Military Intelligence officer tells Cabinet Assad continues to speak peace while preparing army for possible confrontation with Israel
Ronny Sofer
Brigadier-General Yossi Beyditz, head the Research Department in the IDF Directorate of Military Intelligence, told Cabinet Sunday that, “(Syrian President Bashar) Assad is preparing his army for a confrontation with Israel.”
“Assad has not returned the army to its pre-Lebanon war positions,” Beyditz said.  
However, he added that the Syrian army is not prepared to attack, but rather to defend the country against a possible Israeli offensive  
"These are artillery cannons, missiles and rockets positioned in forward positions. He is preparing for a defensive and not offensive response. He estimates that Israel would want to attack him," he said.
He added: "Assad continues to support Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hizbullah. We have unequivocal proof on his direct involvement in smuggling weapons to Lebanon. In the past there was no proof," he said.
"The Syrians continue to sabotage attempts to implement UN Resolution 1701 and also to harm (Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad) Siniora's sovereignty and create a majority block against him in the government," he added.
"Bashar Assad continues him wave of equivocal messages. Once he speaks about sticking with a peace strategy and simultaneously speak of a confrontation and about us as not ready for a political process and he in fact means both options: a political arrangement according to Assad's known conditions, but prepares that army for a confrontation with Israel," the officer said.
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