Using the security zone maintained by Israel in Southern Lebanon during 1985-2000 as an example, the IDF has recommended to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to establish a 16km (10 mile) wide security zone between Syria and Israel to keep the civil war away from Israel’s northern border. During those years, IDF troops along with the Israel allied Southern Lebanese Army patrolled the security zone.

The daily Maariv quotes “a source close to the plan’s architects” as saying “We recommended this comprehensive plan to protect Israel’s border to the prime minister, to be implemented after or perhaps prior to the collapse of the Assad administration.”

The source explains the heart of the plan calls for the establishment of the security zone in cooperation with villagers in area communities inside Syria. “If Syria remains unstable, perhaps we will be compelled to remain there for years”, the source is quoted as adding.

In recent months, the Jihadist fighters, which Washington views as a terror organization linked to al-Qaeda have taken control of a number of villages. Two villages in question are situated less than 3km (1.8 miles) from Israel’s northern border.

Maariv quotes military officials as saying “the old fence sufficed for 40 years because we knew Syria’s ruler was strong. Today, this is no longer the case.” While the military sources feel the new fence will be strong, the security zone buffer will be required to prevent rocket fire into Israel from the border villages.

Two infantry brigades would man the security zone along with a tank regiment, all taking up position in outposts on Syrian soil. The current border, demarcated after the 1973 Yom Kippur War is not recognized by the international community. The source states military intelligence is devoting vast resources to following the situation unfolding in Syria.

The report continues, quoting the sources as saying the attacks on Syrian soil like the one attributed to Israel last week, against a weapons convoy, will not be the last of its kind.

The Israeli media speculates that chemical weapons were being transported in the convoys attacked by fighter planes and the convoys were under the command of Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops, who were killed as a result.

YWN-ISRAEL reported that a short time prior to the attack, IDF Chief of Intelligence Major-General Aviv Kochavi was visiting with top Pentagon officials in Washington. In addition, National Security Advisor Yaakov Amidror was visiting with state leaders in Moscow. The two were presumably setting the diplomatic stage for the Israeli assault.

While Israel has refrained from becoming directly involved in the civil war in Syria, it now appears that Iran is taking a major step forward to protect its interests in that county as it appears Bashar al-Assad’s rule is coming to an end. This creates a new reality for Israel. The Sunday Times reports that Iran has set up a major intelligence monitoring station about 11km (6.5 miles) from Israel’s northern border. “We are aware that they are monitoring our military communications, gathering intelligence information and attempting to hack into the IDF computer system” the source is quoted by Maariv as saying, concluding “The problem for our forces is quite a serious one.”

Israeli intelligence experts explain that the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime may compel a new reality for Israel, one that will compel Israel to deal with instability in Syria in the years to come. “Israel will miss Assad” the source adds, “the father and the son. While they were evil, we knew their promise was a promise and every agreement was solid like a rock.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)