In remarks apparently addressed to Russia, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman says Israel will not tolerate Iran’s presence in Syria, during a visit to the northern border.
“We simply will not allow Shiite and Iranian entrenchment in Syria. And we will not allow all of Syria to become a forward operating base against the State of Israel. Whoever doesn’t understand that — should understand that,” Liberman says.
Liberman adds that Israel is “maintaining total freedom of operation” in Syria.
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, center, meets with Brig. Gen. Yaniv Assur, who commands the division responsible for the Golan Heights, right, and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, left, during a tour of northern Israel on November 15, 2017. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
The defense minister’s comments come as Israeli officials scramble to get more favorable terms put into an American-Russian ceasefire agreement for southern Syria.
Yesterday, Russia appeared to blindside Israel by declaring, against expectations, that it would not force Iran to pull its forces from Syria, saying their presence was “legitimate.”
— Judah Ari Gross
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