Israel Was Surprised by Trump’s Decision to Withdraw From Syria, Allow Turkey to Start Operation

Israel was surprised by U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw American forces from Syria and allow Turkey to begin a military operation in the area.

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The decision, which was announced by the White House on Sunday night, caught senior officials in Israel's security and diplomatic ranks by complete surprise.

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– Haaretz Weekly Ep. 43

Haaretz Weekly Ep. 43Haaretz

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Several sources also said that the American decision was also not seriously discussed, and possibly even wasn't discussed at all, during Sunday's security cabinet meeting, which focused on Iran and the Palestinian arena.   

As of Monday evening, no official response was offered from Israel to the American decision. Several Republican senators mentioned potential harm to Israel in their denunciations of the withdrawal decision.