23 aug 2013
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay strongly condemned in a press release Thursday the reported killing of hundreds of civilians – including many women and children -- in the Damascus suburbs on Wednesday, and said the allegations that many deaths were the result of the use of chemical weapons must be investigated "as a matter of utmost urgency."
"The Secretary-General's team, headed by Dr. Sellstrom, is currently in Syria," Pillay said. "I urge the Government and opposition forces to enable them to examine the site of the alleged attacks without any delay or obfuscation."
"The use of chemical weapons is prohibited under customary international law," the High Commissioner said. "This absolute prohibition applies in all circumstances, including armed conflict. As a norm of customary international law, it is binding on the Government despite it not being party to the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. It is also binding on anti-Government armed groups."
"These allegations are exceptionally grave and need to be comprehensively proved or disproved as soon as is humanly possible," she added. "Whether or not chemical weapons were in fact used, it seems that once again in Syria many civilians have been killed in flagrant contravention of international law."
Pillay said her staff in the region had managed to contact well-placed sources inside Syria who report that, in addition to those killed, there are thousands of injured people in desperate need of medical care and humanitarian aid. Parts of the affected suburb of Al Ghouta were already suffering from protracted and severe shortages of supplies before the events of recent days.
"I understand shelling and fighting have continued today," Pillay said. "I call on all parties to halt the fighting immediately and allow access to humanitarian aid and essential medical supplies, in order to prevent more needless deaths."
"The Secretary-General's team, headed by Dr. Sellstrom, is currently in Syria," Pillay said. "I urge the Government and opposition forces to enable them to examine the site of the alleged attacks without any delay or obfuscation."
"The use of chemical weapons is prohibited under customary international law," the High Commissioner said. "This absolute prohibition applies in all circumstances, including armed conflict. As a norm of customary international law, it is binding on the Government despite it not being party to the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. It is also binding on anti-Government armed groups."
"These allegations are exceptionally grave and need to be comprehensively proved or disproved as soon as is humanly possible," she added. "Whether or not chemical weapons were in fact used, it seems that once again in Syria many civilians have been killed in flagrant contravention of international law."
Pillay said her staff in the region had managed to contact well-placed sources inside Syria who report that, in addition to those killed, there are thousands of injured people in desperate need of medical care and humanitarian aid. Parts of the affected suburb of Al Ghouta were already suffering from protracted and severe shortages of supplies before the events of recent days.
"I understand shelling and fighting have continued today," Pillay said. "I call on all parties to halt the fighting immediately and allow access to humanitarian aid and essential medical supplies, in order to prevent more needless deaths."
22 aug 2013
Israeli minister for military affairs, Moshe Yaalon, (L) and prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu
An analyst says Israel’s attempt to provoke the international community against the Syrian government following a recent alleged chemical attack in Damascus suggests Tel Aviv’s involvement in the massacre.
The Israeli minister for military affairs, “Moshe Yaalon's clumsy attempt to steer the world's reaction to the Syrian chemical weapons massacre suggests that the attack was yet another Israeli false-flag operation,” Kevin Barrett, a Ph.D. Arabist-Islamologist, wrote in an article published on Press TV’s website on Thursday.
Just hours after reports on 1,300 deaths in a chemical attack in the suburbs of Damascus on Wednesday, Yaalon accused the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of repeated use of chemical weapons against foreign-backed militants.
The Syrian Army has vehemently rejected allegations that it used chemical weapons, saying the accusations were fabricated to distract a visiting team of the UN chemical weapons experts and to cover up militants' losses.
Yaalon also described the Syria crisis as a bottomless struggle between a ruling Alawite minority and a disparate Sunni opposition including Muslim Brotherhood members and al-Qaeda affiliates, which would result in the "implosion" of Syria into Sunni-, Shia- and Kurdish-dominated parts.
Barrett, however, said the remarks did not offer an analysis of the situation in Syria but were “a program of action.”
“In fact, they will do whatever it takes to keep the fighting going, including launching false-flag attacks like the recent chemical weapons massacre. Israel's goal, as Yaalon admits, is the destruction of Syria,” the expert stated.
“The Israelis and their American proxies have already smashed Iraq, Libya, and Sudan into pieces,” he explained, as part of Tel Aviv’s plan to break up neighboring Middle Eastern countries into "tiny ethnic and sectarian Bantustans."
“Now they are targeting Syria and Egypt -- two countries whose land they plan to steal to create a ‘Greater Israel’ stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates,” he added.
The analyst said the recent release of Egypt’s criminal ex-dictator, Hosni Mubarak, from jail was also a calculated Zionist project to outrage the Egyptian masses, and thus accelerate the ongoing massacre of Egyptians by the army.
An analyst says Israel’s attempt to provoke the international community against the Syrian government following a recent alleged chemical attack in Damascus suggests Tel Aviv’s involvement in the massacre.
The Israeli minister for military affairs, “Moshe Yaalon's clumsy attempt to steer the world's reaction to the Syrian chemical weapons massacre suggests that the attack was yet another Israeli false-flag operation,” Kevin Barrett, a Ph.D. Arabist-Islamologist, wrote in an article published on Press TV’s website on Thursday.
Just hours after reports on 1,300 deaths in a chemical attack in the suburbs of Damascus on Wednesday, Yaalon accused the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of repeated use of chemical weapons against foreign-backed militants.
The Syrian Army has vehemently rejected allegations that it used chemical weapons, saying the accusations were fabricated to distract a visiting team of the UN chemical weapons experts and to cover up militants' losses.
Yaalon also described the Syria crisis as a bottomless struggle between a ruling Alawite minority and a disparate Sunni opposition including Muslim Brotherhood members and al-Qaeda affiliates, which would result in the "implosion" of Syria into Sunni-, Shia- and Kurdish-dominated parts.
Barrett, however, said the remarks did not offer an analysis of the situation in Syria but were “a program of action.”
“In fact, they will do whatever it takes to keep the fighting going, including launching false-flag attacks like the recent chemical weapons massacre. Israel's goal, as Yaalon admits, is the destruction of Syria,” the expert stated.
“The Israelis and their American proxies have already smashed Iraq, Libya, and Sudan into pieces,” he explained, as part of Tel Aviv’s plan to break up neighboring Middle Eastern countries into "tiny ethnic and sectarian Bantustans."
