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Iran, Israel Need to Talk About Syria

Meir Javedanfar writes that Iran, Hezbollah and Israel share a common and deadly enemy in Jabhat al-Nusra and radical Salafist groups, whose influence is growing.

GOLAN HEIGHTS - MAY 06: (ISRAEL OUT) A Israeli soldiers of the Golani brigade take part in an exercise near the border with Syria  on May 6, 2013  at the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Syria has accused Israel of launching a series of airstrikes on targets near the Lebanon/Syria border, including an arms shipment and the Jamraya research centre, that was thought to produce chemical weapons. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
Israeli soldiers of the Golani brigade take part in an exercise near the border with Syria on May 6, 2013, at the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. — Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Israel and Iran's ally Hezbollah will soon miss the old days of fighting each other.

The reason: Fundamentalist al-Qaeda-affiliated movements who hate both Jews and Shiites with a passion are emerging in Syria. These include groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra, which has openly and publicly pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda commander Ayman Al Zawahri.

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