New Trump-Putin deal on Syria grants Iran/Hizballah free movement in Israeli, Jordanian border regions
DEBKAfile: A major Israeli concession made it possible for Moscow to walk off with a big gain for its allies in the Nov.8 Trump-Putin memorandum for Syria, DEBKAfile reports.
The strong pledges made by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gady Eisenkott – that Iran and Hizballah would not be permitted to establish a permanent military presence in Syria and come close to the Israeli border – have melted away in secret bargaining sessions. Israel was finally forced to agree to their presence as close as 20km from its northern Golan border with Syria, backing away sharply from its original demand of a 50km buffer zone.
In consequence, a 20km deep area (see map) in the Quneitra region of the Syrian Golan will serve as a “de-escalation zone,” in accordance with the second Syria memorandum agreed between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The zone will be monitored by Russian troops with Syrian forces available for their use.
Israel’s unwilling consent to this arrangement was an unforeseen and major concession.
Clause 2 of the memorandum affirms US and Russia consent to the continued operation of the de-escalation zone in the Daraa region (opposite the Jordanian border) and the Quneitra region (opposite the Israeli border) that were first set up by the Trump-Putin July 7 summit in Hamburg.
That clause states: “The US, Russia and Jordan on November 8 called for the “reduction and ultimate elimination of foreign forces” – particularly Iran and Lebanese Hizballah – in southern Syria.”
The presence of Syrian forces in these regions is implicitly sanctioned. However, in realistic terms, “Syrian forces” anywhere in the country automatically entail Iranian officers and Hizballah – not to mention Shiite militias and Revolutionary Guards personnel. The simple fact is that, apart from a few scattered units, not much is left of the “Syrian army” after nearly eight years of civil conflict.
DEBKAfile’s military sources note that no date was set in either deal for the “reduction and ultimate elimination of foreign forces” in southern Syria. Therefore, there is nothing to stop the Iranian and Hizballah military presence just 20km from northern Israel from becoming an established fact for an indefinite period. Furthermore, there is no bar to the military forces present in the Daraa and Quneitra de-escalation zones from moving from point to point, under the protection of the Russian military monitors.
An anonymous US State Department official said Sunday, Nov. 12, that Russia had agreed “to work with the Syrian regime to remove Iranian-backed forces a defined distance from the Golan Heights frontier with Israel.” In the official’s view, if Russia agrees to removing Iranian and Hizballah forces from the Israeli and Jordanian borders, that will be a sign “we are moving in the right direction.”
This hope suggested that Washington too was not exactly sure that the Russians would stand by every iota of the deal. Moscow has not reacted to the American official’s comments, which sounded like an attempt to make the Trump-Putin memorandum easier for Israel to swallow, and may well take exception to it.
Jordan welcomed the “important achievement” – and with good reason. The US and Russia agreed to expand the joint coordination command center they are running out of Amman, and for Jordan this is tantamount to a guarantee for its security. Israel only has a bilateral military coordination apparatus with the Russian command in Syria, under which it retains freedom of action against Iranian and Hizballah forces in Syria, which is limited to three spheres:
- Aerial action in Syrian air space;
- Surgical strikes against Iranian and Hizballah arms convoys and depts.
- Military response to Iranian and Hizballah forces coming dangerously close to its border. This distance has not been precisely defined since both the Americans and the Russians rejected Israel’s proposals.
Israel’s Minister of Regional Cooperation, Tzahi Hanegbi, who often speaks for Binyamin Netanyahu on foreign affairs, commented Sunday that the new memorandum “does not meet Israel’s unequivocal demand to rule out developments that bring the forces of Hizballah or Iran to the Israeli-Syrian border.”
This statement is irrelevant in light of the Trump administration’s tacit consent for Iranian and Hizballah forces to take up a presence and move freely near the Israeli border. Our military sources report that, at this moment, elements of Iranian and Hizballah command posts – although not troops – have set up shop opposite the Israeli Golan at distances of 4km to 15km from the border, with no sign of preparations to pull up stakes and move out.
Distance ? 10, 20, 50 or 150 km away from the border.Fact is they are present and will stay. Sooner or later Israel must act.Time will tell.
Who gives Israel permission to attack targets of foreign soil? It is becoming very clear who the real terrorists are…
Idiot !
