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Syria’s Information Minister Imad Sarah said that his country does not have any information about the remains of US-born Israel soldier, Zachary Baumel, nor about the operation that led to the recovery of the remains.
“The Syrian state has no clue about the remains of any Israeli soldier anywhere in Syria, if any, it would have acted according to its national interests, and that what it used to do,” Sarah told the Syrian state TV over the phone on April 4.
The Syrian minister went on to say that some armed groups might have cooperated with Israel on this case and helped it recover the body of the soldier without the Syrian state approval.
Baumel and two other Israeli soldiers, Yehuda Katz and Tzvi Feldman, went missing during the battle of Sultan Yacoub on June 10 of 1982. The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) killed 20 Israeli soldiers during the battle and captured several Israeli tanks, one of them is believed to be Bumel’s tank.
The Israeli military announced on April 3 that the remains of Baumel were recovered from Syria in in a complex and secret operation known as “Operation Bittersweet Song.” Russia’s President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russian and Syria forces played a role in the operation, contrary to Sarah’s claim.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Moscow on April 4 to thank Putin personally. The Israeli PM also attended a ceremony that was held in the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense of Russia on the honor of Baumel, before returning with the remains to Israel.
Expected scenario when a state becomes so dependent on another state, such as in the extent of dependence of Syria to Russia. Just the tip of an iceberg I would guess.
True.. It will be interesting to see, how the Syrians will try to balance Russian influence with Iran. That may be the only lever they have: because with Russia meaning Putin preferring Israel over Iran, and Israel wanting Iran influence in Syria removed, Assad can strength Irans influence if needed as threat. So Assad could always threaten to increase Irans influence if Russia and therefore Israel push him too much. But we will see.
Thing is though, if the Russians won’t move to stop Israeli airstrikes inside Syria, and the Syrians can’t stop those on their own, then any military installation the Syrians give to Iran is just one big giant bullseye in the shape of a blue star of David. The Syrians and Iranians need to establish a fully functional air defense network of their own that is at least as good as the one the Russians have established.
And for those who think the Russians should protect the Iranians inside Syria, both countries have different objectives. Russia wants Syria to be fully whole and integrated again, and at peace. So it can use its Syrian bases in peace. With Assad as Syria’s leader, but if it has to be without Assad if need be, so be it. It has nothing to gain with Iran’s plans to turn Syria into a forward base against Israel, as that would threaten Russia’s plans to use Syria as a forward base in the Eastern Mediterranean. For now Russia needs Iran to fight the headchoppers and Kurds in their own respective backwaters, but since the US will do whatever Israel tells it to do, if it means throwing Iran’s presence in Syria under the bus for the US to leave Syria, that might be a tempting offer. On the other hand the US has shown itself to be a very unreliable agent, and Israel has zero influence over Erdogan, who really controls the Idlib headchoppers. And he seems to have zero gusto to throw them under the bus at the moment. Or inclined to withdraw his troops from Northern Syria.
Dont event talk about that rubbish dead Israeli his not God.Make fire with Israeli bones.