BICOM

Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, the Director of Military Intelligence in the Israeli army, told the Herzliya policy and security conference yesterday that Iran and Hezbollah are establishing a popular army in Syria which would help prop up President Assad’s regime and create a foothold in the country in the event of Assad’s downfall.

In a wide-ranging speech, Kochavi analysed changes in the Middle East and the security challenges facing Israel. Addressing the ongoing violence and instability in neighbouring Syria, Kochavi said that the country is “falling apart” and emphasised that if Assad were to be deposed, Iran would lose its’ “sole ally in the region surrounding Israel” and would “lose the ability to transfer weaponry through Syria to Hezbollah.”

As a result, Kochavi said that Tehran and Hezbollah have established a force to help maintain Assad’s rule, commenting “They have begun by establishing a popular army trained by Hezbollah and financed by Iran, currently consisting of 50,000 men, with plans to increase to 100,000.” The force he said is also being used by Iran and Hezbollah to prepare “for the day after Assad’s fall, when they will use this army to protect their assets and interest in Syria.” Kochavi’s assessment comes on the eve of a European Council meeting in Brussels at which Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande are expected to push for a European Union arms embargo on Syria to be lifted, paving the way for helping arm moderate Syrian opposition forces looking to defeat Assad.

Kochavi also estimated that “Iran’s nuclear programme is advancing slower then they planned, but it is moving.” However, he emphasised that “Iran does not see a high likelihood of an attack on its nuclear facilities by the international community.”