Anti-Syrian protest – did it make a difference?
צילום: איי פי
'Syria to pull agents out’
Damascus to withdraw its forces from Lebanon, including its intelligence agents, sooner than expected, senior IDF intelligence official says; Syrians to have difficulty maintaining their grip on Lebanon, he says
TEL AVIV - Syria is set to withdraw all its forces and intelligence agents from Lebanon earlier than expected, a senior IDF intelligence official said Thursday.
“The Syrians are not planning to forego their influence in Lebanon, but they will have difficulty maintaining their control and grip on the country,” said the official, who declined to be named.
The Syrian pullout would affect the Syrian regime’s stability by proving the government is more vulnerable than was thought, he said.
“Those who will pay the price for the Lebanese crisis are Lebanese elements, as well as Syrian elements who meddled (in the crisis,)” the official said.
Did U.S. offer Syria a deal?
Meanwhile, Qatari newspaper al-Watan is reporting that diplomatic sources in Damascus said the U.S. offered Syria a deal - the disarmament of the Hizbullah in exchange for a free hand in Lebanon.
According to the report, Syrian leaders rejected the proposal.
The IDF official said the Hizbullah is attempting to reinforce its position as the main political force in Lebanon.
“It aspires to create a situation where Lebanon has two authorities - state authorities and Hizbullah’s armed wing,” he said.
“The Hizbullah is currently restraining itself in light of its need to be portrayed as a responsible body,” the official said, but added the group is increasingly involved in Palestinian attacks.
Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian theater, the official said the current calm is expected to be maintained until the pullout plan is implemented, “assuming something dramatic doesn’t happen.”
The calm may even last to the end of the year, and possibly beyond it, assuming the Palestinian public feels Israeli-Palestinian talks are bearing the desired fruit.
