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Within 24 hours, the Syrian opposition overwhelmed the positions of President Bashar al-Assad's army and his allies from Iran and Hezbollah in Aleppo and is about to liberate the cities of Hama and Homs as well, amidst questions about the reasons behind this collapse and the implications of the war, which has terrified Israel, despite attempts to show that it benefits from the situation!
Many questions have been raised about the Syrian opposition that liberated the city of Aleppo. Are they rebels and terrorists as described by the Western media? Why the insistence on linking them to "Jabhat al-Nusra," which is affiliated with al-Qaida, even though it has been dissolved and no longer exists? And why did they choose to move against Assad's forces now, just 24 hours after the ceasefire between "Israel" and "Hezbollah," knowing that "Hezbollah" is defending Assad, and that preoccupying him with a war in Syria would be advantageous for "Israel"?
What is the secret behind the swift collapse of Assad's forces in Aleppo and their escape from various areas?! Are the rebels heading towards Damascus? Is the fall of Assad imminent? Is it due to the repercussions of the Lebanon War on the strength and morale of Hezbollah and the Iranian axis supporting Assad, and the Syrian opposition's realization that regional and international developments have provided a boost to the timing of the attack and the opportunity to exploit Hezbollah's diminished ability to operate freely between Lebanon and Syria to rescue Assad? Or is it because they have been preparing for months, this time under unified leadership, and they deliberately chose to launch their offensive after the Lebanon War ceased, so it wouldn't be said that they are aiding the occupation with their actions?
What is the secret behind the collapse of the Kurdish "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF) in Tall Rifaat and Manbij, and their escape or withdrawal in agreement with the opposition, being mercenaries trained and armed by the U.S. to serve as a tool for them in Syria while fighting against Turkey from there?
The most important question is, will Iran, Russia, Israel, and the United States allow Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces to reach Damascus after Aleppo, Hama, and Homs, and redraw the maps of the region in a way that will affect Western interests and the interests of the Zionist state?
The secret is in opposition
The first and most important key to success lies in the Syrian opposition themselves, their Islamic commitment, discipline, and their standing under a unified leadership known as the "Military Operations Command," within an alliance that includes a wide range of opposition fighters, including Salafist Islamic factions and moderate groups close to the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria.
With this, the trumpets, newspapers, satellite channels, and foreign and Arab news agencies launched accusations against them at times, claiming they are jihadists and "ISIS," and at other times labeling them as agents of America and "Israel." They fabricate stories about them thanking "Israel" for its support or America for sponsoring their attacks, despite their clear and declared positions against the Zionist occupation and their rejection of American influence in Syria (with nearly 22 American military bases in Syria).
The first thing the revolutionaries did when they liberated the Citadel of Aleppo was to raise the flags of Syria and Palestine to adorn the citadel after liberating the city as part of the "deterring aggression" operation, sending clear messages about their intentions.
The truth is that these Syrian opposition factions fighting against the Syrian regime and its army, which has committed atrocities and crimes against Syrians that are no less than the crimes of the Zionists in Gaza, aim to stay in power and are independent, not affiliated with any external entity. Some, however, receive support from Turkey, especially the Free Army, which primarily fights against the Kurds. Most of them are from the families of the early martyrs and detainees who were displaced from their land. The videos coming from Syria show many of them returning to their old homes and reuniting with the remaining members of their families, As well as the opening of prisons and detention centers to release others who remain in Assad's prisons.
Four of the most important factions among these seven that are fighting under a unified command are Islamic factions that have been united, along with nearly 10 other Islamic factions, the majority of which are moderate Salafists or affiliated with the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria.
"Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" is the most prominent group participating in the attack, and because it is the successor to "Jabhat al-Nusra," which is affiliated with "Al-Qaeda," opponents are accused of being "terrorists." However, the truth is that "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" is an armed Islamist group formed in January 2017 as a result of the merger of several jihadist factions. While it includes some individuals who have renounced the ideas of "Jabhat al-Nusra" and defected from it, their beliefs have changed completely and they have become moderate after leaving "Jabhat al-Nusra," which no longer exists. They form a government in Idlib, and an administrative front called the "Syrian Salvation Government," led by Abu Muhammad al-Julani, who previously led "Jabhat al-Nusra." The overall goal of the group is to liberate Syria from the regular forces.
There is also the Islamic "Ahrar al-Sham Movement," which emerged during the Syrian revolution through the unification of four Islamic factions: "Ahrar al-Sham Battalions," "Islamic Fajr Movement," "Islamic Vanguard Group," and "Fighting Faith Battalions."
"Ahrar al-Sham" is a moderate Salafi movement with origins in the thought of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Muhammad Surour, Muhammad al-Abdo, and Esam al-Attar, as explained in a previous report in "Al-Mujtama" by the thinker Muhammad Salem al-Rashed.
Among the other moderate Islamic groups is the "Nur al-Din Zenki Brigades," a revolutionary Islamic movement that participated in the fighting against the Syrian regime in recent years. They are students of the "Aleppine Sheikhly School," which was previously led by Sheikh Tawfiq.
There is also the "National Liberation Front," which is a coalition of the Syrian armed opposition in southwestern Syria, formed by 11 factions of the "Free Syrian Army" in May 2018 in Idlib province in the northwest of the country, and it includes 30,000 fighters.
"The Syrian National Army," which is an alliance of opposition factions supported by Turkey that opposes the forces loyal to the Syrian regime, was established in December 2017. It operates as the army of the interim government affiliated with the Syrian opposition, based in Turkey.
There is Israeli American anxiety about "Islamists."
The Israeli and American concern about the advance of the armed Syrian opposition factions against the Syrian regime forces and their Iranian and Russian allies stems from the fact that most of these factions belong to moderate Salafi groups or are ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria.
On December 1, major General Tamir Yadai, the commander of the ground forces in the "Israeli" army, said: "The situation in Syria concerns us very much and if the revolutionaries win against the Syrian regime, we will see them all on our borders in the future, and this is not in our favor.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an urgent security meeting following the advance of the Syrian opposition on November 29, to discuss the developments in Syria, according to the newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth." He expressed concern over the victories of the opposition forces and the implications of this for "Israel."
The newspaper "Haaretz" quoted an "Israeli" political official as saying: "We must be prepared for any eventuality, including the possible fall of Assad's regime and the potential for extremist Sunni organizations to pose a new threat to Israel."
The newspaper "Times of Israel" stated on November 30 that the heads of intelligence agencies told the Israeli Prime Minister that the progress of the rebels in Syria could mean short-term benefits. The newspaper " Ma'ariv ", for its part, warned on November 29 about the fall of Aleppo into the hands of the opposition due to the Islamic ideological nature of the opposition and the potential for cooperation with "Hamas" if Assad's regime collapses and Islamists take power in Damascus, according to what it reported.
"Yedioth Ahronoth also stated under the title 'Israel must prepare for the emergence of a potential Sunni jihadist threat on its borders': If the Assad regime collapses and Sunni rebels manage to take control of Syria, Israel may face a greater and more dangerous security challenge. It mentioned that, although weakening Assad benefits Israel in some respects, Sunni rebels also pose a significant threat, and Hamas is a clear example of the dangers posed by Sunni jihadists."
The newspaper "Ma'ariv" published an analysis by Israeli expert, researcher, and lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Haifa, Dr. Yaron Friedman. He emphasized that one of the issues causing concern for "Israel" is the Islamic ideological identity of the rebels fighting the Syrian regime, particularly "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham." He said that if Assad falls, the Syrian opposition led by Salafist groups could pose a greater threat to the "Israeli" border. He suggested that there is a possibility of the emergence of an extremist Sunni religious state, which he believes would pose a greater threat to "Israel" than the Assad regime, which has maintained calm in the Golan Heights for 50 years.