Relax,it’s simple. The permission is based on what they say about the use they want do of that soil . For sure your dreams and Pasdaran/Hezbollah dreams are exactly the same, just don’t hope to find in Israel a lot of people who will agree.
targets?you mean savage beasts
We need a Marshall Plan for Islam, after that there will be no more need of permissions.
I think middle eastern people would a lot nicer if islam was abolished. it seems more like a cult then a religion.
Your right it is a cult of death to all who do not submit to it. And after that they kill each other.
If I were to go to your house and punch you in the face for no real reason, should I not expect you to return that favor? Israel has been defending themselves again Syria.
.Who gives you permission to shoot some one who tries to attack you? You are not very smart. indeed.
“Who gives Israel permission to attack targets of foreign soil? It is becoming very clear who the real terrorists are…”
@Kilroy:
Who gives Hamas and Islamic Jihad permission to attack Israel (with rockets) from Gaza?
Who gives the Salifists permission to attack Israel (with rockets) from Sinai?
Who gives Hezbollah permission to attack Israel from Lebanon using rockets from Iran transported to them via Iraq and Syria?
Looks like it’s becoming even more clear who the real terrorists are!
It’s becoming very clear who the real idiots are.
What gives Israel the right to attack Syria? SYRIA did.
By declaring war against Israel in 1948; attacking Israel, invading, conquering and occupying Israeli territory between 1948-1967; and then attacking Israel again in 1967 and 1973; and then NOT making peace with Israel any time thereafter.
There is an on-going war between Syria and Israel, started and perpetuated by Syria. In war, you can launch military strikes against the country that attacked you.
So Israel has EVERY RIGHT to attack Syria any time, any where. And Syria can terminate that right any time simply by signing a peace treaty.
you are an idiot
Yeah of course the ZIONIST EXTREMISTS are going to start another war to steal more land…….you are getting boring now with your antics the world knows what you nutcases are at !!
Yeah, but are they willing to do anything about it? Seems not, and that’s how the West was won.
indeed,ben something,the world knows what the feligion of peace is
no red line was going to stop them anyway
now Russia and the US must realize that Israelis will be even less likely to “tolerate” attacks and will probably be more resolute in taking military action.
In a way this may work to Israel’s advantage; “cheating” Netanyahu out of his lazy “red line”
Israel left the Lebanon border back in 2000. since then over 10000 rockets fired. simply put they want the jews dead! and after they are done killing the jews they will kill themselves ! thats a fact. look at whats going on for the past 10 years !!
Israel is in a tough spot . Israel needs a much wider perimeter to mount arial surprise attacks when
they need to attack in Lebanon and Syria.We need a war that once and for all takes out Iran’s
threat on the Middle East. That will take several nations since Russia is in league with Iran. It is
amazing how an atheist nation pairs with the worlds supply line to the terrorist. Israel, be strong and
courageous. You are God;s people and one of a kind with special promises. If the promises of God could not be counted upon, there would be no Israel today. Even as you have found answers to Russian
SS 3 missile batteries, You will be laying in your beds and the keeper of Israel will give you visions, dreams and personal military direction and the enemy will shake their heads in wonder, knowing it had to be the God of Israel. God is about to put fear in the eyes of all nations against Israel.
Yes I agree on the above statement and nicely stated. Our God will protect Israel. Regards Dave
Please do because ISISrael will be completely destroyed……so go right ahead !!
Amen
Finally Israel will have a chance to make peace with Iran , Lebanon and Hizballa ;
As far as lands Israelis need , and their ability to shoot down S400 , OR S300 . its a fantasy that only available for dislocated people from reality . Any major war Israeli start will be their last one.Sorry to say that . The UAVs will not win them wars , as well their impotent USA backed air force .The ground forces are not good enough to fight what is in front of them .
Good luck with peace efforts .
I think you have wrapped the towel to tight around your head this time and covered your face.
Israel has the technology to bypass s300 and S 400 they just dont tell you. why do you think they managed to bomb a weapons transport from Iran to Hizballah? they flew in there and left like kings. once they heard the jets they fired an anti aircraft missile that , and i quote, did not oppose a threat to our pilots!
trick of illuminatti
illuminatti ….geez another one of those!
Nations are on the move, slowly but steadily positioning themselves in full accordance with the Ez. 38 scenario.
