Communications

The fall of a brutal dictator, mass murderer, and bitter enemy is gratifying and even exhilarating. The deeper question, however, is whether and to what extent it serves Israel's interests. For Israel, a sovereign and stable state along its border, i.e. one that can be deterred, is always preferable to non-state entities, especially extremist Islamist groups. The Assad regime,...

Chuck Freilich, former deputy national security adviser for Israel and a frequent Netanyahu critic, said Israel had a clear defensive imperative to secure Syrian military assets along the border. If the regime’s chemical weapons, missile stocks and aircraft fell into the wrong hands, they could pose a threat not just to Israel but to Jordan and other neighboring countries, he...