Israel lobbies US to keep Russian bases in a 'weak' Syria, sources say

Israel is lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and decentralized, including by allowing Russia to maintain its military bases there to counter Turkey’s growing influence, four sources familiar with the effort said.

Turkey’s often-tense ties with Israel have worsened during the Gaza war. Israeli officials have told Washington that Syria’s new Islamist rulers, backed by Ankara, pose a threat to Israel’s borders, the sources said.

The lobbying is part of a broader Israeli effort to shape U.S. policy at a critical moment for Syria. The Islamist-led government that ousted President Bashar Assad is seeking to stabilize the fractured country and persuade Washington to lift punishing sanctions.

Israel conveyed its position to senior U.S. officials during meetings in Washington in February and subsequent meetings in Israel with members of Congress, according to three U.S. sources and another person familiar with the discussions.

Some of Israel’s key arguments were also outlined in a “white paper” circulated to senior U.S. officials, two sources said.

All sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to diplomatic sensitivities.

“Israel’s biggest fear is that Turkey will protect this new Syrian Islamist order, which could become a base for Hamas and other militants,” said Aron Lund, a fellow at Century International, a U.S.-based think tank.

The U.S. State Department and National Security Council did not respond to requests for comment. The office of Israel’s prime minister and the foreign ministries of Syria and Turkey did not immediately comment.

It was unclear to what extent President Donald Trump’s administration is considering Israel’s proposals, the sources said. The administration has said little about Syria, leaving uncertainty over the future of sanctions and whether U.S. forces deployed in northeastern Syria will remain.

Lund said Israel had a good chance of shaping U.S. policy, describing the new administration as strongly pro-Israel. “Syria is barely on Trump’s radar. It’s a low priority, and there’s a policy void to fill,” he said.

### **Israeli Attacks**

Israel has publicly expressed mistrust of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist faction that led the campaign to topple Assad and which was affiliated with al-Qaida until it severed ties in 2016.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would not tolerate the presence of HTS or any other forces linked to Syria’s new rulers in southern Syria. He called for the area to be demilitarized.

After Assad’s ouster, Israel carried out extensive airstrikes on Syrian military bases and moved forces into a U.N.-monitored demilitarized zone within Syria. Earlier this week, Israel struck military sites south of Damascus.

Now, Israel is deeply concerned about Turkey’s role as a close ally of Syria’s new rulers, three U.S. sources said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leader of the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP), said last year that Islamic countries should form an alliance against what he called “the growing threat of expansionism” from Israel.

Earlier this month, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel was concerned that Turkey was supporting efforts by Iran to rebuild Hezbollah and that Islamist groups in Syria were creating another front against Israel.

Turkey has said it wants a stable Syria that poses no threat to its neighbors. It has repeatedly accused Israel of expansionist policies and said Israeli actions in southern Syria demonstrate its lack of interest in regional peace.

To contain Turkey, Israeli officials have urged U.S. officials to support Russia’s continued military presence in Syria. They have argued that Moscow should keep its naval base in Tartus and its air base in Latakia, the sources said.

When Israeli officials framed Russia’s presence as beneficial during a meeting with U.S. officials, some attendees were surprised, two U.S. sources said. Some argued that Turkey—a NATO member—would be a better guarantor of Israel’s security.

Israeli officials were “adamant” that was not the case, the sources said.

Syria’s new leadership is in talks with Russia over the fate of the military bases.

### **Serious Threat**

Syria’s Islamist-led government has sought to reassure Western and Arab states about its intentions, pledging an inclusive government and working to restore diplomatic ties with governments that distanced themselves from Assad.

Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa told foreign journalists in December that Damascus did not want conflict with Israel or other countries.

However, Israeli officials have warned U.S. officials that the new government could pose a serious threat and that Syria’s new armed forces might one day attack Israel, the sources said.

Assad maintained a quiet frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights for years despite his alliance with Iran, Israel’s archrival. Iran had a dominant role in Syria until Assad’s downfall upended the Middle East’s power balance.

Two sources said that in the final weeks of President Joe Biden’s term, his administration considered offering Syria’s new leaders sanctions relief in exchange for closing Russia’s two military bases.

Two former U.S. officials from the Biden administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The sources said Biden’s team failed to secure a deal before Trump took office Jan. 20. They expected Trump, who has drawn closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin, to be more open to allowing Russia to maintain its presence in Syria.

Israel’s lobbying to keep Syria weak marks a sharp contrast with other U.S. allies in the region. Saudi Arabia, for instance, said last month it was working with Washington and Brussels to help lift Western sanctions on Syria.

A source in Erdogan’s AKP said Turkey hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday in part to hedge against the uncertainty of U.S. policy in Syria and to counter any Israeli-backed measures that could threaten Turkish interests.