Israeli forces prepare for post-Assad scenarios

Israeli reports unveiled the preparations for the downfall of Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad's regime and contingency plans for ther army on the northern front. Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported on Monday that the preparations followed last week's reports that Syrian defectors are now 10,000 strong. The newspaper reported that the Israeli forces did not monitor any deployment of the Syrian forces near the borders. Despite monitoring refugees fleeing to Turkey and Lebanon, no attempts to enter Israel were reported. "The internal situation in Syria continues to deteriorate. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak expects the deterioration of Assad's regime within weeks", according to assessments by Israeli security. "Among the scenarios, the army prepared for, is the rise of Islamic Jihad (calling them 'terrorist groups'), following the downfall of the current regime," the newspaper added. Moreover, the army is prepared for possible attacks waged by Syrians on the disputed Golan Heights. Military affairs analyst Alex Fishman said that the Northern Command of the Israeli army prepared for Assad's downfall and considered many potential scenarios, among which is "the loss of the Syrian regime's control of the central areas in the Syrian side of Golan Heights, which, according to army estimates, would lead to the resumption of terrorist activities at the borders, as is the case of chaos with Sinai at the current time." The analyst expected another scenario: "An initiative of a military step against Israel in Golan Heights, in an attempt to unify public opinion in Syria and the Arab world...Israel's reaction to that might be unbalanced." Meanwhile, Israeli military sources told the Hebrew newspaper that several accidents were reported in recent months, including dumping mines at the military borders in the occupied side, adding: "Syrians became more daring, as they get closer to the borders." Western sources also reported through the newspapers' website that Syria was expected to be divided into ethnic factions after the collapse of Assad's regime like Iraq, since it was divided into autonomous regions where weak relations and tensions prevailed. The sources also indicated that some communities awaited Assad's fall so that they could establish autonomy. However, the sources have not noticed any transferring of weapons to Hezbollah. Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan said in an interview with the Israeli television's Channel 2 that he was ashamed of the Israeli silence towards what is committed against the innocent civilians in Syria. However, he hoped the Syrian regime would fall as soon as possible, adding that the Syrian military system was very loyal to Assad and up till now no generals defected from the army and joined the opposition. Dagan also added that the regime's ability to transfer battalions from one system to another showed that it remains strong. Finally, Dagan stated: "Israel's strategy is based on the downfall of Assad, as the Syrian president is the cornerstone for the Palestinian terror organisations which support Hezbollah. Moreover, Syria under Bashar's regime is a dangerous base of the Islamic Republic of Iran, hence Israel's interest is in the downfall of the current regime."