Lapid urges US to up its presence in Syria to counter Iran

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid calls on the United States to deepen its involvement in Syria, while terming the Russian military relationship with Iran-backed forces in the country “very worrying and dangerous.”

“Israel must make this its top priority — to make the Americans partners in the effort to remove the Iranians from Syria,” says Lapid. “We must do a good job in explaining to our great friend that what they don’t deal with now will come back later in a worse form.

“The fact that the Russians are supporting Iranian efforts is very worrying and dangerous,” he continues. “Our friendship with Russia is important, but friendship can’t be limited to press conferences and festive photos. It must be a partnership in which we recognize their interests in the region, but they must also recognize, and take into account, our interests.

“Russia must know that as long as the Iranians are here, there will be no stability in Syria and Assad’s regime will be in danger,” he adds.