Israel’s reported second air strike on Syria in two days targeted a facility just outside the capital. But there was no escalation toward Israel to justify the attack – and Tel Aviv is only trying to drag the US into the conflict.
That’s the view of journalist and Middle East expert Ali Rizk,
who told RT he believes the actions are Israel’s attempt to
influence US Middle East policy.
RT:This isn't just an isolated incident but a series of
air offensives above a foreign territory. Why has Israel been so
persistent despite the fact that such military action is a clear
violation of international law?
Ali Rizk: I think you have to put all the pieces of the
puzzle together. Remember that all of the furor and havoc about
chemical weapons? Who was the one that made this first
announcement…it was Itai Brun, the military intelligence Israeli
official who made the announcement about Syria using chemical
weapons from the very beginning, after President Obama had said
time and again, “that is the red line.”
That didn’t succeed thus far in dragging the US to war against
Syria so now I think we had two incidents.
There was a reported Israeli strike on a convoy and now we have
indeed an Israeli strike on Jamraya. So I think we have a classical
example of what we might call Israel trying to manipulate US policy
in the Middle East, trying to drag Obama yet again into another
confrontation.
I think that is the case which we have right now, once again. So
Israel is going to continue with these practices until it drags the
US into conflict.
Why? The reason being that the Syrian army has made military
advancements very recently. It seems that Bashar Assad militarily
has gained the upper hand so Israel realizes Assad won’t be going
unless there’s outside intervention. So Israel is trying to drag
the US by saying “If you don’t go in, then we shall wreak havoc. We
shall go ahead with our own military escalation.”
RT:We've heard from commentators from Israel that the
strikes are a balanced reaction. Do you agree?
AR: Balanced reaction to what? It’s in Israel’s interests for
this to happen. Has there been any escalation against Israel for
Israel to react? Has there been any military action, has Israel
been attacked by any side, whether it be Hezbollah or Syria? Has
Israel been attacked by any side whatsoever? Israel has not been
attacked.
So we hear this talk about game-changing weapons. But that doesn’t
give the right or justification for such escalation…I have to
emphasize, the clear message if anyone had any doubts I think now
it has become clear: Israel wants Bashar Assad to fall. That is
Israel’s choice. Netanyahu himself has said time and again: “Syria
is the linchpin between Iran and Hezbollah.”
RT:The Assad government, which has been portrayed as
warring tyrant by many countries, has now become the victim of a
powerful war machine. Could Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran weigh in
if Syria did go to war with Israel?
AR: That’s the big question. The Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah made it clear and provides an answer to this question. In
a speech last Thursday, he said that Syria’s real friends – meaning
Hezbollah, Iran, and Russia – won’t allow Syria to fall into the
hands of the US, Israel, or Al-Qaeda affiliates…
I think what you have now is that Iran and Hezbollah now have a new
significant ally of real significant weight which is Russia, which
is continuing to the Middle East scene once again. So I think that
if we do have escalation, Iran will intervene, Hezbollah will
intervene, and I think also we might speak about a Russian
intervention or some kind of a Russia role because Russia clearly
has been very much present and there saying “I am here and I have a
significant say.”
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.