“Now they are targeting Syria and Egypt -- two countries whose land they plan to steal to create a ‘Greater Israel’ stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates,” he added.
The analyst said the recent release of Egypt’s criminal ex-dictator, Hosni Mubarak, from jail was also a calculated Zionist project to outrage the Egyptian masses, and thus accelerate the ongoing massacre of Egyptians by the army.
A Tamuz missile was fired at a Syrain military post in the Golan Heights by the Israeli military on Saturday. The missile was launched after several mortars were fired from the Syrian side of the boarder.
According to the Israeli military, the mortars caused no damage or injuries and were likely stray fire. The UN has been informed of the mortar landings.
The stray mortars were one of dozens to land in Israeli territory since the beginning of unrest in Syria in 2011. Israel has filed a complaint with the UN peacekeeping forces in the Golan, requesting an end to the cross-boarder shelling. An additional response from Israel has been to shoot back occasional missiles at Syrian army positions.
According to the Israeli military, the mortars caused no damage or injuries and were likely stray fire. The UN has been informed of the mortar landings.
The stray mortars were one of dozens to land in Israeli territory since the beginning of unrest in Syria in 2011. Israel has filed a complaint with the UN peacekeeping forces in the Golan, requesting an end to the cross-boarder shelling. An additional response from Israel has been to shoot back occasional missiles at Syrian army positions.
A grab from a YouTube video allegedly shows victims of a toxic gas attack being buried.
The convulsions, pinpoint pupils and labored breathing seen in victims of an alleged chemical attack in Syria could be symptoms of nerve gas, experts said Thursday, but only blood and urine samples can provide proof.
Syria's main opposition group says more than 1,300 people were killed Wednesday in a government attack on rebel areas near Damascus -- a charge the government vehemently denies.
Footage distributed by activists showed people foaming at the mouth and doctors apparently giving people oxygen to help them breathe and trying to resuscitate unconscious children.
Chemical and defense experts said the symptoms appeared consistent with exposure to a nerve agent like sarin or VX.
"A large number of symptoms definitely point in that direction," said chemical weapons expert Jean Pascal Zanders, although he said much more information was needed for a definitive conclusion.
"Yesterday... I was skeptical about the claims of nerve agent neurotoxicants, I have revised my position on that a bit on the basis of footage I have seen later in the day where a number of symptoms consistent with organophosphorus poisoning" were apparent.
Organophosphorus is a chemical compound used in nerve agents like sarin -- an odorless, paralyzing gas developed by Nazi scientists and used by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's regime to kill thousands of Kurds in 1988. It kills by asphyxiation.
However, experts said only tests on the alleged victims would provide definitive proof.
"A strong inference is being made that chemical weapons were used, but we need scientific proof like the presence of metabolites (what remains after a drug has been broken down by the body) of sarin in the blood or urine" of victims, Olivier Lepick, a chemical weapons researcher with France's Foundation for Strategic Research, told AFP.
Zanders said there was "widespread acceptance that sarin is part of Syria's military arsenal together with mustard agent and VX."
It also had the capacity to deliver such agents, said Lepick, with rockets, aerial bombs, artillery shells and Scud missiles.
The first footage released showed victims with classic asphyxiation symptoms like a pinkish-blue face coloring, a black line around the mouth and coughing, said Zanders.
Later images also revealed evidence of miosis -- a dilution of the pupils, and convulsions that are typical of nerve agent poisoning.
"It is not only the symptoms but the whole context," said Ralf Trapp, a chemist and disarmament expert, who agreed the evidence of nerve agent use was "pretty strong".
"We have a large number of people, which is what you would expect" with a nerve gas attack. "We have children, women and men."
According to Trapp, traces of nerve agent poisoning would remain in the urine of victims for several days and in the blood for weeks.
"It is absolutely not too late!" he said as Western governments demanded access to the sites of the alleged attacks for a team of UN weapons inspectors that arrived in Syria on Sunday.
Some observers had pointed out that doctors and nurses seen assisting the patients were not showing symptoms of second-hand nerve agent poisoning, but Zanders said this may be explained by the victims being washed with water.
"There is probably some sort of toxic chemical involved. This need not necessarily mean a classical chemical warfare agent," said John Hart, head of the Chemical and Biological Security Project at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
"If there is pure sarin, perhaps more should be dead, and a lower percentage alive but showing effects."
Zanders said it was not possible definitively to identify sarin or VX, adding that a variety of chemicals could be involved.
It was also unclear how any chemicals had been disseminated, he added.
"For all I know it could have been a silo or a warehouse nearby with toxic chemicals that was hit, thus blanketing a particular area," said Zanders.
The convulsions, pinpoint pupils and labored breathing seen in victims of an alleged chemical attack in Syria could be symptoms of nerve gas, experts said Thursday, but only blood and urine samples can provide proof.
Syria's main opposition group says more than 1,300 people were killed Wednesday in a government attack on rebel areas near Damascus -- a charge the government vehemently denies.
Footage distributed by activists showed people foaming at the mouth and doctors apparently giving people oxygen to help them breathe and trying to resuscitate unconscious children.
Chemical and defense experts said the symptoms appeared consistent with exposure to a nerve agent like sarin or VX.
"A large number of symptoms definitely point in that direction," said chemical weapons expert Jean Pascal Zanders, although he said much more information was needed for a definitive conclusion.
"Yesterday... I was skeptical about the claims of nerve agent neurotoxicants, I have revised my position on that a bit on the basis of footage I have seen later in the day where a number of symptoms consistent with organophosphorus poisoning" were apparent.
Organophosphorus is a chemical compound used in nerve agents like sarin -- an odorless, paralyzing gas developed by Nazi scientists and used by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's regime to kill thousands of Kurds in 1988. It kills by asphyxiation.
However, experts said only tests on the alleged victims would provide definitive proof.
"A strong inference is being made that chemical weapons were used, but we need scientific proof like the presence of metabolites (what remains after a drug has been broken down by the body) of sarin in the blood or urine" of victims, Olivier Lepick, a chemical weapons researcher with France's Foundation for Strategic Research, told AFP.
Zanders said there was "widespread acceptance that sarin is part of Syria's military arsenal together with mustard agent and VX."
It also had the capacity to deliver such agents, said Lepick, with rockets, aerial bombs, artillery shells and Scud missiles.
