Israeli officials: Early to assess Assad fall’s impact since many rebels ‘are basically al-Qaeda’

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Explaining Israel’s approach to the end of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel that it’s too early to say exactly what the dramatic development means for the Jewish state.

“At the moment, the Iranian regime has been significantly weakened,” says the official. “But many of the rebels are basically al-Qaeda.”

“The historic events are a chain reaction to the pounding of Hamas, the decimation of Hezbollah and, most importantly, the targeting of Nasrallah and exposing Iran’s vulnerability,” a second official, from the Prime Minister’s Office, says. “Israel wants peace with all those who truly want peace with Israel.”

For now, Israel is trying to limit its involvement so that it can focus on Iran, explains the first official.

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