Terrible situation. Consider this with President’s Trump’s total silence when the so-called “Iraqui” military moved in on the Kurds in Kirkuk, led by the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. It looks like President Trump is conceding the entire area to the Iranians and the Russians and Israel is getting the shaft. It is like Obama version 2. President Trump’s rhetoric on Iran is nothing more than that – rhetoric. As for Putin, he is in bed with Iran 100%. Putin knows he is backing a fascist power that is threatening the entire area. Israel can not rely on Russian or American guarantees. It should have been obvious from the Obama time that the US does not have Israel’s back and never will. If Iran keeps moving forces into Syria, Israel has to act with full force to protect itself, and not wait on the USA and especially not wait on the Russians. President Trump can not be relied upon and his campaign promises were just that—promises and nothing more.
Come on face the facts.
Israel can threaten Iran all it wants.
It ain’t going to stop them and what can Israel do? Attack their base full of Iranian soldiers? Question is ,do you dare….
why do so many rich jews around the world turn their backs on israel?
“why do so many rich jews around the world turn their backs on israel?”
@walid:
It looks like your anti-Semitism is showing!
Just one more observation: it appears that your capital “J” and capital “I” on your computer keyboard are both broken!
I voted for the President. I only hope his advisors are able to re-direct his program for Israel. If it were up to me, he would order our stealth group to flatten Iran. The problem is you and I are the “mean” ones. Israel and the US should understand the rag-heads are required by religion to kill us. According to the UN-needed idiots, we should lie down and let them. After all, we treat them poorly when we blow up the tunnel they need to kill Israelis or a REAL American shoots the killer before he does any further damage. Be thankful you didn’t get the BCW or any other Democrat. They want to sell the US to the rag-heads. You think Osama Obama was bad; you actually dodged an even worse bullet. My family still prays for Israel. Be safe, my friend.
The map does not show a “west bank”, this is a very good idea, why to call an israeli territory other than Israel, only because temporarly occupied by palestinians? Palestinians settlements all around Jerusalem shall go.
I take the Israeli concession as a major help for the stupid crisis palestinians build up against themselves by error, now they can settle temporarly in the Quneitra de-escalation zone in preparation for a permanent return back to their sources.
They still couldn’t read the lines between evil and evil and good for good. Israel is a major player for good and what ever bad that happens in middle east and the world they say it’s the Jew. Iran meddle with affairs in Syria,Lebanon,Iraq, Yemen, etc and the suspect is the Jew.
Israel has been and still helping in global security no one comment about it, in medical science, cyber war, agriculture etc. For how long will you keep saying ill of the Jewish state for how long will you awake to see the good of Isael, for how long will you see the quality of Israel mindset and the Adir of its Hashem (YAHWEH) the Torah says: pray for the peace of Jerusalem to them that love thee shall florish.PSALM 122:6 Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper.
STOP the blame and START the Love for ISRAEL.
“Whoever takes no thought for the honor of this maker it would be better for him not to be born.” (Mishnah Chagigah 2:1)
You can worship the idolatrous state entity. You can call it Israel all that you want, but don’t dare to deceive in the name of haShem. The jewish sate is an abomination and a stain on the honor of almighty haShem. haShem Himself will erase that stain.
Yeshayah (Isaiah) 10:16-23 Therefore, the Lord, HaShem Almighty, will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors; under his pomp a fire will be kindled like a blazing flame. The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame; in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers. The splendor of his forests and fertile fields it will completely destroy, as when a sick man wastes away. And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few that a child could write them down. In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on HaShem, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous. The Lord, HaShem Almighty, will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole land.
Meir – in 1948 I could understand why Jews were skeptical of Israel. After 70 years only HUBRIS stops a Jew from recognizing that God planned it. Hubris from the seculars who think that 48 and 67 were achieved by their own might, and Hubris of anti-Israel zealots who think they know better than God. If God didnt want Israel to exist, it wouldnt exist, and thrive, and mature, and ingather 6.8 million Jews. Stop being an egotistical blind fool and you will see God’s hand.
