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The IDF training in the Golan Heights
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| By Israel Insider staff August 14, 2007 |
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Amid growing uncertainty and alarm over a possible war with Syria, Israeli intelligence said that it may have a more accurate picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad's plans. Until recently sources have said that it was hard to obtain a clear idea, although it appears that an exact picture still remains elusive.
"As far as we can assess, Assad does not really want war with us," a senior security source told Haaretz on Monday. "He is concerned about a scenario that will drag us and them [Syria] to war, either through mutual escalation on the Golan Heights, or through growing tensions between the United States and Iran."
However ambiguity still exists among intelligence reports and projections. In closed meetings between Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said that intelligence reports on the probability of war with Syria are constantly changing.
Both Syria and Israel have repeatedly announced that neither intends to initiate a war. And it is also believed that war is not in Syria's best interest.
Israel is still concerned over Syria's building extensive defensive works on the southern Golan Heights, and in the north, and its continuous acquisition of large numbers of advanced Russian-made anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, in part with Iranian funding. Reportedly most shipments have yet to be delivered.
Syria has also reinforced its forces along the board, and has increased its training of units.
The European Jewish Congress (EJC) has said that while it is powerless to prevent Russia from selling Syria and Iran advanced weaponry, it may be able to stop the arms from getting to Hezbollah.
Leonid Nevzlin, a Russian-Jewish oligarch now living in Israel, criticized the EJC's president for his ties to the Kremlin, warning that the relationship will prevent the EJC from speaking out against Russia.
"When the president of the EJC is close to the Kremlin, an institution that is retreating into dark times and does not respect European democracy," a statement released by Nevzlin said, according to the Jerusalem Post, "it is unreasonable to think he can contribute to Jewish development in Europe and connections with Israel."
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