Israel predicts Assad back in charge, Syrian front likely to be quieter

Situation in Syria is returning to how it was before the civil war, says Israel's defense minister

JERUSALEM,: Israel’s defense minister described Syria’s return to its pre-civil war situation as a given on Thursday, and predicted that the Golan Heights frontier would be quieter with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s central rule restored.

“From our perspective, the situation is returning to how it was before the civil war, meaning there is a real address, someone responsible, and central rule,” Avigdor Lieberman told reporters. Asked whether Israelis should be less wary of potential Golan flare-ups, Lieberman said: “I believe so.”