Israel Incursion in Syria Not a Protective Move, But Full-Blown Offensive – Middle East Expert
A mock road sign for Damascus, the capital of Syria, and a cutout of a soldier, are displayed in an old outpost in the Israeli controlled Golan Heights near the border with Syria, Thursday, May 10, 2
Having seized the Golan Heights, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) currently occupy Quneitra province, 16 kilometers deep into Syrian territory. International watchdogs say the IDF has launched around 300 airstrikes across Syria so far.Tel Aviv insists its actions are prompted by security concerns. But Furkan Halit Yolcu, security expert and researcher at Sakarya University’s Middle East Institute, rejected Israel’s narrative and called its actions an offensive land grab.
"History says that this is not a protective move, but it's all about an offensive mindset that's going on, taking opportunities and claiming territory step by step," Yolcu told Sputnik. "Whenever there's an opportunity, whenever there is a chance Israel seems to be taking and seizing the moment and trying to gain a bit more territory when it can."
Yolcu doubts that Israel will be able to get away with it, and expects that the issue will definitely be addressed by the UN once a new Syrian government is formed.”It might turn into a bigger problem than it is now because [Syria doesn’t] have a government yet,” the pundit stressed. “But when the government is there and it’s officially recognized by the community as the United Nations, then territorial disputes will start for sure.”
AnalysisWhat’s Behind Israel’s Land Grab in Golan?9 December, 19:09 GMT
