By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JERUSALEM/DAMASCUS (Worthy News) – Israel is pleased that Moscow wants to maintain its Russian military bases in Syria, and Jerusalem asked Washington to allow Russia to keep these facilities, Worthy News learned Friday.
Several sources say Israel has lobbied for the Russian bases as part of a strategy to keep Syria weak following the ouster of longtime autocratic President Bashar al-Assad.
According to officials involved in the process, Jerusalem also wants to counter Turkey’s growing influence in the region.
Israeli officials reportedly told Washington that Syria’s new Islamist rulers, who Ankara backs, “pose a threat to Israel’s borders.”
They suggest that Russia could play a role in maintaining the status quo and ensure the new rulers will have no more military ambitions to move toward Israel.
It comes while Moscow senses an opportunity to expand its economic footprint in Syria and hold on to its military bases in the nation, say sources familiar with the situation.
The fact that Russia called the current Syrian Islamic rulers once “terrorists” seems all but forgotten.
CONCRETE TIES
In one of the first concrete signs of warming ties between the two sides, Russia last month delivered the equivalent of $23 million in Syrian currency at official rates to the central bank in Damascus, reported The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) newspaper.
Moscow “printed the banknotes” for Syria’s “cash-starved economy” when most other countries had refused due to fear of sanctions, the WSJ quoted Syrian and European officials as saying.
It meant a significant turnaround for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was instrumental in keeping Assad in power, and his forces bombed civilian targets.
The bases Russia built along Syria’s coast enabled it to project power into the Mediterranean and Africa as well as hammering rebel targets, including positions held by Syria’s new rulers, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
After Assad fled the country, he sought refuge in Moscow. Russia has reportedly refused to extradite him back to Syria.
However, with Assad ousted from power, Moscow and HTS seem to be prepared to forget their fighting and establish ties.
Israel has publicly declared its mistrust of HTS as the Islamist faction, which led the campaign to topple Assad, emerged from a group that was affiliated with the al-Qaida terror group until it cut ties in 2016.
ISRAEL’S WARNING
Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel won’t tolerate the presence in southern Syria of HTS or any other forces affiliated with the new rulers. He also demanded “the territory be demilitarised.”
Israeli officials believe Russia would be more willing than Turkey to ensure that those demands are met through its military presence and influence.
They recall that Israeli-Turkish relations have worsened since Israel’s military launched a war in Gaza against Hamas after it massacred 1,200 Jews and abducted hundreds on October 7, 2023.
Besides Russia, the United States maintains troops in Syria, but U.S. President Donald J. Trump has still to formulate a clear policy on their future role.
Complicating the situation is that Syria currently faces European and U.S. sanctions.
Moscow, itself under U.S. and European sanctions over its war in Ukraine, is more willing to work with the HTS. “Russia’s advantage in negotiating with Syria is that it is not hindered by any ethical concerns dealing with Syria and can implement decisions without needing consensus,” added Anna Borshchevskaya, a fellow at the Washington Institute focusing on Moscow’s policy toward the Middle East. “The key question is how will the West position itself and engage with Syria to reduce reasons to rely on Russia.”
After Assad’s ouster, Israel carried out extensive airstrikes on Syrian military bases to ensure HTS would not pose a threat to its sovereignty.
It also moved forces into a United Nations-monitored demilitarised zone within Syria. Additionally, in recent weeks, Israel struck military sites south of Damascus while awaiting the next moves by Russia in the region.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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