"All these would-be wars against Syria, Turkiye, and other countries—they’re just tactics for deflection, meant to divert attention from how Israel has absolutely no sense of an endgame or direction regarding Gaza," Goldberg asserted.
The Nagel Committee's report suggested that Israel should gear up for a potential war with Turkiye and aligned Syrian factions, citing Erdogan’s alleged Ottoman aspirations.
In contrast, Turkish media has warned that Israel might attempt to capture Damascus as a means of limiting Turkiye’s strategic options in Syria.
"Israel is making very aggressive noises, but it doesn't truly have the capacity or capability to maintain the occupation of Syria or seize Damascus," Goldberg argued.
"Israel is vastly [and] profoundly overextended," he insisted.
The expert also questioned whether the incoming Trump administration would support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current aggressive policies.
Goldberg pointed to a video shared by US President-elect Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform. The video features Columbia University economics professor Jeffrey Sachs, who accused Netanyahu of warmongering and attempting to drag the US into a war against Iran.
"Israel has no clear sense of what it wants," Goldberg concluded. "And because of this lack of clarity, it is full of hot air. Trying to interpret these provocations as genuine chances for military engagement is not a productive exercise—at least, not at this stage," the expert claimed.