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Israel needs to carefully monitor developments in Syria as the new regime consolidates power, according to Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser.
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(ILTV)
Speaking to ILTV News, Kuperwasser emphasized the importance of remembering the origins of many Syrian rebel leaders. “No matter what the rebels and their leaders say now, many were members of ISIS and Al-Qaeda,” he said. He added that foreign forces backing these rebels include the Muslim Brotherhood, primarily through Turkey and Qatar.
“We have little trust in the Muslim Brotherhood,” Kuperwasser explained. “Not only we, but all the relatively pragmatic and moderate elements in the Arab world have a similar attitude toward the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Despite these concerns, Kuperwasser clarified that Israel is not under immediate threat. The Syrian regime is currently focused on consolidating control over the country and stabilizing its fractured government.
“They are not looking for confrontation with Israel at this point,” he said. “But we know who they are. We know that many of them are jihadi organizations, and we don’t want to see them holding very advanced weaponry that Assad’s army used to have.”
Kuperwasser stressed the need for swift action to prevent such groups from gaining access to these weapons. “We have to take very fast the necessary activities to make sure that they don't have all these weapons in their possession.”