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| Syrians sign a large Russian flag during a rally at al-Sabaa Bahrat square in Damascus 12 October 2011. (Photo: REUTERS - Khaled al-Hariri) |
Israeli pundits argue that the Tartus naval base under renovation would facilitate Russian espionage and observation of the Israeli army and its different means of combat and channels of communication.
The Hebrew magazine Israel Defense, which published an expose on the project, quoted Russian naval commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky as saying that “the first phase of development and modernization will be completed by 2012.” According to high-level Israeli security sources, “the restoration of the naval base in Syria will facilitate Russian spying operations, especially the implementation of electronic spying, with aims to gather information on Israel’s advanced arms systems, as well as tapping channels and frequencies used by the army and the Israeli security establishment.” He added that “Russia has actively worked to weaken Israel’s excellent air security in the northern front since the early 1980s.”
According to the Israeli magazine, the Russian Ministry of Defense decided on the Tartus base renewal project three years ago. Although the base was active throughout the Cold War, it was largely neglected prior to 2006. The magazine further noted that the commander of the Russian navy had previously confirmed that “presence in the Mediterranean Sea is imperative for the Russian fleet in the Black Sea.”
Israeli sources claim that “the Russian move is apparently related to US-Russia tensions, especially in the context of America’s plan to erect a missile shield in Europe.” Furthermore, the sources noted that “the American Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea had a perpetual presence, while its Russian counterpart sends its warships under the guise of diplomatic missions, friendly visits, and military exercises in the Mediterranean basin.”
According to another Israeli security analysis, “it is possible that the establishment of the naval base is related to other agreements signed between Russia and Syria last year, especially with regards to mutual transactions between the two countries, where Moscow provided Syria with state-of-the-art weapons for its air defense that were no longer produced.”
Israel Defense also speculated on the relationship between the base’s construction and Russia’s international support for Syria. “It is impossible to separate current progress in the construction of the naval base in Tartus from the recent Russian support for Syria in the UN Security Council, which prevented the imposition of sanctions against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.” The magazine added that more arms deals were in the works between the two countries.
This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition.
Uprooted Palestinian
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