The director of the Israeli espionage agency, the Mossad, told a closed government meeting last week that Syria was broadcasting messages indicating a willingness to enter into negotiations with Israel strictly as a tactical maneuver. His report to cabinet ministers was based on intelligence information, he said, as well as on internal Mossad analysis.
Negotiations with Syria under current conditions would increase the chance of war.
Negotiations with Syria under current conditions, Dagan warned, would increase the chance of war more so than if there were no negotiations at all, as Syria may seek to leverage diplomatic failure in such talks as an excuse to launch an armed attack. Dagan maintained that as long as the status quo of official war, but complete quiet, is maintained, there will be no escalation on the Syrian front.
Dagan downplayed the chances of war with Syria under current conditions, saying that Assad and his advisors realize that such a war would lead to unacceptable losses for their country. Accordingly, the Mossad director suggested that current Syrian military re-deployment south towards the Israeli front is defensive in nature. Dagan explained that the Syrians realize that even a barrage of their best Scud missiles will not lead Israel to surrender or defeat.
Furthermore, Dagan said that even were Israel to open a channel of negotiations with Syria, the Assad regime would not cut its support for, or ties with, the Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon. However, according to the Mossad director, Assad may be persuaded to cut Syrian support for Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, both of which have branches, leaders and bases in Syria.
Even as Mossad chief Meir Dagan was reporting the intelligence agency's assessment of current Syrian intentions, a confidante of the late Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad
A confidante of the late Syrian President addressed the fate of Israeli spy Eli Cohen.
addressed the fate of Israeli spy Eli Cohen. In an interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news service, Monjer Mostley downplayed Cohen's value to Israel, saying that Assad always suspected him and that he was not a very good spy.
Cohen, who was executed by the Syrian government for espionage, is considered by historians to be one of the most successful spies in modern times. Information that he provided was deemed crucial to Israel's devastating victory on the Syrian front in 1967.
As for the return of Cohen’s remains, a condition Israel insists upon as part of any negotiations with the Baathist state, Mostley said that it would not be possible. Cohen's remains, according to the highly-connected Syrian, lie underneath a residential area with houses, parks and roads.
Negotiations with Syria under current conditions would increase the chance of war.
Negotiations with Syria under current conditions, Dagan warned, would increase the chance of war more so than if there were no negotiations at all, as Syria may seek to leverage diplomatic failure in such talks as an excuse to launch an armed attack. Dagan maintained that as long as the status quo of official war, but complete quiet, is maintained, there will be no escalation on the Syrian front.
Dagan downplayed the chances of war with Syria under current conditions, saying that Assad and his advisors realize that such a war would lead to unacceptable losses for their country. Accordingly, the Mossad director suggested that current Syrian military re-deployment south towards the Israeli front is defensive in nature. Dagan explained that the Syrians realize that even a barrage of their best Scud missiles will not lead Israel to surrender or defeat.
Furthermore, Dagan said that even were Israel to open a channel of negotiations with Syria, the Assad regime would not cut its support for, or ties with, the Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon. However, according to the Mossad director, Assad may be persuaded to cut Syrian support for Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, both of which have branches, leaders and bases in Syria.
Even as Mossad chief Meir Dagan was reporting the intelligence agency's assessment of current Syrian intentions, a confidante of the late Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad
A confidante of the late Syrian President addressed the fate of Israeli spy Eli Cohen.
addressed the fate of Israeli spy Eli Cohen. In an interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news service, Monjer Mostley downplayed Cohen's value to Israel, saying that Assad always suspected him and that he was not a very good spy. Cohen, who was executed by the Syrian government for espionage, is considered by historians to be one of the most successful spies in modern times. Information that he provided was deemed crucial to Israel's devastating victory on the Syrian front in 1967.
As for the return of Cohen’s remains, a condition Israel insists upon as part of any negotiations with the Baathist state, Mostley said that it would not be possible. Cohen's remains, according to the highly-connected Syrian, lie underneath a residential area with houses, parks and roads.
