Israel's role in the Syrian civil war

Israel's role in the Syrian Civil War refers to proxy warfare between Iran and Israel in parallel to the Syrian Civil War. Though Israeli official position is neutrality in the Syrian conflict, a number of Iranian proxy militant organizations have been involved in the Syrian War - most notably the Hezbollah, a notable foe of Israel. In this regard on a number of occasions, Hezbollah and allied organizations were suspected of attacking Israeli positions on Syrian and Lebanese borders, while Israel has been suspected of striking Iranian and Hezbollah convoys on Syrian and Lebanese territories. "We have no interest in intervening in the civil war in Syria, either in favor or against [President Bashar] Assad.”, The Minister of Defense of Israel said in March 2017.

Background

Main article: Israel–Syria relations

See also: Golan Heights Law

Israel and Syria did not establish diplomatic relations since the creation of both countries in the mid-20th century when they were administered by the British and the French respectively following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I. The countries fought three major wars, the 1948 Arab Israeli War, the Six-Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Both countries were later also involved in the Lebanese Civil War and the 1982 Lebanon War.

Prior to the 1967 Six-Day War, there were intense hostilities centered on the Demilitarized Zones, water issues and both shelling and infiltration from the Golan Heights, which then were occupied by Israel. The requirement of returning the territories occupied by Israel was enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 242; but the situation was further cemented by Syria's largely unsuccessful 1973 Yom Kippur War, with the de facto border between the countries in 1974 reverting to the 1967 ceasefire line, which has largely been respected by both sides, though violated by the Hezbollah.

Several incidents have taken place on the Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line during the Syrian Civil War, straining the relations between Israel and Syrian Arab Republic. The incidents are considered repercussions of the Quneitra Governorate clashes since 2012 and later incidents between Syrian Army and the rebels ongoing on the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan and the Golan Neutral Zone, and the Hezbollah involvement in the Syrian Civil War. Through the incidents, which began in late 2012, as of mid-2014, one Israeli civilian was allegedly killed and at least 4 soldiers wounded; on the Syrian-controlled side, it is estimated that at least two unidentified militants were killed, who attempted to penetrate into Israeli-controlled side of the Golan Heights.

Israeli humanitarian aid to Syrians

Israel has engaged in more than 110 new aid operations since August 2016 in the project Operation Good Neighbour. The aid consists of medical care, water, electricity, education or food and is given to Syrians near the Israeli border, often escorted into the country by IDF soldiers. Many of the treated victims are civilian (often children), but allegations have been made that some are rebel fighters from the Free Syrian Army. This theory is supported by the fact that Israel has a strategic interest in aiding the rebels; they fight against both ISIS and Iranian-allied forces.

Alleged Israeli airstrikes against targets in Syria

See also: Iran–Israel proxy conflict

On the course of the Syrian Civil War, in a number of incidents Israel has allegedly clashed with Hezbollah and Iranian forces in the region. On several occasions, Israel was suspected of perpetrating or supporting attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian targets within Syrian territories or Lebanon. The first incident of this kind took place on 30 January 2013, when Israeli aircraft were accused of allegedly striking a Syrian convoy transporting Iranian weapons to Hezbollah. More incidents were attributed to IAF on May 2013, December 2014, April 2015. Some of those reports were confirmed by the Syrian Arab Republic, whereas others denied. Israel systematically refused to comment on alleged targeting of Hezbollah and Ba'athist Syrian targets in Syrian territory. In 2015, suspected Hezbollah militants launched an attack on Israeli forces in Shebaa farms. On March 2017, Syria launched anti-aircraft missiles towards Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights, allegedly targeting Israeli IAF aircraft, which Syria claimed were on their way to attack targets in Palmyra (Syria). After the incident, the State of Israel has stated it was targeting weapons shipments headed toward anti-Israeli forces, specifically Hezbollah, located in Lebanon. Israel denied Syria's claim that one jet fighter was shot down and another damaged. Israel has not reported any pilots or aircraft missing in Syria, or anywhere else in the Middle East following the incident. According to some sources, the incident was the first time Israeli officials clearly confirmed an Israeli strike on a Hezbollah convoy during the Syrian Civil War. As of September 2017, this was the only time such confirmation was issued.

Israel's concern for Iranian presence in Syria

On 9th July 2017, a new ceasefire agreement directly brokered by the United States and Russia for southwest Syria was announced. United States and Russia have made multiple attempts in the past to reach an agreement for establishing a ceasefire in different parts of Syria. However, the earlier ceasefire attempts have either collapsed or failed to reduce violence for long. United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached the agreement during their meeting at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany on 7th July 2017. It affects towns, villages and borderlands in three regions close to Jordan and Israel. "The deal includes establishing de-escalation zones, otherwise known as safe zones, along Syria’s borders with both Jordan and Israel". The talks on the details of the agreement are still continuing.

Israel has vociferously expressed opposition to the ceasefire agreement, as it claims that its security interests were not reflected in the draft ceasefire agreement being formulated. "It doesn't take almost any of Israel's security interests and it creates a disturbing reality in southern Syria. The agreement doesn’t include a single explicit word about Iran, Hezbollah or the Shi’ite militias in Syria.” Israel reportedly held secret talks with Russia and the United States over the ceasefire agreement. Israel stressed on the importance of removing Iranian "forces" from Syria. However, Israel was disappointed as the agreement "contradicted virtually all the positions Israel had presented to the Americans and Russians."

Israel's main concern with regard to the ceasefire agreement is that of increasing Iranian influence in the region. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, met the Russian President Vladimir Putin in August 2017 to share Israel's concerns on the ceasefire agreement. "Mr. President, with joint efforts we are defeating Islamic State, and this is a very important thing. But the bad thing is, that where the defeated Islamic State group vanishes, Iran is stepping in," he told the Russian Prime Minister. Russia has assured Israel that it will deters Iran or Hezbollah from opening a new front with Israel. “We take the Israeli interests in Syria into account,” Alexander Petrovich Shein, Russia’s ambassador to Israel, told its Channel One television on Tuesday. “Were it up to Russia, the foreign forces would not stay.” A delegation, led by Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, visited Washington for talks with senior White House and American defence officials. One of the main issue for the discussion was the ceasefire agreement in southern Syria and its ramifications. "A senior Israeli official said the delegation was expected to try to persuade senior administration officials that parts of the cease-fire agreement in southern Syria should be amended to include clearer statements about the need to remove Iranian forces, Hezbollah and Shi'ite militias out of Syria". However, the high level delegation was unable to "secure a commitment from the Americans to ensure any agreement to end the war in Syria would include the evacuation of Iranian military forces from the country".

In October 2017, Israel’s defense minister Avigdor Lieberman said that President Bashar al-Assad was winning Syria’s civil war. The statement "marked a reversal for Israel, where top officials had from the outset of fighting in 2011 until mid-2015 regularly predicted Assad would lose control of his country and be toppled". He called for US to be more active in Syria, saying Israel is struggling to deal with the "Russians, Iranians, and also the Turks and Hezbollah."

See more

• Humanitarian aid during the Syrian Civil War
• Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian Civil War