As President Donald Trump continues to express his desire for a stable and prosperous Syria, and his ambition to broker a security agreement between Syria and Israel, Israel’s military incursions into Syrian territory persist. Analysts suggest this is fueled by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s perceived strength and Washington’s reluctance to confront him.
President Trump has emphasized the importance of ensuring that nothing impedes Syria’s transformation into a thriving nation. He has stated that Israel’s actions hinder the possibility of a security agreement and risk turning Damascus into an enemy, while expressing Washington’s satisfaction with the performance of Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara.
Axios news website reported that U.S. envoy Tom Brack held tense consultations with Israeli security officials regarding the situation in Syria. Meanwhile, Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, has demanded the demilitarization of the area between Damascus and the Israeli-controlled zone in southern Syria. He has also asserted that Israel will not withdraw from territories it occupied after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, and that any agreement with Syria will not force Tel Aviv to abandon its principles.
Joshua Landis, director of the Middle East Institute at the University of Oklahoma, believes that Netanyahu’s perceived strength and the lack of any perceived threat from Syria empower Israel to disregard Trump’s wishes. Landis argues that Trump needs Netanyahu in his election battle against the Democrats. Trump wants to assist Syria as part of strengthening his alliance with Turkey and Saudi Arabia. However, he also needs Netanyahu’s cooperation on issues related to Gaza, the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara and Riyadh, and the support of pro-Israel groups within the United States. These factors, according to Landis, compel Trump to try to persuade Tel Aviv rather than pressure it.
Landis believes that Trump will request Netanyahu to sign a security agreement with Syria during his upcoming visit to Washington, but he will not force him to do so. And even if he did, Israel…
