Netanyahu: Iran and Hezbollah aiding Syrian massacre

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the current situation in Syria as “a massacre of civilians, including of children and the elderly, being carried out by the Syrian government with the backing of Iran and Hezbollah.”

“The world needs to see this concentrated axis of evil,” Netanyahu said at the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday. “The face of this axis has been revealed in all its ugliness and everyone should see the sort of environment we live in.”

Netanyahu’s statements were the latest in a series of quotes by senior government officials reacting to the ongoing violence in Syria.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said that Israel stands ready to offer humanitarian aid to the suffering people of Syria by sending food and medicine and treating the wounded who escape Syria to Jordan, or other countries where Israelis can enter and operate.

While Israel is not in direct negotiations with the Syrian opposition, Ayalon said, that there is communication with the International Red Cross and other aid organizations.

Vice Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz accused the Syrian regime of genocide and has called for international military intervention to stop the bloodshed. Mofaz slammed the weak Western response to the Syrian crisis, especially by Russia, who he says condemns the violence perpetrated by Bashar Assad’s government while providing Syria with arms.

On the eve of his departure to Washington, President Shimon Peres said the world is not doing enough to stop the bloodshed in Syria and expressed admiration for the protesters who continue to go out every day and demonstrate against the Assad regime.

On Saturday deputy minister of regional affairs Ayoub Kara accused the Assad regime of using chemical weapons against Syrian civilians.

Kara said that photos he’s seen left no doubt that the forces of President Bashar Assad have used chemical weapons against Syrian men, women and children.

Kara also told Israel Radio that Israeli doctors are currently on the border between Syria and Turkey treating people injured in the violent clashes between Assad’s troops and opposition forces.