Ruth Wasserman Lande: Erdogan is a disciple of the Muslim Brotherhood. He is an Islamist radical in Turkey. He is behind Syria’s rebels that came from al Qaeda, from Daesh, from other very radical groups.

Turkey, with Erdogan at the helm, is supportive of Hamas and supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood, which are the same thing. And now the entire Syrian gang is going to be governed by rebels who also are supported by Turkey and support Hamas.

These are not disconnected arenas, and the United States needs to put a huge vigilant watch on Erdogan, particularly because he’s a member of NATO.

Published in New York Post,  December 16, 2024.

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Ruth Wasserman Lande: after Iran’s huge embarrassment, there is an issue of national pride. Following the fall of Assad and the severe damage Israel has done to Hamas and Hezbollah, the Islamic Republic is likely even more keen and eager to make an impact in Jordan and the West Bank, which it would access in part via Jordan.

The leakage of the instability from Syria would galvanize instability in Jordan. The leadership in Jordan is not very strong, and if the instability [from Syria] seeps into Jordan, where the Hashemite Kingdom is already being undermined by Iran … it’s very scary, because the border is not protected enough.

Published in Jewish Insider, December 16, 2024.

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Prof. kobi michael : Syria was once a key component of Iran’s resistance axis, but its collapse weakens both the axis and Iran itself. However, the fragmented control in southern Syria, where rebels maintain a significant presence, poses security concerns.

Israel’s primary objectives are: Preventing threats from Syrian territory to its borders.Ensuring the stability of Jordan, a critical regional interest.Israel has no intention of occupying or annexing Syrian land. Its actions focus on intelligence, operational freedom, and strategic cooperation to safeguard its security. To prevent advanced weapons from falling into rebel hands, Israel may act to neutralize such threats.

Israel’s presence in southern Syria is minimal and solely aimed at protecting its security until the situation stabilizes.

The interview was recorded for Beyond the Headlines on December 13, 2024.

Dr. Raphael BenLevi: U.S. governments have tried to leverage weapons supply before. However, it’s been acute and extreme in the past year.

We’ve dug ourselves into this dependency. It’s like welfare. People on welfare get used to having a certain amount of external aid. A day comes when they have to rearrange their affairs in order to manage without it.

At the strategic level, the advantages of independence and moving to a more reciprocal relationship with Washington clearly outweigh the benefits of continuing the status quo of dependence and receiving aid, which are mainly on the immediate economic level.

Published in JNS, December 13, 2024.

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Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser: The actions against Hamas and Hezbollah were steps toward dismantling Iran’s influence. The fall of Assad weakens Iran’s ability to project power into Lebanon and support Hezbollah, which now faces significant challenges in regrouping. This development also disrupts Iran’s ability to sustain ties with Hamas.

The situation has left Iran in a state of shock. Their aspirations of Middle Eastern hegemony and pressuring Israel into encirclement have crumbled. External factors, like Russia’s focus on Ukraine and shifts in U.S. policy under Trump, also contributed to this turning point. Furthermore, Turkey’s cooperation deserves acknowledgment.

The interview took place on Al Arabia on December 12, 2024.

Asher Fredman: Syria’s alliance with Iran and Russia has been essential for their regional dominance. Russia’s support prolonged Assad’s regime, and a swift fall could have exposed further evidence of their involvement. Financially, much of Assad’s regime assets are likely hidden under his and his wife’s names in foreign accounts.

Ruth Wasserman Lande: Two primary concerns arise regarding Iran. First, it may accelerate its nuclear ambitions to regain regional influence after losing key allies like Assad, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Second, despite ongoing tensions, Iran continues to transfer weapons through established networks, perpetuating the threat.

The interview took place on the I24 channel on December 11, 2024.

Prof. Kobi Michael: The territory guarantees strategic control over the whole southern Syrian arena, which generates an immediate threat to Israel. There is no higher vantage point than the Syrian part of the Golan.

Power in Syria is now de-centralized, with the country fragmented between several groups, most of them extreme Islamist, potentially posing a new array of threats to Israel.

Israel is not looking to apply sovereignty to the buffer zone, but rather to militarily control the area in order to prevent danger under conditions of instability.

Published in The Media Line & Ynet December 10, 2024

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Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser: The logic standing behind the establishment of the Pereh Unit is to enable significant improvement of the area defense in the Golan Heights, on the basis of quality reserve personnel residing in the region, and this under the area division [Division 210].”

This is part of the drawing of lessons from the October 7 attack, during which there was a significant shortage of skilled fighters mainly in the first hours, and the transition from routine to emergency was very problematic.

Published in JNS, December 09, 2024.

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Gilad Erdan: The report is a prime example of the international campaign which shares the same goal as Hamas—the elimination of the state of Israel. Most countries who understand the threat of radical terror will reject Amnesty’s absurd accusations. However, the report may give Hamas further hope that it will be able to hold out and survive … increasing civilian suffering and decreasing the chances of a hostage deal.

Published in TPS, December 05, 2024.

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The real genocide occurred on Oct 7th in southern Israel, not in the IDF’s response, which has gone above & beyond requirements of international law. In fact, Israel cares far more about civilians in Gaza, than Hamas. This makes the Amnesty International report all the more outrageous!

The interview took place on NEWSMAX TV on December 6, 2024.