WIKILEAKS: Hillary Clinton email: Israeli intelligence says collapse of Syria will spark a Sunni-Shiite war that will benefit Israel

“The fall of the House of Assad could well ignite a sectarian war between the Shiites and the majority Sunnis of the region drawing in Iran, which, in the view of Israeli commanders would not be a bad thing for Israel and its Western allies. In the opinion of this individual, such a scenario would distract and might obstruct Iran from its nuclear activities for a good deal of time. In addition, certain senior Israeli intelligence analysts believe that this turn of events may even prove to be a factor in the eventual fall of the current government of Iran.”

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WIKILEAKS – 

From: Hillary Clinton

To: Jake Sullivan

Date: 2012-07-23 11:53

Subject: H: NEW INTEL SYRIA, TURYKEY, ISRAEL, IRAN. SID

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2014-20439 Doc No. C05795336 Date: 01/07/2016 RELEASE IN PART B6

From: H <hrod17@clintonemail.com >

Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 6:53 PM

To: ‘sulliyanij@state.g’v Subject:

Fw: H: New intel Syria, Turykey, Israel, Iran. Sid

Attachments: hrc memo new intel Syria, Turkey, Israel, Iran 072412.docx

Fyi.

From: sbwhoeop

Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 02:23 AM

To: H

Subject: H: New intel Syria, Turykey, Israel, Iran. Sid

CONFIDENTIAL July 24, 2012

For: Hillary

From: Sid Re: Syria, Turkey, Israel, Iran

SOURCE: Sources with access to the highest levels of the Governments and institutions discussed below. This includes political parties and regional intelligence and security services.

1. According to an individual with access to the highest levels of major European governments, the intelligence services of these countries are reporting to their principals that the commanders of the Israeli military and intelligence community believe that the civil war in Syria is spreading to neighboring countries, including Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey . These European officials are concerned that the ongoing conflict in Syria will lead to uprisings in these countries that will bring increasingly conservative Islamic regimes into power, replacing existing secular or moderate regimes. This individual adds that, Israeli security officials believe that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convinced that these developments will leave them vulnerable, with only enemies on their borders. UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2014-20439 Doc No. C05795336 Date: 01/07/2016

2. In private conversations senior Israeli Intelligence and Military commaders state to their European associates that they have long viewed the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, while hostile, as a known quantity and a buffer between Israel and the more militant Muslim countries, a situation that is threatened by the growing successs of the rebel forces of the Free Syria Army (FSA). This source is convinced that these Israeli leaders are now drawing up contingency plans to deal with a regional structure where the new revolutionary regimes that take over the various countries will be controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood and possibly more problematic groups such as al Qa’ida, which doesn’t bode well for the Israelis.

3. At the same time, looking at the tensions between Israel and Iran as part of the overall situation in the region, these European heads of state are receiving reporting indicating that if Israel were to attack the Iranian nuclear facilities at this time it would only exacerbate relations with their neighbors. In addition, such an attack may lead to further deterioration in the world economy, which would in turn be blamed on Israel. These sources believe that such an attack would also unite the Iranian population against the United States and strengthen their ties to the Mullahs, rather than weaken them. These particular individuals fear that this in turn would accelerate Iranian efforts at building a nuclear arsenal, seeking additional support from their contacts in Russia and China.

4. According to a source with direct access, Turkish Army commanders have stated in private discussions with the highest levels of their Government that an Israeli attack on Iran will surely start a regional war “before the first Israel air-strike sortie has returned to base”. Turkish intelligence estimates, supported by their liaison contacts in Western European intelligence services, advise that thousands of missiles and rockets would fall on Israel fired from Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.

5. (Source Comment: The Turkish Army estimates that Syria and Lebanon Hezbollah forces have access to over 200,000 surface to surface rockets and missiles. Their military analysts also believe that an assault from such a force would overwhelm Israel’s defenses.)

6. According to these individuals, the European intelligence sources are also advising their heads of state that international economic sanctions are truly hurting the Iranian economy and have begun to foster frustration among the Iranian people. Sources in Tehran report that this hostility is increasingly aimed at the ruling party. These indivdivals also advise that an Israeli attack against Iran would immediately serve to undermine this situation, turning the populaton against Israel, the United States, and Western Europe in support of their rulers, both Islamic and Secular. In this regard, these European security leaders regularly site the words of Prime Minister Netanyahu: “Iran in particular is susceptible to economic pressure. The oil-exporting Islamic republic is virtually a single-crop economy, and imposition of a tight blockade against Iranian oil sales will undoubtedly induce in Teheran a prompt revaluation of the utility of even indirect terrorist tactics.”

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2014-20439 Doc No. C05795336 Date: 01/07/2016

7. One particular source states that the British and French Intelligence services believe that their Israeli counterparts are convinced that there is a positive side to the civil war in Syria; if the Assad regime topples, Iran would lose its only ally in the Middle East and would be isolated. At the same time, the fall of the House of Assad could well ignite a sectarian war between the Shiites and the majority Sunnis of the region drawing in Iran, which, in the view of Israeli commaders would not be a bad thing for Israel and its Western allies. In the opinion of this individual, such a scenario would distract and might obstruct Iran from its nuclear activities for a good deal of time. In addition, certain senior Israeli intelligence analysts believe that this turn of events may even prove to be a factor in the eventual fall of the current government of Iran.

8. (Source Comment: In the opinion of this particularly sensitive source, after discussions with Israeli contacts, if you consider Israel’s position at this juncture, with all that is ongoing in the region, what position would you take? At present, considering that Israel is not prepared for an all out war with Iran, they may well continue to threaten action, giving the impression they are serious about pursuing aggresive Iranian anti-nuclear efforts. One way to do that is to update weapon systems; secure an air base in Saudi Arabia that would suggest a staging ground for an eventual attack, then “leak” the word to the media that their are eminent plans to carry out a bombing raid and do everything possible to persuade the world they mean business.)

9. At the same time, a separate sensitive source added that the European security services are concerned that this brinksmanship could lead to missteps that could, in turn, lead to a regional war. In this regard these European services are staying in close contact with their Israeli counterparts as they attempt to manipulate events while avoiding a general conflict at this time. This individual stated that a senior Israeli military commander described the current situation from the Israeli perspective by quoting Sun Tzu wrote in THE ART OF WAR: “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.”

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UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2014-20439 Doc No. C05795336 Date: 01/07/2016 CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY