Israel can maintain its military superiority over Syria in the short term — the next three years — but Syria, its most dangerous foe, is rapidly improving its military capobilities, according to Maj. Gen. (res.) Aharon Yariv, director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies of Tel Aviv University.
Yariv, a former chief of military intelligence, gave that assessment Tuesday in presenting the latest edition of “The Middle East Strategic Balance 1984”, a 316 page volume published by the Jaffee Center, to the press. According to Yariv, Israel, facing severe budgetary constraints which include defense, is losing its military edge over its Arab neighbors.
As a consequence, he said, Israel must concentrate on “qualitative improvements” in its military personnel rather than attempt to maintain numerical equality with the military hardware the Arab states are receiving in massive quantities from both East and West.
He said the Syrians are aiming at military parity with Israel. They already have “a very serious defensive capability” and in a matter of years will acquire an offensive capacity against Israel as well.
The “Strategic Balance,” published in both Hebrew and English editions, has become an essential source book for Middle East experts. The English edition is printed and distributed in Israel by The Jerusalem Post and in the United States by Westview Press. The Hebrew edition is printed and distributed by Yediot Achronot.
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