Israel Matzav: Report: Israel paying large sums to Syrian rebels for info on 'extremists'

Sunday, March 02, 2014

Report: Israel paying large sums to Syrian rebels for info on 'extremists'

Abu Dhabi's The National reports that Israel is paying large sums of money to Syrian rebel groups for information about the Islamists among them.

At least three rebel factions in southern Syria have been in regular contact with Israeli intelligence officials, and have each received more than one tranche of funding worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a well-connected rebel commander who is familiar with operations in the zone bordering Jordan and Israel.

“When they run out of cash, they contact the Israelis,” he said of fellow commanders in the area, a practice he said did not bother him.

Syria and Israel have been in a state of war since the late 1940s but traditional enmities and alliances are being reshaped by an unfolding chaos.

While many rebel factions remain vehemently anti-Israel, some are taking a pragmatic stance and are willing to cooperate with their historic enemy if it helps defeat the president, Bashar Al Assad.

Meanwhile, Tel Aviv is facing the prospect of Islamist militants taking control of border areas, incongruously once secured by the authoritarian regime in Damascus with which it was technically at war.

...

While claims of large Israeli payments in exchange for information could not be independently confirmed, a senior rebel heading a unit in the southern area said one of his fighters had abandoned a different battalion over Israeli financing.

By that account, a young fighter developed contacts with Israeli intelligence after being wounded and sent to a hospital in Israel for treatment, where he was questioned about Islamist factions.

After recovering and returning to his unit late last year, the rebel fighter told of the intelligence contact to his commander, who decided to tap the Israelis for funding.

Using a pre-arranged channel of communication to Israeli intelligence, the rebel officer asked for US$100,000 (Dh367,000), and was told he could have that and more in exchange for precise details about extremist groups.

The young fighter had misgivings about taking money from Israel, which occupies the Syrian Golan Heights in defiance of UN rulings, and abandoned the group to join another brigade before any money changed hands.

Rebels who have helped transport the wounded across the border for medical treatment say the Israelis are most interested in Jabhat Al Nusra, an Al Qaeda-affiliated group, and other powerful Islamist groups including Harakat Al Muthanna, Ahrar Al Sham and a number of less well known units.

It would not be surprising if at least parts of this report were true (although I do resent the implication that Israel is providing humanitarian relief to the rebel forces out of impure motives). In fact, I hope they are. At least it would show that our government is being proactive. And no, I don't expect any comment from the Israeli government on this report. The rebels have positions close to the Israel - Syria border.

Labels: Bashar al-Assad, Golan Heights, Nusra Front, Syrian uprising