Syria will try for Golan Heights

Syria is satisfied with Hizbullah's performance against the IDF, and is encouraging the organization to oppose its disarmament, OC Military Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. He also said Damascus would try to recover the Golan Heights by any possible means, diplomatic or military, and was studying the recent campaign to learn how to conduct successful operations against Israel. "Hizbullah does not intend to leave southern Lebanon or to disarm. At most, it would be willing to stash away its arms in the [south Lebanon] sector," said Yadlin. It was important to note, said Yadlin, that Hizbullah had used more weapons provided by Syria than by Iran. While Iran provided training and funding, Yadlin said it was Syrian supplies that were enabling Hizbullah forces to remain active. The intelligence chief said that despite widespread skepticism over the army's effectiveness, Syria and Hizbullah had been "impressed" by the IDF's performance. He also said, "Syria and Hizbullah were surprised by the determined stand made by the Israeli home front during the course of the war." "They expected Israel to sustain more casualties when they fired close to 4,000 rockets and they expected there to be greater chaos and disorder within Israeli society," he said. Yadlin said Hizbullah was gaining support in Lebanon by rehabilitating areas damaged during the war.