'Leaked documents' reveal secret dealings between Israel-Syria under Assad regime

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, a set of leaked documents have surfaced claiming that the regime had a covert channel of communication with Israel. Though the documents were not verified, they bear the official Syrian Arab Republic letterheads and intelligence branch stamps, The New Arab reported. Photographs of the said documents were widely shared on the internet by several journalists and pan-Arab Arabic language media outlets.

These documents contrast the popular belief that the Assad government was a steadfast opponent of Israel. The documents suggest the Assad regime’s alleged complicity in Israel's operations in Iran. Among the alleged leaked documents is a letter from Israel urging Syria to curb the flow of Iranian and Hezbollah military assets. An operative, codenamed "Moses" communicated directly with former Syrian Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas, relaying specific warnings about Hamas activities and their implications. The messages were then reportedly forwarded to the former National Security Bureau head Ali Mamlouk, according to the leaked documents. In an alarming message dated 8 April 2023, the official reported that Hamas had launched rockets from the Golan Heights, demanding that Syria halt such preparations or face dire consequences.

Israel's warnings escalated, stating that previous measures were merely a "warning shot", and that if Syrian cooperation with Iran continued, retaliatory actions would follow, according to the documents. On 7 May 2023, Israeli forces targeted weapon depots linked to Syrian command structures, as part of a strategy to dismantle Iranian military capabilities in Syria. The documents state that Assad's regime not only received intelligence from Israel but also actively coordinated attacks against Iranian positions. "Supporting Hezbollah’s air defence capabilities is an act against Israel. This only serves Hezbollah’s interests, while causing harm to your military," a letter in the documents said.

While Iran's future relations with Syria remain uncertain, Tehran has expressed a desire to maintain ties, but its success may hinge on the approach of opposition groups towards Israel.