In a rare appearance in front of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, head of the Mossad Meir Dagan said that Israel’s military deterrence was damaged during the war in Lebanon and at the same time, there was a shift in the self confidence and strategy of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Dagan warned that Syria is now willing to take more risks against Israel than in the past, and that from now on, they will respond to anything they would consider “Israeli aggression.”
Dagan added that there is no indication of flexibility of the Syrian stance and with their strive towards peace. In addition, negotiating with Syria will mean a major stab in the back of the Americans.
Dagan also said that Syria has increased its efforts to arm itself, as well as rapidly continuing to arm Hizballah. Syria, according to Dagan, is actively seeking to topple the Siniora government in Lebanon and is looking to destabilize the American presence in Iraq.
As to the Iranian threat, Dagan said that the assessment has not changed, and if Iran will continue in its current pace, they will have a nuclear bomb within three to four years.