Ex-intel specialist: Syrian 'rebels' ready to normalize with 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
Today 06:54

Kedar received a list of equipment requested by terrorists in northern Syria from "Israel".

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Terrorists burn Syrian flags in front of the Citadel of Aleppo, Syria, on November 30, 2024. (AP)

Former Israeli Military Intelligence officer and scholar Lieutenant Colonel Mordechai Kedar, a specialist in Syrian and Arab affairs, said that he is in contact with "rebels" in Syria and that they have shown interest in normalizing relations with the Israeli regime, "only if they control Syria and Lebanon."

Kedar has conducted multiple interviews with Israeli media outlets since the terror offensive on northern Syrian cities and towns began. He has stressed the need to help terror organizations in the country, in order to weaken Israeli enemies, including the Syrian government and Hezbollah.

Yet, the most stark set of statements he made was during an interview with Channel 2 where he said that he was in contact with terror organizations in the country.

In detail, Kedar said that he received "a detailed list" of equipment that terrorists in northern Syria need from the Israeli regime. He said that he passed the list on to senior Israeli officials.

Moreover, the former intelligence officer said that Syrian "rebels" are ready for a "peace agreement with Israel, only if they control Syria and Lebanon."

In another interview with an Israeli radio program, Kedar said that terrorists in Syria should be aided "as long as they act according to Israeli interests."

Terrorist reassures Israelis in broadcast message

The terror offensive launched by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other terror organizations mainly targeted the city of Aleppo, where insurgents have taken over neighborhoods and military sites. The Syrian Arab Army and its allies continue to confront terrorists in several governorates, halting their advance in northern Hama and striking assembly points in Aleppo and Idlib.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) aired an interview with what it described as "a Syrian rebel involved in the attack on Aleppo," Suhail Hammoud.

The channel quoted Hammoud as saying, "You should fear Bashar al-Assad, Iran, and Hezbollah (not us)."

KAN said that Hammoud, among other remarks, aimed to reassure the Israeli public with a message.

In response to a question about his message to Israelis, Hammoud said, "My message is that you shouldn't worry about us when it comes to Iran and Hezbollah. We are dealing with them... My friend, you should fear Bashar al-Assad, Iran, and Hezbollah (not us). You know how Iran and Bashar al-Assad operate, with far more intensity than the Islamists."

The channel noted that "Israel" continues to monitor the battles between the Syrian Army and the militant groups, as well as the developments on the ground, emphasizing that it remains committed to preventing Iran from smuggling weapons into the region under the cover of these battles.