The first footage released showed victims with classic asphyxiation symptoms like a pinkish-blue face coloring, a black line around the mouth and coughing, said Zanders.
Later images also revealed evidence of miosis -- a dilution of the pupils, and convulsions that are typical of nerve agent poisoning.
"It is not only the symptoms but the whole context," said Ralf Trapp, a chemist and disarmament expert, who agreed the evidence of nerve agent use was "pretty strong".
"We have a large number of people, which is what you would expect" with a nerve gas attack. "We have children, women and men."
According to Trapp, traces of nerve agent poisoning would remain in the urine of victims for several days and in the blood for weeks.
"It is absolutely not too late!" he said as Western governments demanded access to the sites of the alleged attacks for a team of UN weapons inspectors that arrived in Syria on Sunday.
Some observers had pointed out that doctors and nurses seen assisting the patients were not showing symptoms of second-hand nerve agent poisoning, but Zanders said this may be explained by the victims being washed with water.
"There is probably some sort of toxic chemical involved. This need not necessarily mean a classical chemical warfare agent," said John Hart, head of the Chemical and Biological Security Project at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
"If there is pure sarin, perhaps more should be dead, and a lower percentage alive but showing effects."
Zanders said it was not possible definitively to identify sarin or VX, adding that a variety of chemicals could be involved.
It was also unclear how any chemicals had been disseminated, he added.
"For all I know it could have been a silo or a warehouse nearby with toxic chemicals that was hit, thus blanketing a particular area," said Zanders.
A Shaam News Network handout shows Syrian volunteers helping victims in a field hospital in Damascus on Aug. 21, 2013
The United States refused to set new "red lines" for Syria Wednesday as claims of a horrific chemical arms strike reignited debate over Washington's reluctance to intervene in the civil war.
Claims by Syrian rebels that President Bashar Assad's forces massacred 1,300 people in a chemical weapons attack near Damascus sparked new pressure for action on Capitol Hill.
But the top US military officer, General Martin Dempsey, pushed back on calls for air strikes, which he said could embroil America in an open-ended war.
The new claim of chemical warfare lured Barack Obama's administration onto difficult political ground after the president was accused earlier this year of not enforcing "red lines" he set over such attacks.
"I'm not talking about red lines. I'm not having a debate or conversation about red lines ... I'm not setting red lines," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
The White House meanwhile refused to specify what, if any action Assad would face if it was proven that his forces were behind the attack in which many victims apparently choked to death.
Spokesman Josh Earnest focused instead on a team of United Nations inspectors in Syria to probe previous claims of chemical attacks, saying they should be allowed to examine the new alleged incident.
"Before we suggest what may or may not happen as a result of the investigation's findings being revealed, let's start with making sure that this investigation actually gets conducted in a manner that is credible," he said.
A year ago, Obama said at a White House press conference that any use of Assad's deadly chemical arsenal would cross a "red line" and would entail "enormous consequences."
Many observers interpreted those remarks as a sign Obama would contemplate direct military action against Syrian government forces.
Then, Washington concluded in June that Assad's forces had indeed used chemical arms, including the nerve gas sarin, in attacks that killed up to 150 people.
In response, Washington promised to significantly toughen its stance on Syria and said it would provide military support to rebels for the first time.
But it has refused to specify exactly what it is doing, as the information is classified, and much of the assistance is believed to have yet to reach vetted opposition groups.
Obama's opponents on Capitol Hill accuse him of damaging his own credibility by refusing to back up infringed red lines with overt military action.
The latest reports represent another Middle Eastern headache for a White House currently also struggling to frame a coherent response to a coup in Egypt.
Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs committee, said that if the report was credible, "a red line has been crossed again."
"The US has two options: continue to largely stand on the sidelines as the regime slaughters its own people, or tip the balance of power against a brutal dictator by degrading its ability to attack civilians."
Republican Senator John McCain, a critic of Obama's refusal to use military force to protect civilians in Syria, weighed in on Twitter.
"No consequence for Assad using chemical weapons & crossing red line -- we shouldn't be surprised he's using them again," McCain said.
Ed Royce, chairman of the House committee, said if confirmed, the Damascus attack would mark a "significant escalation" in state-sponsored violence against civilians.
"This crisis poses a threat to US national security interests in the region."
Obama has deplored the violence which has killed more than 100,000 people in Syria, and demanded that Assad leave power.
But he is reluctant though to embroil US forces in a new war in the Middle East, after bringing American soldiers home from Iraq and as he ends the Afghan war.
The White House on Wednesday maintained stepped-up US aid to rebels did amount to "consequences" promised by Obama for chemical arms use.
But Earnest admitted US policy had not "achieved our ultimate goal" -- the removal of Assad.
He said Washington did not yet have corroborative evidence that a new chemical attack had happened.
"If the Syrian government has nothing to hide and is truly committed to an impartial and credible investigation of chemical weapons use in Syria, it will facilitate the UN team's immediate and unfettered access to this site," he said.
The Syrian government denied the allegations.
Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a letter to Engel that top military leaders were not "reticent, weary or risk averse" but rather mindful of the costs of war and "pragmatic about the limits of military force" in Syria.
He said knocking out Assad's air force was an option but it could drag the United States into an open-ended war.
The United States refused to set new "red lines" for Syria Wednesday as claims of a horrific chemical arms strike reignited debate over Washington's reluctance to intervene in the civil war.
Claims by Syrian rebels that President Bashar Assad's forces massacred 1,300 people in a chemical weapons attack near Damascus sparked new pressure for action on Capitol Hill.
But the top US military officer, General Martin Dempsey, pushed back on calls for air strikes, which he said could embroil America in an open-ended war.
The new claim of chemical warfare lured Barack Obama's administration onto difficult political ground after the president was accused earlier this year of not enforcing "red lines" he set over such attacks.
"I'm not talking about red lines. I'm not having a debate or conversation about red lines ... I'm not setting red lines," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
The White House meanwhile refused to specify what, if any action Assad would face if it was proven that his forces were behind the attack in which many victims apparently choked to death.
Spokesman Josh Earnest focused instead on a team of United Nations inspectors in Syria to probe previous claims of chemical attacks, saying they should be allowed to examine the new alleged incident.
"Before we suggest what may or may not happen as a result of the investigation's findings being revealed, let's start with making sure that this investigation actually gets conducted in a manner that is credible," he said.
