No clear Israeli vision in Syria, as Europe reassesses dependence on US

Global newspapers today highlighted Israel’s lack of a clear policy toward Syria and Europe’s push for strategic autonomy in the face of US pressure.

Researcher warns of absence of a vision in Israel’s Syria policy

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a researcher specializing in Syrian affairs, warned that Israel’s policy in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in 2024 is unfolding without a coherent strategic vision.

Tsurkov told the Jerusalem Post that Israel has expanded its involvement in southern Syria for nearly a year, yet it lacks any defined political or security objective guiding this involvement. She added that the current policy is rudderless and produces counterproductive reactions that may turn southern Syria into a new front against Israel.

She noted that security negotiations between Israel and Damascus have stalled due to Israeli political decisions, arguing that maintaining a military presence in southern Syria brings no real gains but instead fuels public resentment.

Tsurkov concluded that Israel must set clear objectives in Syria, including preventing weapons smuggling to Hezbollah, curbing Iran-backed groups, and integrating Syria into the moderate Arab bloc. Achieving this, she stressed, requires a political vision rather than scattered military operations.

Europe seeks strategic autonomy in face of US pressure

An analysis by the Financial Times reveals that the shock caused by the unexpected US “peace plan” on Ukraine has revived a fundamental question within Europe: Can the European Union continue relying on the United States as a primary partner at a time when Washington uses its influence to pressure allies rather than support them?

The newspaper argues that what happened with Ukraine was not an isolated incident but a sign of deeper structural flaws in the transatlantic relationship, particularly under the Trump administration, which treats Europe through the logic of deals and political and commercial extortion.

According to the analysis, Trump’s repeated attempts to push Ukraine toward concessions to Russia forced Europeans to confront a harsh reality: the United States, long seen as Europe’s chief security guarantor, is no longer a predictable partner. Each time Europeans tried to dissuade Washington from its positions, they found themselves acting as followers trying merely to minimize the damage instead of shaping independent policies.

The analysis states that Europe needs a clear plan to systematically reduce its dependence on the United States not to sever ties, but to ensure the relationship does not become a vulnerability. This vision includes economic, financial, and military dimensions.

Economically, Europe’s reliance on the American market has become a strategic burden, as US tariffs have turned into a tool of political pressure. This requires reducing exposure, diversifying markets, and adopting counter-policies. Financially, capital flowing to the United States has weakened investment within Europe, and the paper suggests stopping this outflow through regulations that encourage keeping funds inside the EU. Militarily, Europe’s dependence on Washington poses growing risks, and the solution lies in building independent European defense capabilities through joint financing and discussions led by Paris and Berlin.

A-H 

ANHA