By Ted Belman
This was published in Hebrew by Arutz Sheva
-Orthodox reporter in the White House who publishes a column on what is happening in Ami magazine, claims that the withdrawal of American forces from Syria was made at Israel’s request.
“My sources confirmed to me that the withdrawal was made mainly at Israel’s request,” wrote Turks in his Twitter account, adding that “according to information Israel had planned a winter offensive against Hezbollah and there was concern that the Americans might be dragged in.” Defense Minister James Matisse opposed the Israeli plan. How it ended. ”
He added, “It is worth noting that while the White House refused to respond to my inquiry on the matter, it also did not deny it, and I note that Israel may not be the only factor behind the American withdrawal.”
The defense establishment criticized the American move and said it could harm the long-term freedom of Israeli action in Syria.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke last Thursday on the subject with US President Donald Trump on Syria.
Even before Netanyahu said he was not surprised by the American announcement on the subject. ” The American administration told me that it was the president’s intention to withdraw their forces from Syria, and they made it clear that they had other ways to express their influence in the arena,” he said.
Netanyahu added that “this is of course an American decision, we will study its timetables, its mode of operation, and of course the implications for us.”
“In any event, we will take care to maintain Israel’s security and protect ourselves from this arena,” the prime minister concluded.
I posted the video in which Pompeo discussed Trump’s decision. He said that the withdrawal had bee thoroughly discussed for two weeks prior. So everyone in the security cabinet knew about it. Only Mattis resigned. I do not believe that Bibi asked Trump to withdraw. I think he is just taking some heat off Trump for the decision.
Of course if Israel is planning to go beyond the destruction of the tunnels and take Hezbollah on, Bibi no doubt , discussed this with Trump to get his approval.
I stand by my view that Trump did not stab Israel or the Kurds in the back.
Relevant tha Netanyahu said he was “not surprised” by Trump’s announcement. It seems likely that Trump gave him a heads about his plans some time before he gave the withdrawal orders. He apparently did not inform Mathis in advance. But he and Mathis had been at odds for months, so Trump probably did not trust him to leak the story. But Trump and Netanyahu seem to trust each other. All just my guess.
If true, this report certainly places in a different ligh Trump’s decision and the motives behind it.