Liberman vows ‘harsh response’ to any Syrian violation of buffer zone

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman warns that any violation of the decades-old ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria will be met with a “harsh response.”

With pro-government Syrian forces advancing toward the border, Israel in recent weeks has called for the 1974 separation of forces agreement between Israel and Syria to be upheld and the buffer zone on the border respected.

“We’ll respect the disengagement agreement from ’74 and insist on every tiny detail,” says Liberman at the start of his Yisrael Beytenu party’s weekly faction meeting. “Any violations will be met with a harsh response from the State of Israel.”

Liberman also reiterates that Israel will not allow Iran to use Syria as a beachhead to launch attacks on Israeli territory.

“Nothing has changed and nothing is new,” he says.