Israel has reportedly been engaging in secret communications with the ousted Syrian regime of Bashar Assad through the messaging app WhatsApp, according to a recent report by Israeli media outlet Yedioth Ahronoth. This covert engagement allegedly involved Israeli intelligence agents posing as ‘Musa’ to establish contact with Assad and his inner circle, with messages purportedly reaching high-ranking officials within Damascus.
The report highlights various covert operations where the main objective was to create negotiations between the two entities. One specific operation aimed at persuading Assad to halt the transfer of weapons to Lebanon, with the potential lifting of international sanctions against his regime as the proposed incentive. This outreach to Assad is indicative of Israel's wider strategy to manage its regional security concerns, particularly relating to Iranian influence and Hezbollah's growing military capabilities.
By the end of 2019, Yossi Cohen, who was then the chief of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, was scheduled to meet with Assad at the Kremlin, intending to solidify these clandestine communications. Nevertheless, the meeting failed to materialize as Assad reportedly backed out at the last moment—a move raising several questions about the stability and trust of such diplomatic overtures.
Following Israeli airstrikes targeting sites linked to Iran or Hezbollah within Syrian territory, communications were purportedly redirected to the then-Syrian Defense Minister, Ali Abbas. This highlights the proactive measures undertaken by Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate, known as Aman, to manage its security interests amid the complex geopolitical changes occurring within Syria.
Interestingly, the backdrop of these developments is tied to the Syrian National Army’s recent advances against Assad’s regime. On December 8, 2018, after years of conflict, anti-regime groups succeeded in taking over significant areas of Damascus, which effectively curtailed the rule of Assad’s Baath Party—a regime entrenched for nearly six decades. The capture occurred swiftly, primarily driven by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) faction, marking a decisive moment for the Syrian opposition and altering the dynamics of power within the region.
Israel's historical ties to Syria have often been fraught with tension, particularly due to territorial disputes, including the Golan Heights, which Israel captured during the Six-Day War of 1967 and has since annexed, though the move remains largely unrecognized internationally. The complexity of these communications reflects the broader maneuvering by Israel to counter security threats posed by Iran's entrenchment within Syria and its alliances with Hezbollah.
Incidents of aggression from both sides have contributed to long-standing hostilities, with Israel frequently launching airstrikes on what it claims are Iranian positions or arms transfers to Hezbollah. This back-and-forth has created layers of clandestine operations, including the reported use of modern communication platforms like WhatsApp to facilitate dialogues between warring factions.
While the civil war within Syria has led to massive humanitarian crises and geopolitical instability, Israel's strategic interests remain clear as it rejects calls for the withdrawal of its forces from occupied territories, and it has not acknowledged any rights for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders, including East Jerusalem as its capital. This position continues to fuel tensions not only with Syria but also with its Arab neighbors, adding yet another layer to the dynamic within the Middle East.
The communications documented represent merely the tip of the iceberg concerning the complex and often shadowy negotiations taking place behind the scenes. With the region’s future hanging precariously, the interplay of secretive dialogues, public posturing, and military operations outlines the challenges both Israel and Assad's regime will have to navigate moving forward.
The revelations about these messages and operations could have far-reaching implications for Israel's foreign relations, particularly with its Arab neighbors, as transparency and openness remain elusive within the often veiled interactions of high-stakes diplomacy. While the ideal of peace seems distant, the secret communications suggest the possibility of negotiations, albeit fraught with challenges and uncertainties.
