The dissolution of the YPG and its integration into the Syrian army has dealt a significant blow to Israel’s strategy of maintaining leverage in a fragmented Syria, according to an analysis published by Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Haaretz columnist Zvi Barel argued that the agreement between the YPG and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa removes one of the most significant obstacles to Damascus’ efforts to reunify the country under a central government.

The agreement also accelerates efforts toward a unified Syria backed by Türkiye and the United States, while narrowing Israel’s ability to use ethnic and sectarian groups as strategic leverage, Barel wrote.

According to the columnist, Israel had viewed the YPG in Syria as a potential intelligence asset and buffer that could be used to counter Damascus, Tehran and Ankara.

Following the collapse of the Assad regime, Israel saw the YPG and some Druze groups as potential tools for limiting the authority of a unified Syrian government backed by Türkiye, Barel said.

He argued that Israel’s strategy gained momentum amid tensions involving the YPG and some Druze factions in the southern province of Sweida, particularly following sectarian violence in July 2025.

But the approach conflicted directly with the policies pursued by both Washington and Ankara, which have backed Syria’s territorial integrity and the consolidation of authority under the central government, Barel wrote.

U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and special envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack subsequently played a central role in efforts to secure an agreement between Damascus and the YPG, Barel said, arguing that Washington pressured the group to reach a deal and warned it against expecting continued outside support.

Barel said the development represents more than a shift in Syria’s domestic balance of power, describing it as a warning for Israeli policymakers.

He argued that Israel’s reliance on minorities to constrain Damascus and preserve a fragmented Syria increasingly conflicts with both regional realities and U.S. policy.

Israel should abandon expectations of a divided Syria if it wants to preserve its regional influence, Barel concluded, arguing that it may eventually need to view the government in Damascus not only as an adversary but also as a potential interlocutor.