A year ago, Obama said at a White House press conference that any use of Assad's deadly chemical arsenal would cross a "red line" and would entail "enormous consequences."
Many observers interpreted those remarks as a sign Obama would contemplate direct military action against Syrian government forces.
Then, Washington concluded in June that Assad's forces had indeed used chemical arms, including the nerve gas sarin, in attacks that killed up to 150 people.
In response, Washington promised to significantly toughen its stance on Syria and said it would provide military support to rebels for the first time.
But it has refused to specify exactly what it is doing, as the information is classified, and much of the assistance is believed to have yet to reach vetted opposition groups.
Obama's opponents on Capitol Hill accuse him of damaging his own credibility by refusing to back up infringed red lines with overt military action.
The latest reports represent another Middle Eastern headache for a White House currently also struggling to frame a coherent response to a coup in Egypt.
Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs committee, said that if the report was credible, "a red line has been crossed again."
"The US has two options: continue to largely stand on the sidelines as the regime slaughters its own people, or tip the balance of power against a brutal dictator by degrading its ability to attack civilians."
Republican Senator John McCain, a critic of Obama's refusal to use military force to protect civilians in Syria, weighed in on Twitter.
"No consequence for Assad using chemical weapons & crossing red line -- we shouldn't be surprised he's using them again," McCain said.
Ed Royce, chairman of the House committee, said if confirmed, the Damascus attack would mark a "significant escalation" in state-sponsored violence against civilians.
"This crisis poses a threat to US national security interests in the region."
Obama has deplored the violence which has killed more than 100,000 people in Syria, and demanded that Assad leave power.
But he is reluctant though to embroil US forces in a new war in the Middle East, after bringing American soldiers home from Iraq and as he ends the Afghan war.
The White House on Wednesday maintained stepped-up US aid to rebels did amount to "consequences" promised by Obama for chemical arms use.
But Earnest admitted US policy had not "achieved our ultimate goal" -- the removal of Assad.
He said Washington did not yet have corroborative evidence that a new chemical attack had happened.
"If the Syrian government has nothing to hide and is truly committed to an impartial and credible investigation of chemical weapons use in Syria, it will facilitate the UN team's immediate and unfettered access to this site," he said.
The Syrian government denied the allegations.
Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a letter to Engel that top military leaders were not "reticent, weary or risk averse" but rather mindful of the costs of war and "pragmatic about the limits of military force" in Syria.
He said knocking out Assad's air force was an option but it could drag the United States into an open-ended war.
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks with Israeli Minister of Defense Moshe Yaalon (L) on April 22, 2013 in Tel Aviv
US defense chief Chuck Hagel spoke with his Israeli counterpart Moshe Yaalon on Wednesday about Egypt, Iran and the ongoing violence in Syria, including claims of a chemical weapons attack.
In a brief statement after the morning call, the Pentagon said the two men "agreed to continue to maintain intensive dialogue on the multitude of challenges facing" their two countries.
Washington has demanded "immediate access" for United Nations inspectors to the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack by government forces on civilians in Syria.
Syria's main opposition group earlier accused the government of "massacring" more than 1,300 people in chemical weapons attacks near Damascus on Wednesday, saying many of the victims choked to death.
The UN team is in Syria to probe previous allegations of chemical weapons strikes leveled against both sides during the 29-month conflict.
Washington concluded in June that President Bashar Assad's forces had indeed used chemical arms in the past, including the nerve gas sarin, in attacks that killed up to 150 people.
In response, it promised to significantly toughen its stance on Syria and said it would provide military support to rebels for the first time.
But it has refused to specify exactly what it is doing because the information is classified, and much of the assistance is believed to have yet to reach selected opposition groups.
On Egypt, Washington is under pressure to cut its military aid to Cairo in the wake of a deadly army crackdown on supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi.
US assistance to Cairo totals $1.3 billion annually.
Israel has refrained from making public statements but an unnamed official was quoted in a media report earlier this week as saying that Israel and the West must support Egypt's army.
Israel and Egypt, which in 1979 became the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with the Jewish state, coordinate closely on military activity in the increasingly lawless Sinai Peninsula, which borders both the Jewish state and the Gaza Strip.
Egypt's unrest has heightened Israeli concerns about regional stability.
US defense chief Chuck Hagel spoke with his Israeli counterpart Moshe Yaalon on Wednesday about Egypt, Iran and the ongoing violence in Syria, including claims of a chemical weapons attack.
In a brief statement after the morning call, the Pentagon said the two men "agreed to continue to maintain intensive dialogue on the multitude of challenges facing" their two countries.
Washington has demanded "immediate access" for United Nations inspectors to the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack by government forces on civilians in Syria.
Syria's main opposition group earlier accused the government of "massacring" more than 1,300 people in chemical weapons attacks near Damascus on Wednesday, saying many of the victims choked to death.
The UN team is in Syria to probe previous allegations of chemical weapons strikes leveled against both sides during the 29-month conflict.
Washington concluded in June that President Bashar Assad's forces had indeed used chemical arms in the past, including the nerve gas sarin, in attacks that killed up to 150 people.
In response, it promised to significantly toughen its stance on Syria and said it would provide military support to rebels for the first time.
But it has refused to specify exactly what it is doing because the information is classified, and much of the assistance is believed to have yet to reach selected opposition groups.
On Egypt, Washington is under pressure to cut its military aid to Cairo in the wake of a deadly army crackdown on supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi.
US assistance to Cairo totals $1.3 billion annually.
Israel has refrained from making public statements but an unnamed official was quoted in a media report earlier this week as saying that Israel and the West must support Egypt's army.
Israel and Egypt, which in 1979 became the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with the Jewish state, coordinate closely on military activity in the increasingly lawless Sinai Peninsula, which borders both the Jewish state and the Gaza Strip.
Egypt's unrest has heightened Israeli concerns about regional stability.
21 aug 2013
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Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said on Wednesday that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons, backing opposition claims of multiple deadly strikes around Damascus.
"In Syria, the regime has used chemical weapons and it's not the first time," Yaalon told Israeli defense correspondents. "It's a life and death struggle between a regime based on the Alawite minority and a disparate opposition composed of Sunni Muslims, some Muslim Brotherhood members, others linked to Al-Qaeda. |
"We don't see any end to the fighting -- even the fall of (President Bashar) Assad won't bring it to a halt, there will a bloody settling of accounts over a long period," the minister said.
