Israel not happy with Hezbollah victory - analyst
Press TV has conducted an interview with Hisham Jaber, director of the Center for Middle East Studies from Beirut, about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying Tel Aviv would act forcefully to preserve Israel's security after a blast in the occupied Golan Heights.
- Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel would act forcefully to preserve Israel’s security in the light of this blast. What do you make of this?
- Yes it is normal to hear such a statement. Benjamin Netanyahu has to make such a statement to say that he is responsible about protecting his soldiers and the citizens of Israel but he did not know Mr. Netanyahu yet who did it.
Israel is not sure about the side who did this operation and we heard some Israeli sources who said maybe Hezbollah did it, maybe another organization. And if we do remember last week especially on Friday the Israeli patrol was targeted in south Lebanon inside the southern of the Blue Line also two operation that Israel did react directly against Hezbollah despite that the ISIL did make a communique to adopt this operation.
Now this operation is much more dangerous. It is inside the occupied Golan. It is near Majdal Shams which is inside the Golan. It is west of the cease fire line which was build up in 1973 I remember, and also that threatened the presence of the Israeli soldiers in that area.
So far we did not hear any communique; any statement released about this operation but despite this Israel did react and did shell Janta, is in the Bekaa area that accused that Hezbollah did it or maybe did it. And we heard also that this is the last reaction. We do not have to expect any military reaction from the Israeli side as a reply to such operation.
- But Mr. Jaber, this is coming at a time when on the Syrian side the Syrian army has made considerable gains specifically in Yabroud with the help of the Hezbolah resistance movement.
Do you think these recent actions by Israel right now are trying to change the momentum and the equation on the ground in Syria?
- Okay, yes maybe, it is probable, it is an alternative but I do not think Israel by such operations can change the equivalence or what is going on the land in Syria.
What happened in Yabroud it was a great success in the military point of view. It is a new chapter, it is going to be opened in the military science but the Syrian armed forces with the support of Hezbolalh did a great job and personally I was surprised about that surgery, we call it surgery, with minimum of civilians who were killed.
And I think they will continue their success in the next few days because the ... [militants] are still fighting in some small villages like Rankus and flee to between Yabroud and the Lebanese border and ... [militants] started to run away to the Lebanese border.
I think this great success of course which led the Syrian armed forces control the whole borders between Lebanon, the eastern borders after one week military operation the Syrian army made it in north Syria and Tartus and especially in al-Zarah which led the Syrian army control in Talkalakh the north borders of Lebanon with Syria.
It is a great success. Of course Israel is watching, is not happy about this victory of Hezbollah and the Syrian army. It is normal. But I do not think Israel will react, will make any military operations.