Israel asserts sovereignty in light of Syria chaos

It doesn't matter if it's the Syrian rebels or Assad forces firing at IDF soldiers, the response will be the same.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Tamuz missile launcher_311 (photo credit: Yaakov Katz)
Tamuz missile launcher_311
(photo credit: Yaakov Katz)
In a region where traditional state sovereignty is experiencing a meltdown, Israeli defense chiefs have elected to pursue a policy that leaves no questions about the robustness of the country’s sovereignty.
When shots are fired from Syria toward Israeli soldiers protecting their side of their border, endangering lives (twice within hours), the IDF will waste little time in identifying the source of the danger, and eliminating it.
Tactically, this minimizes the chances of harm coming to IDF soldiers who separate Israel from the murderous chaos raging in Syria.
Strategically, it sends out an unequivocal message to those thinking of testing Israel’s responses again.
In this case, the army fired a hi-tech Tamuz guided missile at a Syrian army machine gun post. It matters little whether those shooting at Israel are Syrian army forces or rebels; the promise of a firm response is the same.
And yet, the defense community is aware that this policy is no guarantee for a quiet border. Pro- Assad forces, which include thousands of irregular militia fighters, may make more reckless decisions, and the same is true of rebel forces that are guided by jihadi ideology.
Since deterrence can only go so far in a failed neighboring state, the IDF must also plan for what happens when larger-scale attacks occur on the border. When that day comes, it will have to put its plans into action.