"We could see the implosion of Syria with the Alawites controlling the western part -- the coastal region and a corridor to Damascus -- and the Kurds and Sunnis controlling the east and north."
The head of research at Israeli military intelligence, Brigadier General Itai Brun, already said in April that he believed the Syrian regime had made use of its chemical weapons stockpiles against the rebels.
Syria's main opposition group accused the government of "massacring" more than 1,300 people in chemical weapons attacks near Damascus on Wednesday, saying many of the victims choked to death.
The accusation came as a team of UN inspectors was in Syria to probe previous allegations of chemical weapons strikes leveled against both sides during the 29-month conflict.
Western governments demanded immediate access for the inspectors to investigate the new allegations. Russia, a longstanding ally of the Damascus regime, echoed the call for an inquiry but said it suspected a "provocation" by the opposition and its foreign backers.
"We could see the implosion of Syria with the Alawites controlling the western part -- the coastal region and a corridor to Damascus -- and the Kurds and Sunnis controlling the east and north."
The head of research at Israeli military intelligence, Brigadier General Itai Brun, already said in April that he believed the Syrian regime had made use of its chemical weapons stockpiles against the rebels.
Syria's main opposition group accused the government of "massacring" more than 1,300 people in chemical weapons attacks near Damascus on Wednesday, saying many of the victims choked to death.
The accusation came as a team of UN inspectors was in Syria to probe previous allegations of chemical weapons strikes leveled against both sides during the 29-month conflict.
Western governments demanded immediate access for the inspectors to investigate the new allegations. Russia, a longstanding ally of the Damascus regime, echoed the call for an inquiry but said it suspected a "provocation" by the opposition and its foreign backers.
Russia has called the Syrian opposition claims about a chemical attack by the Syrian army near Damascus "premeditated provocation."
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement on Wednesday that since reports of the alleged attack were issued just as a UN chemical weapons inspection team arrived in Syria, "this makes us think that we are once again dealing with a premeditated provocation."
The Russian ministry said the claims were first reported "by partisan regional media all at once, as if by command."
It also called for an objective and professional investigation into the alleged attack, adding that previous such reports have proven false.
On Wednesday, Syria's opposition claimed that hundreds were killed in a government chemical attack on militant strongholds in Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar before dawn.
Head of the so-called opposition Syrian National Coalition, George Sabra, told reporters in Istanbul that more than 1,300 people were killed in the alleged attack.
Videos posted online by opposition activists show lifeless bodies, mostly with no visible signs of injury. Press TV, however, could not independently verify where or when the videos were recorded.
The Syrian army has vehemently denied allegations that it used chemical weapons against Takfiri militants in the suburbs of the Ghouta region, saying the accusations were fabricated to distract the visiting team of the UN chemical weapons experts and to cover up militants losses.
The head of the inspection mission, Ake Sellstrom, has said that the alleged attack should be investigated. The Arab League has also called on the UN inspectors to visit the site of the alleged chemical attack.
The US, UK, France, and Saudi Arabia have called for the UN Security Council to convene immediately to discuss the reports of the chemical attack.
In March, dozens of people were killed in a chemical attack in the northern province of Aleppo. A Russian-led inquiry said that militants were behind the deadly attack.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement on Wednesday that since reports of the alleged attack were issued just as a UN chemical weapons inspection team arrived in Syria, "this makes us think that we are once again dealing with a premeditated provocation."
The Russian ministry said the claims were first reported "by partisan regional media all at once, as if by command."
It also called for an objective and professional investigation into the alleged attack, adding that previous such reports have proven false.
On Wednesday, Syria's opposition claimed that hundreds were killed in a government chemical attack on militant strongholds in Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar before dawn.
Head of the so-called opposition Syrian National Coalition, George Sabra, told reporters in Istanbul that more than 1,300 people were killed in the alleged attack.
Videos posted online by opposition activists show lifeless bodies, mostly with no visible signs of injury. Press TV, however, could not independently verify where or when the videos were recorded.
The Syrian army has vehemently denied allegations that it used chemical weapons against Takfiri militants in the suburbs of the Ghouta region, saying the accusations were fabricated to distract the visiting team of the UN chemical weapons experts and to cover up militants losses.
The head of the inspection mission, Ake Sellstrom, has said that the alleged attack should be investigated. The Arab League has also called on the UN inspectors to visit the site of the alleged chemical attack.
The US, UK, France, and Saudi Arabia have called for the UN Security Council to convene immediately to discuss the reports of the chemical attack.
In March, dozens of people were killed in a chemical attack in the northern province of Aleppo. A Russian-led inquiry said that militants were behind the deadly attack.
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The Syrian army has vehemently denied allegations by militants and opposition activists that it used chemical weapons against Takfiri militants near the capital.
"Allegations of the use of chemical arms by the Syrian Arab Army today in areas of Damascus province ... are null, void and totally unfounded," the military said in a statement read out by an officer on state television on Wednesday. The Syrian army also described the allegations as part of the ongoing media war against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. "These allegations by the terrorist groups and the satellite channels that support them are just a desperate bid to conceal their failures on the battlefield and reflect the state of hysteria and collapse that these (militant) groups are in," the statement added. Opposition activists claimed on Wednesday that hundreds were killed after government forces used chemical weapons against militants on the outskirts of Damascus. Head of Syria's opposition National Coalition George Sabra told reporters in Istanbul that more than 1,300 people were killed in the alleged chemical attack. Videos posted online by the opposition show lifeless bodies, mostly with no visible signs of injury. Press TV could not independently verify where or when the videos were recorded. The Syrian government says the allegations are aimed at distracting a visiting team of UN chemical weapons experts from carrying out their duty. The head of the inspection mission, Ake Sellstrom, has said that the alleged attack should be investigated. Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria. According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and a total of 7.8 million of others displaced due to the violence. 
