic regime in Syria is neither beneficial to the West, nor to Israel.
Oleg Fomin, Flax Council of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society
It seems to me that after all Syria has always been the greatest threat to Israel. The Syrian regime is the last secular nationalist Arab formation, most consistently fighting against Zionism, most consistently defending the Palestinian cause and protecting the rights of the Palestinian people, the only country that did not support the Camp David Accords, led the Front of resistance and reaction. Since the "Muslim Brotherhood" will either find or have already found common ground with the U.S. and in the geopolitical sphere will act together, I think that for Israel it is better to end the Assad regime and then see Syria split, maybe even into several states along religious lines, it will be easier to handle, because otherwise Syria will always be a constant threat, it will demand the return of the Golan. Let us remember that the father of Bashar al-Assad said this: "I do not need the Golan, I need Palestine. I will give up only when Palestine will be free." Hence this provokes the hatred of Israel for this regime.
