Israel 'Openly' Helping Syrian Rebels Trying to Overthrow Assad

"Israel is openly coming to the rescue of al-Qaeda's Jabhat al-Nusra just beyond the border of Israel-occupied Golan Heights," Daniel McAdams wrote.

Tel Aviv maintains that the $13-million program is purely humanitarian. The Israeli Defense Forces have saved at least 2,000 Syrian militants as part of the initiative, which was launched three years ago.

However, many are concerned that Israel has essentially cut a "deal with the devil" by backing groups which are trying to overthrow the legitimate government in order to establish an Islamic state in Syria. In other words, Israel might be contemplating using Syrian militants as a weapon to stage a regime change in neighboring Syria.

Interesting fact: many of the militants who receive medical treatment in Israel plan to return to the battlefield. In addition, some of the fighters are said to still claim that Israel is an enemy even after Israeli medics save their lives.

Whatever Tel Aviv's true intentions might be, "it would not be the first time Israel has supported radical Islamists against secular groups in the Middle East," McAdams observed. "Hamas was encouraged and really started by Israel because they wanted Hamas to counter Yassir Arafat," he quoted former Republican congressman Ron Paul as saying.

The initiative, according to the expert on foreign affairs and defense policy, poses many uncomfortable questions for Washington. Will the medical assistance to Syrian militants affect US-Israeli relations? Is America OK with the initiative? Will it continue to provide financial and military support to Israel?

"Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists," President George W. Bush said following the 9/11 attacks. Should the American political establishment still share this view, it would mean that Israel has in fact sided with terrorists.

"Or is perhaps Israel still 'with us' in propping up certain terrorists needed to implement the regime change policy in Syria? Are we then with Israel and the terrorists? So confusing. So many difficult questions," McAdams noted with irony.