Syria's nuclear handover report shows Israel must expand to diplomatic action, expert tells ‘Post’
Beyond Damascus, there are a number of potential international partners who would be interested in ensuring nonproliferation in Syria.
Dr. Gil Murciano, CEO of Mitvim and an expert on Israeli foreign and security policy, argued to The Jerusalem Post that Israel's security arrangements need to expand beyond military actions to diplomatic efforts following Syria's reported willingness to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the removal of nuclear material from the Assad-era Site 99.
While the material is not capable of producing nuclear weapons, it could potentially be used to create a radiological dispersal device (RDD) like a "dirty bomb." Israel had reportedly threatened a military strike against Site 99 if the material was not removed or if Syria attempted to access it. Murciano emphasized that Israel should take a more active role in diplomacy instead of solely relying on military might and its alliance with the United States.
He pointed out that Syria and Israel share numerous security concerns, such as preventing Iran-aligned groups like Hezbollah from infiltrating their borders. Despite the challenging background of Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Murciano suggested that Israel should engage in diplomatic discussions and cooperate with regional actors to shape regional relationships.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
