Syrian Revolution

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I love how we're pretending Israeli antagonism is actually self-defence. World's most successful crybullies.

Is that the "Camel's Nose" fallacy or the "Slippery Slope"?

It's long been recognized that resistance and even armed struggle against a colonial occupation force is not just recognized under international law but specifically endorsed.

With that in mind it's hard to see how anyone can offer legitimate excuses for Israel's aggression.

But according to the Haaretz article you posted, the faction Israel was allied with was Fursan al-Joulan (see Wikipedia and see Middle East Eye article), not ISIS/ISIL/Daesh?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Tuesday that Israeli troops would remain stationed inside Syria for the foreseeable future, as he met with senior security officials for a situation review atop Mount Hermon.

The premier was joined by Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bat and Northern Command head Maj. Gen. Uri Gordin, and his visit appeared to mark the first time a sitting Israeli leader has entered Syrian territory.

Israel entered the United Nations-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights hours after rebel groups in Syria took Damascus on December 8, stressing that the seizure of the buffer zone established in 1974 is a temporary defensive move that will last only until security is guaranteed along the frontier. Israel says it has no desire to become involved in the conflict in Syria.

Standing atop Mount Hermon, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would remain on its peak “until another arrangement can be found that guarantees Israel’s security.”

“I was here 53 years ago with my soldiers on a Sayeret Matkal patrol,” he said, speaking of the nostalgia that the site brought him.

“This place hasn’t changed, it’s the same place, but its importance to Israel’s security has only been reinforced in recent years, and especially in recent weeks with the dramatic events taking place below us here in Syria,” Netanyahu said.

He added that going forward, Israel would “determine the best arrangement that will guarantee our security.

Echoing the same sentiments as the premier, Defense Minister Katz described Mount Hermon as “the eyes of the State of Israel to detect near and far threats.”

“The IDF is here to protect the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of the State of Israel from any threat, from the most important place to do so,” he said in remarks provided by his office.

The United States is increasingly alarmed that Turkey and its militia allies are preparing for a large-scale military incursion into Syrian territory controlled by US-backed Kurdish forces, according to an exclusive Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday, citing US officials.

The officials cited a significant Turkish military buildup near Kobani, a Kurdish-majority city on the Syria-Turkey border, sparking fears of imminent conflict.

According to US officials cited in the report, the buildup resembled Turkish movements seen ahead of its 2019 invasion of northeast Syria. One US official, speaking to the WSJ, warned that “a cross-border operation could be imminent.”

The officials also emphasized that a new Turkish offensive would deepen instability in the region and undermine efforts to maintain security against Islamic State remnants.

The report detailed the deployment of Turkish uniformed commandos, artillery units, and allied militias to strategic positions along the border.

In response to the escalating situation, Ilham Ahmed, a senior official in the Kurdish civilian administration in Syria, penned a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, urging him to pressure Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to abandon the planned operation.

Ahmed’s letter, obtained by the WSJ, stated that Turkey aimed to seize control of Kurdish territory before Trump’s inauguration, thereby forcing the new administration to recognize Ankara’s authority in the region.

The letter reportedly appealed to Trump’s prior assurances of support for the Kurdish forces, reminding him of his past promises that “the United States wouldn’t abandon the Kurds.”

Turkey has always wanted to exterminate the Kurds. Won't be their first genocide either.