Liberman says rockets from Syria were launched by Hezbollah

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman says the rockets fired from Syria that struck the Golan Heights last Friday were not accidental, but were the work of a Hezbollah cell.

“We are not talking about spillover. This is directed fire carried out by Hezbollah with [Syrian dictator Bashar] Assad’s permission, in an attempt to draw us into a conflict,” says Liberman at a faction meeting for his Yisrael Beytenu party in the Knesset.

“We want to say that we see Assad as responsible for any rocket fire from his territory,” the defense minister says.

Liberman also discusses the issue of Elor Azaria, a former IDF soldier who was convicted of manslaughter for killing a disarmed Palestinian assailant last year.

Last week, Azaria requested a presidential pardon, which Liberman says he supports.

“I think we can all agree that the Azaria family has paid a heavy price. The ordeal has affected the unity of Israel and the army,” Liberman says.

“My position is that he must be released immediately. That I want to tell the president,” he says.

— Raoul Wootliff