The Snake-Like Trump will sell out Israel to make the (real estate) deal of the century and get the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump has a plan (see below) and he sends his Court Jews Kushner and Greenblat to force his plans upon Israel. But the King and Creator of the world, HKB”H, is watching and guarding His Nation and Land. Anyone hurting Israel will suffer hard. So it has been said, so it has been written.
a diplomatic plan being formulated by the United States to renew the peace process between Israel and the PA, according to Yisrael Hayom. According the London-based Arabic-language Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, American diplomats in Cairo, who wished to remain anonymous, have confirmed the reports.
Under the temporary plan, said to be acceptable to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, there would first be reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas that will allow the PA to hold power in Gaza. Israel and the PA would discuss the gradual establishment of full PA control of Areas A and B in Judea and Samaria. In accordance with the progress of the political process and the negotiations between the sides, a summit would be held in Cairo, with the participation of Egypt, Jordan, the United States, Israel and the PA, in which the parties would discuss ways to facilitate the continuation of the diplomatic process and expand the authority of the independent state to Gaza.
In the last stage of the plan, discussions would begin on a predefined timetable regarding core issues, such as the status of eastern Jerusalem, the annexation of large blocs of Jewish communities beyond the 1949 Armistice Line, the complete freeze of construction in isolated communities and the uprooting of communities that are not part of the blocs based on land swaps and a solution to the refugee issue.
This plan will go as far as establishing the independent state of Gaza, and then Israel will be able to negotiate with leverage on Judea & Samaria. One State is not a threat to Jewish Israel if Gaza is not included.
that type of brainwashing is over,it has been going on for too much time
Israel blows hot air re Iran and military force. Clearly the current Israeli weak leaders are scared of Persian power. Russia is the bear in the shop.. supporting and Iran and Syria against Israel. Trump pumps hot air too.. he lets Iran do what it wants in Syria and Lebanon. Israel is a small country but has great power. By doing nothing, Israel is simply ensuring that Iran will camp right on its Golan and Galilee borders. At some point a major war must erupt and in that war if Israeli leaders have any guts then they will destroy Iran in Syria and Lebanon no matter what the Bear and the Pump say.
Considering Damascus Airport to the golan is about 60km, are people seriously arguing that a 50km zone would be tennable? the Syrian Capital should have be only 10Km from a neutral demilitarised zone.
God wont do a fucking thing to help if your military doesnt stop being a bunch pussies. Yeah just hope some big man in the sky is going to save you is non sense. Iran will probably nuke Israel in 8 years or less i hope not but israel js weak right noe and letting others dictate there future for them so have fun with that.
Iran’s main foe is Saudi Arabia. All the rhetoric against Israel is just….rhetoric for duping internal and external use.
Audience instead of use.
.
“Agreements” never seem to last very long over in that neighborhood.
Things will settle out where they need to be, after an undetermined number of lives are lost.
.
The Us is a nobody’s friend but the US. The US will easily sell off Israel any time it’s profitable for the US interests, as it is understood by the particular group of the american ruling oligarchy in power in Washington. The sooner the Israeli political class and people on the street understand it and be prepared the better.
Golan heights is not Israeli border. It is Syrian occupied lands and Israel can not steal it and keep it forever. The Jews are still claiming for properties they lost during Nazi time but it is okay for them to steal other people properties!
You should check how many borders have changed in the world history, because one country tried to destroy another…and failed. Just jerks give to thier enemies a second chance, Golan will remain in Israeli hands, be sure.
so do all the foreign terrorists that israel sponsor have to leave as well
Hezobama will eventually test Israel and when they do they will have a good learning experience. Hopefully the Russians will move their troops to safer ground before that happens.
This is not the borders on the borders of Israel. It is on the Palestinian borders and the Israelis just should piss of from that area. There is nothing that can justifie the Israelis occupation of Palestinian land and they should leave from there including leaving theyr illegal settlements.
Hey Muslims do the world and yourselfs a favor. Before you blow yourselfs up or murder anyone else. Why don’t you Read the Bible. You will discover truth. You are children of Abraham too. The bible is for ALL of mankind, not just the Jew. Please don’t die in your sins. For death in sin will bring you the fury of the hellfire. But the gift of God is everlasting life. Seek his truth.
Then i’m sure now, judging from Israel behavior and it’s supporter here at debka, there will no Israel more in next 5-10 years. This criminals behaviour couldn’t stand forever. If just if Rabin wasn’t killed, Sharon got poisoned, maybe there will be Israel forever. Sad, so sorry for good Israelis.