Original article:
http://www.alraimedia.com/ar/article/special-reports/2015/09/25/623122/nr/syria
“Moscow imposed on Tel Aviv a military coordination in advance for any military operation carried against Syrian military targets or against Hezbollah in Syria, to prevent any fatal accident. Senior military officers on both sides will maintain regular meetings and contacts to allow a smooth Russian military presence in Syria. Above all, Russia would like to avoid shooting down an Israeli jet in case one of its officers is hit by mistake while present in a convoy or in special mission. Israel and Russia will also coordinate naval operations off the coast of Syria, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, where there is a large Russian naval base”, said a decision-maker source in Damascus.
According to the source, quoting a Russian envoy that referred details of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “the promenade era of Israel over the sky of Syria is ending. Israel agreed to stop hitting any military target or convoy on Syrian land under any excuses or without prior coordination with the liaison officers that will be established starting form next October. President Putin opposed the U.S President Barack Obama when he decided to hit President al-Assad. Therefore, Netanyahu’s national security concern would be Russia’s priority. None the less, Putin confirmed that Israel has the right to hit any military convoy leaving Syria and entering the Lebanese soil if suspected of carrying weapons to Hezbollah ».
“Russia is becoming the guarantor and the coordinator of rival parties and countries, like Hezbollah, Syria and Israel as well as the striking force against extremist groups the Levant, like Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Qaeda in Sham) and the group called “Islanic State” (IS). Hezbollah agreed to limit all military activities in Syria without hitting Israel as long as the Russian forces are present on the ground and Israel won’t hit Hezbollah in Syria” confirmed the source.
«The Russian military presence in Syria is not new. Experts have already visited on the ground the front lines with Al-Qaeda, ISIS, the Israeli demarcation line on the Golan front with Israel, as well as the Israeli-Lebanese borders, escorted and protected by Hezbollah. As far as it concerns the objectives, these include elimnating ISIS, Nusra and their allies. Also, Russia aims to establish a security belt around their military bases in the north-west of Syria to prevent any force from rocketing the Russian coastal base and to create a security parameter around Lattakia, mainly due to Al-Qaeda advance in Idlib, noth of Syria. Damascus and Moscow are aware that the Russian newly intervention won’t have an immediate magical effect. There are over 150,000 rebels and extremists in Syria. These – said the source – won’t disappear form one day to another. But the Russian intervention imposed a forced rhythm on the United States and Europe to change the rules of the game. The international focus needs to be orientated toward the fight against terrorism and not to change Assad. With or without the Syrian President, ISIS and al-Qaeda have no intention to leave the country. Therefore, the U.S current method used to contain extremists by adopting a soft approach is not successful. Russia believes a more rough methods are required and is preparing to carry more raids in one single month, equivalent to nearly a year of airstrikes carried by the coalition against terrorists”, said the source.
Experienced Russian military are involved in Syria are eager to avenge the Afghanistan war against al-Qaeda. Russia wants to re-organise the Syrian Army, integrate different units and organisations (National Defense Forces), offer incentives for new recruits, repair the damage caused by the war to the Syrian military body and equipment and offer air and ground support to defeat Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Qaeda in al Sham) and ISIS.
Russian naval forces will start conducting exercises in the eastern part of the Mediterranean. The maneuvers would include the three ships of the Black Sea Fleet.
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