"A ceasefire prevails in the Gaza Strip, under whose cover Hamas has rebuilt its strength and reasserted its iron grip over the strip and its residents. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, while the IDF maintains a presence along the border, a largely symbolic a presence that photographs well for the media but, in practice, allows Hezbollah to rebuilt its strength under the ceasefire agreement we signed three months ago.
But for those wondering where Israel's energy is currently directed, the answer is clear: not toward ensuring the elimination of Hamas in Gaza or decisively defeating Hezbollah - far from it. Instead, our efforts are being funneled into an adventure in Syria, an ill-conceived and reckless endeavor that lacks any strategic or military logic and will ultimately harm us in the future.
At the beginning of December, a significant event took place in Damascus: the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the familiar devil we knew. While Assad maintained quiet along the border, he also allowed Iran to entrench itself in his country and helped transform Hezbollah into a major threat against us. Taking his place is Ahmad al-Sharaa, whom we previously knew as Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group with roots in al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Since then, not a day has passed without al-Sharaa sending messages of reassurance, and even reconciliation, toward Israel. His spokespeople have floated the possibility of peace, while he himself repeatedly emphasizes that Syria is a shattered state, uninterested in war, seeking only good neighborly relations with surrounding countries. To him, Iran and Hezbollah - not Israel - are the enemies, and in Syria, neither will be forgiven for their role in the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Syrians under Assad's rule."
*The opinions expressed in MDC publications are the authors’ alone.
Read the full article in English - Israel Hayom, 9.3.2025.
Read the full article in Hebrew - Israel Hayom, 8.3.2025.