The rapid collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has left Israel concerned about the future of what has been its quietest border in an era of continual instability and war, as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that drove Assad out and has roots in Al-Qaeda and ISIS, takes charge.

"I suspect they will probably send signals to Israel directly or indirectly, that they're not interested in igniting anything there," Haaretz Podcast guest Hassan Hassan, editor-in-chief of New Lines Magazine, said.

Hassan, a Syrian-born journalist and author who has studied Islamist groups, believes that their posture towards Israel would be "cut from the same cloth" as Assad's, who "never really waged war against Israel since 1973."

Haaretz senior military analyst Amos Harel, also on the podcast, said that Israeli officials are wary of the group and its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. According to Harel, the Syrian rebel leader currently "at least pretends to to have become more of a moderate. He doesn't talk like an extreme jihadist anymore. But don't think I'm buying into this, and neither are the Israeli intelligence community and the Israeli leadership."

The rapid collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has left Israel concerned about the future of what has been its quietest border in an era of continual instability and war, as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that drove Assad out and has roots in Al-Qaeda and ISIS, takes charge.
"I suspect they will probably send signals to Israel directly or indirectly, that they're not interested in igniting anything there," Haaretz Podcast guest Hassan Hassan, editor-in-chief of New Lines Magazine, said.
Hassan, a Syrian-born journalist and author who has studied Islamist groups, believes that their posture towards Israel would be "cut from the same cloth" as Assad's, who "never really waged war against Israel since 1973."
Haaretz senior military analyst Amos Harel, also on the podcast, said that Israeli officials are wary of the group and its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. According to Harel, the Syrian rebel leader currently "at least pretends to to have become more of a moderate. He doesn't talk like an extreme jihadist anymore. But don't think I'm buying into this, and neither are the Israeli intelligence community and the Israeli leadership."

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

'They're no Zionists': How Syria's rebels toppled Assad and what it means for Israel

Haaretz senior columnist and former diplomat Alon Pinkas says that for years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tacitly supported the continuation of the brutal dictatorship of Bashar Assad in Syria, and it is absurd for him to claim credit for helping to topple Assad’s rule by weakening the mainstays of Iranian power in the region.

“He might as well claim credit for the invasion of Normandy or the fall of the Berlin Wall or the surrender of Japan,” said Pinkas on the Haaretz Podcast. “He had nothing to do with those things. That he decimated Hamas and decapitated or degraded Hezbollah? Absolutely, but the Israeli military did that. That’s the same military he maligned and that he foul-mouthed in the days and weeks following the October 7, 2023 calamity.” 

According to Pinkas, Netanyahu is suffering from “delusions of grandeur” in his attempts to convince Israelis and the wider world that he is somehow remaking the Middle East by “cherry-picking successes, ignoring failures and presenting a false narrative.”

 

Haaretz senior columnist and former diplomat&nbsp;Alon Pinkas says that for years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tacitly supported the continuation of the brutal dictatorship of Bashar Assad in Syria, and it is absurd for him to claim credit for helping to topple Assad&rsquo;s rule by weakening the mainstays of Iranian power in the region.
&ldquo;He might as well claim credit for the invasion of Normandy or the fall of the Berlin Wall or the surrender of Japan,&rdquo; said Pinkas on the Haaretz Podcast. &ldquo;He had nothing to do with those things. That he decimated Hamas and decapitated or degraded Hezbollah? Absolutely, but the Israeli military did that. That&rsquo;s the same military he maligned and that he foul-mouthed in the days and weeks following the October 7, 2023 calamity.&rdquo;&nbsp;
According to Pinkas, Netanyahu is suffering from &ldquo;delusions of grandeur&rdquo; in his attempts to convince Israelis and the wider world that he is somehow remaking the Middle East by &ldquo;cherry-picking successes, ignoring failures and presenting a false narrative.&rdquo;
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Alon Pinkas on challenging the idea of Netanyahu as a master strategist of the Middle East

Israel, the United States, and European leaders are all missing a unique opportunity in their policy stance and behavior toward the new post-Assad regime in Syria, veteran Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom said on the Haaretz Podcast.

Carlstrom, a journalist for The Economist currently based in Dubai, said that the leader of the Islamist faction that led the toppling of Bashar Assad’s regime has made it clear that he has no hostile intentions towards Israel. And yet, Israel has attacked hundreds of targets in the country, targeting weapons depots and air defense systems. Israel's decision to deploy troops on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights and seize control of a buffer zone between the two countries is, according to Carlstrom, worrying and alienating the Syrian population. "For Syrians, that looks like exploitation, not security," he explained. 

Also on the podcast, German journalist Vera Weidenbach discussed how the collapse of Assad’s regime has reignited debates about Syrian refugees in Europe. With asylum applications frozen in Germany, and with other countries considering similar steps, she said refugees face mounting uncertainty as “deeply polarizing” rhetoric intensifies. "You see the far-right dominating the discourse in Germany, celebrating Assad’s fall as a reason for refugees to ‘finally go home,’ creating a toxic atmosphere."

 

 

Israel, the United States, and European leaders are all missing a unique opportunity in their policy stance and behavior toward the new post-Assad regime in Syria, veteran Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom said on the Haaretz Podcast.
Carlstrom, a journalist for The Economist currently based in Dubai, said that the leader of the Islamist faction that led the toppling of Bashar Assad&rsquo;s regime has made it clear that he has no hostile intentions towards Israel. And yet, Israel has attacked hundreds of targets in the country, targeting weapons depots and air defense systems. Israel's decision to deploy troops on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights and seize control of a buffer zone between the two countries is, according to Carlstrom, worrying and alienating the Syrian population. "For Syrians, that looks like exploitation, not security," he explained.&nbsp;
Also on the podcast, German journalist Vera Weidenbach discussed how the collapse of Assad&rsquo;s regime has reignited debates about Syrian refugees in Europe. With asylum applications frozen in Germany, and with other countries considering similar steps, she said refugees face mounting uncertainty as &ldquo;deeply polarizing&rdquo; rhetoric intensifies.&nbsp;"You see the far-right dominating the discourse in Germany, celebrating Assad&rsquo;s fall as a reason for refugees to &lsquo;finally go home,&rsquo; creating a toxic atmosphere."
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Is Israel squandering a rare chance in Syria?

In this episode of the Haaretz Podcast, host Allison Kaplan Sommer and Haaretz columnist Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin delve into the trial of Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing corruption charges while continuing to lead the country at wartime. From the demonstrations outside the courtroom where Netanyahu took the stand this week, to the calculated strategies inside, they unpack the layers of drama, history, and legal maneuvering on display. 

This trial isn’t just about one man - it’s about the integrity of Israel’s judiciary and the resilience of its democracy. With tensions running high and public opinion deeply divided, what’s at stake for Israel’s future?

In this episode of the Haaretz Podcast, host Allison Kaplan Sommer and Haaretz columnist Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin delve into the trial of Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing corruption charges while continuing to lead the country at wartime. From the demonstrations outside the courtroom where Netanyahu took the stand this week, to the calculated strategies inside, they unpack the layers of drama, history, and legal maneuvering on display.&nbsp;
This trial isn&rsquo;t just about one man - it&rsquo;s about the integrity of Israel&rsquo;s judiciary and the resilience of its democracy. With tensions running high and public opinion deeply divided, what&rsquo;s at stake for Israel&rsquo;s future?

'They're no Zionists': How Syria's rebels toppled Assad and what it means for Israel

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