Zisser, an Israeli reserve military intelligence officer, has been
regarded as a leading Israeli analyst on Syria. He has been retained as a
consultant to both the Israeli military and government regarding the
intentions of Assad.
The report said the Syrian military command was linked to Assad through
family and religious connections, Middle East Newsline reported. Zisser said commanders have determined
that they shared the same fate as the Syrian president.
"Indeed, the leaders of the Syrian army, most of whom are members of the
Syrian president's family, tribe, or ethnic group, know that unlike Egypt,
where the Egyptian defense minister took the reins of government from
Mubarak and became the favorite son of Tahrir Square, in Syria the
protesters also want the heads of the top brass of the army and security
forces, so that if Bashar falls, they fall too," the report said.
The report said Assad was determined to quell the unrest regardless of
bloodshed. Syrian security forces were said to have opened fire repeatedly
against protesters in such cities as Dera and Latakia.
"The Syrian regime has been dealt a blow, certainly to its image, as the
protests have erupted throughout Syria, but it remains standing and prepared
to fight fire with fire," the report said. "Indeed, over the past few weeks
the regime has proven its strength by recruiting hundreds of thousands of
protestors, most of whom are brought in by the government apparatus in an
organized fashion to show support for Bashar and his regime."