Handout image shows bodies of people rebels claim were killed in a toxic gas attack in Ghouta, Syria on August 21, 2013
Syria's main opposition group accused the government of "massacring" more than 1,300 people in chemical weapons attacks near Damascus on Wednesday, saying many of the victims choked to death. The accusation came as a team of UN inspectors was in Syria to probe previous allegations of chemical weapons strikes leveled against both sides during the 29-month conflict. Western governments demanded an immediate investigation into the new allegations. Russia, a longstanding ally of the Damascus regime, echoed the call but said it suspected a "provocation" by the opposition and its foreign backers. Videos distributed by activists, the authenticity of which could not immediately be verified, showed medics attending to suffocating children and hospitals being overwhelmed. More footage showed dozens of people laid out on the ground, among them many children, some of them covered in white sheets. The claim of chemical weapons use, which could not be independently confirmed, was vehemently denied by the Syrian regime which said it was intended to hinder the work of the UN weapons inspectors already in the country. Opposition sources accused the army of multiple chemical weapons strikes -- one in Moadamiyet al-Sham, southwest of Damascus, and more in the capital's eastern suburbs. The Local Coordination Committees, a network of activists, reported hundreds of casualties in the "brutal use of toxic gas by the criminal regime." And in videos posted on YouTube, the Syrian Revolution General Commission, another activist group, showed what it called "a terrible massacre committed by regime forces with toxic gas." The attack "led to suffocation of the children and overcrowding field hospitals with hundreds of casualties amid extreme shortage of medical supplies to rescue the victims, particularly atropine," the LCC said. In one video, children are seen being given first aid in a field hospital, notably oxygen to help them breathe. Doctors appear to be trying to resuscitate unconscious children. Specialists in the impact of chemical weapons said the video evidence was not entirely convincing. "At the moment, I am not totally convinced because the people that are helping them are without any protective clothing and without any respirators," said Paula Vanninen, director of Verifin, the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention. "In a real case, they would also be contaminated and would also be having symptoms." John Hart, head of the Chemical and Biological Security Project at Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said he had not seen the tell-tale evidence in the eyes of the victims that would be compelling evidence of chemical weapons use. "Of the videos that I've seen for the last few hours, none of them show pinpoint pupils... this would indicate exposure to organophosphorus nerve agents," he said. Gwyn Winfield, editor of CBRNe World magazine, which specializes in chemical weapons issues, said the evidence did not suggest that the chemicals used were of the weapons-grade that the Syrian army possesses in its stockpiles. "We're not seeing reports that doctors and nurses... are becoming fatalities, so that would suggest that the toxicity of it isn't what we would consider military sarin. It may well be that it is a lower-grade," Winfield told AFP. |
The opposition National Coalition's George Sabra, who spoke to reporters in Istanbul, said more than 1,300 people had been killed in what he said was a "coup de grace that kills all hopes for a political solution in Syria."
"The Syrian regime is mocking the UN and the great powers when it strikes targets near Damascus, while the (UN weapons inspectors) are just a few steps away," he said.
State news agency SANA said "reports on the use of chemical weapons in Ghouta (the Damascus suburbs) are totally false. It's an attempt to prevent the UN commission of inquiry from carrying out its mission."
The news agency described Wednesday's violence as "a series of operations" by army units "against terrorist groups" in Jobar, Irbin and Zamalka, "killing a number of them and destroying their hideouts."
In a statement, the army flatly denied as "null, void and totally unfounded" the opposition's allegations, describing them as a "desperate bid to conceal their failures on the battlefield."
Britain, France and the United States sought an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the allegations.
Washington has previously described chemical weapons use as a red line that might prompt it to intervene militarily in Syria.
EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said the allegations "should be immediately and thoroughly investigated."
The UN mission already in Syria "must be allowed full and unhindered access to all sites," she said.
Russia, which has previously said it has proof of chemical weapons use by the rebels, expressed deep skepticism about the opposition's claims.
The foreign ministry said the timing of the allegations as UN inspectors began their work "makes us think that we are once again dealing with a premeditated provocation."
There have frequent claims by anti-regime activists of chemical weapons use by the army, particularly in Damascus province and in the central region of Homs.
"The Syrian regime is mocking the UN and the great powers when it strikes targets near Damascus, while the (UN weapons inspectors) are just a few steps away," he said.
State news agency SANA said "reports on the use of chemical weapons in Ghouta (the Damascus suburbs) are totally false. It's an attempt to prevent the UN commission of inquiry from carrying out its mission."
The news agency described Wednesday's violence as "a series of operations" by army units "against terrorist groups" in Jobar, Irbin and Zamalka, "killing a number of them and destroying their hideouts."
In a statement, the army flatly denied as "null, void and totally unfounded" the opposition's allegations, describing them as a "desperate bid to conceal their failures on the battlefield."
Britain, France and the United States sought an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the allegations.
Washington has previously described chemical weapons use as a red line that might prompt it to intervene militarily in Syria.
EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said the allegations "should be immediately and thoroughly investigated."
The UN mission already in Syria "must be allowed full and unhindered access to all sites," she said.
Russia, which has previously said it has proof of chemical weapons use by the rebels, expressed deep skepticism about the opposition's claims.
The foreign ministry said the timing of the allegations as UN inspectors began their work "makes us think that we are once again dealing with a premeditated provocation."
There have frequent claims by anti-regime activists of chemical weapons use by the army, particularly in Damascus province and in the central region of Homs.
Three Palestinian refugees were killed on Tuesday in clashes across Syria, a local group said.
Ammar Ammora was critically injured by shelling in the Moroccan neighborhood of Yarmouk camp and later died from his injuries, the Taskforce for Palestinians in Syria said.
Abed Khader and Bilal Najib were also killed in Yarmouk.
Syrian regime forces and Free Syria Army fighters clashed near Yarmouk municipality and around Thirty Street and Palestine Street, with a UNRWA center in the camp severely damaged.
Daraa refugee camp was also targeted by the Syrian army, causing damage to several homes.
In Homs, Yasser Gharib, a refugee from the Galilee, was detained by Syria's army. Troops positioned at a checkpoint near Kafr Aya also arrested an unidentified teacher from al-Aedin refugee camp.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian taken hostage by Syrian rebels was released this week.
Engineer Ibrahim al-Hawwash was freed after Palestinian Authority officials and the ambassador to Turkey intervened.
More than half of the 530,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria have been displaced and 15 percent have fled abroad, including 60,000 to neighboring Lebanon and over 7,000 to Jordan.
In March, the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria said that over 1,377 Palestinians had been killed in the ongoing Syria conflict, with that number thought to have increased significantly since then.
Ammar Ammora was critically injured by shelling in the Moroccan neighborhood of Yarmouk camp and later died from his injuries, the Taskforce for Palestinians in Syria said.
