Israel: Syrian truce good for Israel subject to Iran’s non-presence

In Israel’s first comment on the Trump-Putin deal on a ceasefire in southwestern Syria, which goes into effect Sunday noon, Minister of Energy Yuval Steinitz said that it could be good for Israel, were it not for Iran’s presence in Syria. Israel was not referred to in the announcement of the deal, even though the areas involved – reportedly Daraa, Suweida and Quneitra – touch directly on its border, and mortar shells from the fighting there regularly explode on the Golan. Syrian government forces and its allies will reportedly stay on one side of an agreed demarcation line, and rebel fighters on the other side. This line remains to be established, as well as the adherence of both parties and their allies to the planned ceasefire.

Details of this line and other arrangements were still not ironed out Sunday morning. The Russians claimed they would monitor the ceasefire, whlle the Americans said this is still under discussion.