Minister Eli Cohen said Thursday that war between Syria and Hezbollah is inevitable and independent of Israel, while saying Israel will remain deep inside Syrian territory. The remarks weigh in on the Trump administration's recent proposal that Syria handle Hezbollah — a notion Israel's security cabinet has already opposed.
Minister Eli Cohen told Channel 14 Thursday that he assesses a war between Syria and Hezbollah is 'a matter of time, regardless of Israel,' and that Israel will remain deep inside Syrian territory.
The comments come amid a week of intensifying U.S. suggestions that Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara (Abu Mohammad al-Julani) should take military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon. President Donald Trump has publicly raised the idea repeatedly since June 16, stating that Syria 'would be happy to step in and deal with Hezbollah.'
As The Zioneer reported, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a small security discussion on Thursday morning following Trump's proposal, and the security cabinet has drawn clear red lines regarding who may approach the Israeli border. Syria's al-Shara, for his part, has said he is willing to sit with Hezbollah at the negotiating table — even during war — and has not signaled intent to attack the group.
Cohen's statement appears to align with the assessment of several commentators who see a Syrian-Hezbollah clash as possible, but also underscores Israel's insistence on maintaining its own military footprint in Syria regardless of any diplomatic framework.
- StrongMinister Shikly warns: Israel will eventually fight Syria; Turkey and Syria more troubling than Iran
- StrongGoldblatt: Trump acknowledges Israeli fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon will continue
- StrongSyria's interim president: We have a deep problem with Hezbollah but don't want Lebanon destroyed
- DevelopingEisenkot: Israel must fight Hezbollah across Lebanon
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