Abed Khader and Bilal Najib were also killed in Yarmouk.
Syrian regime forces and Free Syria Army fighters clashed near Yarmouk municipality and around Thirty Street and Palestine Street, with a UNRWA center in the camp severely damaged.
Daraa refugee camp was also targeted by the Syrian army, causing damage to several homes.
In Homs, Yasser Gharib, a refugee from the Galilee, was detained by Syria's army. Troops positioned at a checkpoint near Kafr Aya also arrested an unidentified teacher from al-Aedin refugee camp.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian taken hostage by Syrian rebels was released this week.
Engineer Ibrahim al-Hawwash was freed after Palestinian Authority officials and the ambassador to Turkey intervened.
More than half of the 530,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria have been displaced and 15 percent have fled abroad, including 60,000 to neighboring Lebanon and over 7,000 to Jordan.
In March, the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria said that over 1,377 Palestinians had been killed in the ongoing Syria conflict, with that number thought to have increased significantly since then.
18 aug 2013
The Israeli army fired into Syria after shells from the neighboring country hit the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan Heights on Saturday, a military spokesman said.
"Today, several shells fired from Syria landed in the central Golan heights, adjacent to the Israel-Syria border," he told AFP.
Israeli military "forces carried out a pinpoint strike, targeting the source of the shooting. A hit was confirmed."
The spokesman said at least three shells were confirmed to have hit Israel. He could not say whether the army considered the incidents cases of stray fire spilling over from the conflict in Syria.
Army radio reported the Israeli attack demolished a Syrian military position.
A defense source told AFP the Israeli response took place after Israel filed a complaint to the UN Disengagement Observer Force, which monitors the 1974 ceasefire line between Israel and Syria.
The Golan has been tense since the beginning of the conflict in Syria more than two years ago, but so far there have only been minor flare-ups as Syrian small arms fire or mortar rounds hit the Israeli side, prompting an occasional Israeli response.
Israel, which is technically at war with Syria, seized 1,200 square kilometers of the strategic plateau during the 1967 Six-Day War, which it later annexed in a move never recognized by the international community.
Also on Saturday, seven wounded Syrians were taken into Israel for medical care, the military spokesman said.
Dozens of Syrians, including women and children, have been treated in hospitals in northern Israel since the beginning of the uprising in their country.
"Today, several shells fired from Syria landed in the central Golan heights, adjacent to the Israel-Syria border," he told AFP.
Israeli military "forces carried out a pinpoint strike, targeting the source of the shooting. A hit was confirmed."
The spokesman said at least three shells were confirmed to have hit Israel. He could not say whether the army considered the incidents cases of stray fire spilling over from the conflict in Syria.
Army radio reported the Israeli attack demolished a Syrian military position.
A defense source told AFP the Israeli response took place after Israel filed a complaint to the UN Disengagement Observer Force, which monitors the 1974 ceasefire line between Israel and Syria.
The Golan has been tense since the beginning of the conflict in Syria more than two years ago, but so far there have only been minor flare-ups as Syrian small arms fire or mortar rounds hit the Israeli side, prompting an occasional Israeli response.
Israel, which is technically at war with Syria, seized 1,200 square kilometers of the strategic plateau during the 1967 Six-Day War, which it later annexed in a move never recognized by the international community.
Also on Saturday, seven wounded Syrians were taken into Israel for medical care, the military spokesman said.
Dozens of Syrians, including women and children, have been treated in hospitals in northern Israel since the beginning of the uprising in their country.
17 aug 2013
A Syrian mortar shell landed in an open area in the center of the Golan Heights. No damage or injuries were reported. The IDF reported that it mortar landing was apparently random spillover from the fighting in Syria. Saturday morning, another mortar fell near the border, and has not yet been located on the Syrian or Israeli side of the border fence. The Northern Command said that a report on the incident was sent to the United Nations force in the area.
Explosions heard in Golan, IDF combing for shells
The IDF is examining the possibility the mortar shells landed near the Israeli-Syrian border, after several loud explosions have been heard in the Golan Heights.
Explosions heard in Golan, IDF combing for shells
The IDF is examining the possibility the mortar shells landed near the Israeli-Syrian border, after several loud explosions have been heard in the Golan Heights.
13 aug 2013
A local group in Syria on Tuesday announced the death of a Palestinian refugee in the country, after being wounded in clashes earlier this week.
Sameer Mahmoud Nassar was seriously injured when Khan al-Sheikh refugee camp was hit by missiles fired by Syrian regime forces, the Taskforce for Palestinians in Syria said.
Several people were injured in the incident, which caused widespread material damage to the camp.
Both Deraa and al-Hasiniye refugee camps were also damaged in reported shelling by Syrian government forces, the group said.
More than half of the 530,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria have been displaced and 15 percent have fled abroad, including 60,000 to neighboring Lebanon and over 7,000 to Jordan.
In March, the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria said that over 1,377 Palestinians had been killed in the ongoing Syria conflict, with that number thought to have increased significantly since then.
Sameer Mahmoud Nassar was seriously injured when Khan al-Sheikh refugee camp was hit by missiles fired by Syrian regime forces, the Taskforce for Palestinians in Syria said.
Several people were injured in the incident, which caused widespread material damage to the camp.
Both Deraa and al-Hasiniye refugee camps were also damaged in reported shelling by Syrian government forces, the group said.
More than half of the 530,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria have been displaced and 15 percent have fled abroad, including 60,000 to neighboring Lebanon and over 7,000 to Jordan.
In March, the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria said that over 1,377 Palestinians had been killed in the ongoing Syria conflict, with that number thought to have increased significantly since then.
12 aug 2013
A Palestinian refugee was killed on Monday from Khan Danon Refugee camp in Syria, the Taskforce for Palestinians in Syria said. Khaled Fares, the Palestinian youth was killed during the continuous shelling on the camp by the Syrian regime army, it reported.
The group added the regime bombed the Yarmouk refugee camp by rockets during clashes with fighters of the Free Syrian Army causing several substantial damages and destruction of several houses.
The regime army is still blockading Yarmouk, preventing people from leaving or entering it, the group added. There are severe shortages of food, medicine and fuel, and electricity blackouts are common.
In June, UNRWA's commissioner general described Palestinian refugee camps in Syria as "theaters of war."
