The Israeli defense establishment is weighing requests for assistance from Syria's Kurdish minority, who are under attack from Turkish-backed Islamist groups. The appeals for help have reached Israeli officials in recent days following the advancement of these groups and their successful capture of Kurdish-held territories.
Israel and the Kurdish forces have maintained an ongoing dialogue, which has strengthened significantly following the fall of the Assad regime.
The Israeli dilemma stems partly from the potential impact such intervention could have on relations with Erdogan's Turkey, as well as the American position, which favors stopping the fighting through diplomatic means. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has led diplomatic discourse supporting the Kurds and Druze in Syria, raising the issue in meetings with his European counterparts and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Their appeals to Israel have also reached Israel Hayom, "You control the skies, you didn't hesitate to take the big mountain (Syrian Hermon). Everyone fears you, including al-Julani (leader of the rebel group that overthrew the Assad regime). Turkey is against you, and we are with you. You must help us, for your own interests," says A. Awak, one of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commanders in the southeastern sector of the Syrian autonomous region, in a fragmented conversation from the Syria-Iraq border.
"The Turks are determined to exploit the success of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and conquer all of Syria to make it their client state," he adds. "Only we can prevent this, but we need external help from the West, especially from you, because everyone fears you now. The day isn't far when these Islamist groups will turn against you too."
"This is a historic opportunity that Israel must seize," says Professor Ofra Bengio, one of the world's leading experts on Kurdish affairs. "Israel should assist the Kurdish minority in Syria so they can maintain their autonomy in the northeast of the country." During Syria's civil war, the Kurds, a pro-Western and pro-Israeli minority, managed to establish control over a quarter of the country's territory – a larger area than most other opposition groups.
The Kurdish region in Syria, bordering Iraq to the east, also serves as a buffer against pro-Iranian groups operating in southern Iraq that launch drones and missiles toward Israel.
The Turkish interest becomes apparent as the fall of the Assad regime to militias from northwestern Syria in the past ten days has raised immediate concerns among the Kurds. Although this marks the fall of one of their enemies, there are growing fears that Turkish-backed militias will turn against them - a fear that has already begun to materialize.
The Islamist groups have captured the provincial city of Manbij near the Turkish border from Kurdish forces, with fighting only stopping after American intervention - though it continued on other fronts. In recent days, they also captured the city of Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria, including its strategic airport, as well as the city of Al-Bukamal on the Iraqi border. The Kurds retreated across the Euphrates River but fear continued attacks with Turkish support.
An Israeli diplomatic source says that Israeli involvement now, even behind the scenes, has more advantages than disadvantages, "It's clear to us too that the moderation displayed by the heads of the Islamist rebel headquarters in Syria is for PR purposes, and when they can, they will turn against Israel. The Kurds are allies who have helped us in various ways."
However, he emphasizes, "The picture is complex, and we cannot act there without American consent. There's a chance the Americans won't be too angry if we independently attack targets in the south, far from Turkey, without claiming responsibility."
