However, a Channel 10 report broadcast on Wednesday said that Netanyahu had made several failed attempts to convince Trump to change his mind and that senior Israeli officials view the withdrawal as "a slap in the face" for Israel. The U.S. presence in Syria was "the only bargaining chip" in Israel's attempts to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to assist in preventing Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, the report said.
Israel's efforts against Iran in Syria will continue notwithstanding the anticipated American pullout from that country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday morning.
U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly made the snap decision to withdraw last Wednesday during a call with Turkish leader Recep Erdogan against the advice of his top aides and without consulting his national security team or allies. Trump said that the only reason the troops were there was to fight ISIS and that the victory over the terrorist group enabled him to bring the troops home within three months.
In an op-ed co-written by Lt. Gen. William "Jerry" Boykin, the organization's executive vice president, and Travis Weber, a former Navy pilot and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who serves as FRC's vice president for policy, argue that withdrawing troops won't result in Trump's stated campaign promise to defeat the Islamic State.