Netanyahu warns against Iranian military presence in Syria - Israel Hayom Staff

by Israel Hayom Staff

As U.S.-Russia-brokered truce agreement takes effect in Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says U.S. and Russian officials assured him that they would "take Israel's demands into account," says Israel will prevent Iran proxies from gaining power.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday | Photo credit: Reuters

Speaking just as a cease-fire agreement went into effect in Syria on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet that Israel would not permit Iran and its proxies to "establish a military presence in Syria in general and in southern Syria in particular." 

The United States, Russia and Jordan reached a cease-fire and "de-escalation agreement" this week with the aim of paving the way for a broader, more robust truce in Syria. The announcement came after a meeting Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit of major economies in Germany.

Addressing the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said he would welcome a "genuine cease-fire in Syria," and added that "I had deep discussions about this last week with U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson and with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both told me that they understand Israel's position and will take our demands into account." 

"We will continue to monitor developments beyond our borders," Netanyahu said, adding that Israel would "strongly uphold our red lines: Prevent Hezbollah from gaining strength through Syria, with an emphasis on the acquisition of precision weapons; prevent Hezbollah -- or Iranian forces -- from establishing a ground presence along our border; and prevent the establishment of an Iranian military presence in Syria as a whole."

Meanwhile, in Syria, a war monitoring group and a rebel official said that there had been no airstrikes or clashes in southwestern Syria since the U.S.-Russia-brokered cease-fire deal took effect on Sunday. 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said "calm was prevailing" in the area since the truce began at noon Damascus time. A rebel official in Deraa city also said there had been no significant fighting.

Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=43719

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