More than half of the 530,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria have been displaced and 15 percent have fled abroad, including 60,000 to Lebanon and over 7,000 to Jordan.
In March, the Taskforce for Palestinians in Syria said that over 1,377 Palestinians had been killed in the ongoing Syria conflict, with that number thought to have increased significantly since then.
The group added the regime bombed the Yarmouk refugee camp by rockets during clashes with fighters of the Free Syrian Army causing several substantial damages and destruction of several houses.
The regime army is still blockading Yarmouk, preventing people from leaving or entering it, the group added. There are severe shortages of food, medicine and fuel, and electricity blackouts are common.
In June, UNRWA's commissioner general described Palestinian refugee camps in Syria as "theaters of war."
More than half of the 530,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria have been displaced and 15 percent have fled abroad, including 60,000 to Lebanon and over 7,000 to Jordan.
In March, the Taskforce for Palestinians in Syria said that over 1,377 Palestinians had been killed in the ongoing Syria conflict, with that number thought to have increased significantly since then.
5 aug 2013
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In this edition of the show: The criminal use of chemical gases by militants in Syria and security forces in Bahrain has a common denominator: both are supported by the British government to kill freedom. |
4 aug 2013
Chairman of joint chiefs of staff aims to ease Israel-Iran tensions after PM Netanyahu's combative statements
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, will arrive in Israel on Sunday as the guest of IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz , Yedioth Ahronoth reported. He will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon. The parties will discuss the tightening of military cooperation in respect to the Syrian civil war including the issue of US reports attributing strikes in Syria to Israel's Air Force.
Dempsey will also address the issue of a possible Israeli strike in Iran in wake of recent statements on the subject made by Netanyahu in an interview with CBS. "Iran is inching "closer and closer to the bomb," Netanyahu said. "I won't wait until it's too late."
"We'll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does," Netanyahu said referring to the difference in urgency for Washington and Jerusalem.
Addressing the cabinet last month, the prime minister said that "A month has passed since elections were held in Iran, and Iran continues to race toward the development of military nuclear capability."
Iran's Foreign Ministry called Israel a war monger in response.
Washington is worried about a possible Israel strike on Iran's nuclear facilities and tensions between the two nations are starting to build up.
Discussing the rationale behind releasing Palestinian prisoners as part of renewed negotiations with the Palestinians last week, Ya'alon alluded to the broader regional context. "There were many strategic considerations which might be revealed in the future," he said.
Dempsey made a previous trip to Israel last year amid calls to strike Iran. The Americans believe that decision makers in Israel are feeling over-confident after reported successful strikes in Syria.
It is also believed that Israeli officials are convinced that Iran's retaliation capabilities have diminished in light of Syria and Hezbollah weakened positions in the civil war.
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, will arrive in Israel on Sunday as the guest of IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz , Yedioth Ahronoth reported. He will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon. The parties will discuss the tightening of military cooperation in respect to the Syrian civil war including the issue of US reports attributing strikes in Syria to Israel's Air Force.
Dempsey will also address the issue of a possible Israeli strike in Iran in wake of recent statements on the subject made by Netanyahu in an interview with CBS. "Iran is inching "closer and closer to the bomb," Netanyahu said. "I won't wait until it's too late."
"We'll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does," Netanyahu said referring to the difference in urgency for Washington and Jerusalem.
Addressing the cabinet last month, the prime minister said that "A month has passed since elections were held in Iran, and Iran continues to race toward the development of military nuclear capability."
Iran's Foreign Ministry called Israel a war monger in response.
Washington is worried about a possible Israel strike on Iran's nuclear facilities and tensions between the two nations are starting to build up.
Discussing the rationale behind releasing Palestinian prisoners as part of renewed negotiations with the Palestinians last week, Ya'alon alluded to the broader regional context. "There were many strategic considerations which might be revealed in the future," he said.
Dempsey made a previous trip to Israel last year amid calls to strike Iran. The Americans believe that decision makers in Israel are feeling over-confident after reported successful strikes in Syria.
It is also believed that Israeli officials are convinced that Iran's retaliation capabilities have diminished in light of Syria and Hezbollah weakened positions in the civil war.
2 aug 2013
General al-Freij, Syrian defense minister, slams Israel's 'involvement' in civil war, pans its 'failure facing Syrian army firm stance' in state TV interview
Syrian Defense Minister General Fahd Jassem al-Freij, was interviewed for Syrian state TV in a broadcast marking the country's Military Day, and used the opportunity to bash Israel.
"The Israeli enemy tried to stay behind to weaken Syria with its field agents," he said. "But they deteriorated, which necessitated the enemy's direct aggression to bolster its terrorists."
The Syrian minister added that Syria is withstanding a crucial war which includes unprecedented material, military and logistical aid to "terrorists."
"The enemy and its mercenaries have failed and their dreams shattered thanks to the Syrian army's firm stance."
Al-Freij added that "the mask has been removed off the face of the Zionist enemy, and the whole world has seen the proof for Israel's involvement by its gross attacks and by its support of terror gangs."
As evidence of Israel's alleged involvement, Al-Farij pointed out "the Israeli arms and equipment seized by the Syrian army in the hands of terrorists and the microchips planted by agents of the occupation in one of Syria's beaches."
According to him, Israel's support of the rebels is also apparent in the treatment of wounded rebels in Israeli hospitals.
Syrian Defense Minister General Fahd Jassem al-Freij, was interviewed for Syrian state TV in a broadcast marking the country's Military Day, and used the opportunity to bash Israel.
"The Israeli enemy tried to stay behind to weaken Syria with its field agents," he said. "But they deteriorated, which necessitated the enemy's direct aggression to bolster its terrorists."
The Syrian minister added that Syria is withstanding a crucial war which includes unprecedented material, military and logistical aid to "terrorists."
"The enemy and its mercenaries have failed and their dreams shattered thanks to the Syrian army's firm stance."
Al-Freij added that "the mask has been removed off the face of the Zionist enemy, and the whole world has seen the proof for Israel's involvement by its gross attacks and by its support of terror gangs."
As evidence of Israel's alleged involvement, Al-Farij pointed out "the Israeli arms and equipment seized by the Syrian army in the hands of terrorists and the microchips planted by agents of the occupation in one of Syria's beaches."
According to him, Israel's support of the rebels is also apparent in the treatment of wounded rebels in Israeli hospitals.
