Netanyahu: Israel wants relations with next Syrian regime, but will attack if it poses a threat

In a message to the new regime taking shape in Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel wants to establish relations, but won’t hesitate to attack if it threatens the Jewish state.

“If this regime allows Iran to reestablish itself in Syria,” he says in a video statement, “or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us — we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from it.”

“What happened to the previous regime will also happen to this regime,” he warns, adding that Israel has no intention of interfering in Syria’s internal affairs, but will do what is necessary to ensure its security.

Netanyahu compares the widespread Air Force bombing campaign of Syria’s strategic military capabilities this week to the 1940 Royal Navy bombing of the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir in Algeria to keep it from falling into the hands of the Nazis. Netanyahu mistakenly attributes the operation to the Royal Air Force.