Israeli PM says his country is gearing up for deterioration in regional
situation, with growing number of new threats facing Israel.
Israel is gearing up for a deterioration in the regional
situation, with a growing number of new threats facing Israel, Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
Wednesday 29 May 2013
Netanyahu: Israel ready to cope with probable regional deterioration
Netanyahu
made the comments as he watched an exercise simulating the response to a
chemical attack on a residential neighbourhood in Jerusalem as part of
an annual civil defence drill.
His remarks came after
several ministers raised the alarm over the planned delivery of Russian
anti-aircraft missiles to Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad has
been waging a bloody two-year war against insurgents bent on
overthrowing him.
"These things we are seeing here are
meant to protect Israel from an accumulation of new threats. These
threats are piling up around us," he said in remarks communicated by his
bureau.
Israel, he said, was working with "prudence
and great responsibility" but was gearing up for the regional situation
to get worse.
"We are anticipating a deterioration," Netanyahu said, without elaborating.
Earlier,
public radio said Netanyahu had ordered his cabinet to stay silent on
the issue of Russian missile deliveries to Syria a day after two senior
ministers criticised Moscow and warned that Israel would not sit quietly
if it felt under threat.
Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon
had on Tuesday warned Israel would "know what to do" if Russia
delivered anti-aircraft missiles to Assad.
"The
deliveries have not taken place, and I hope they do not. But if, by
misfortune, they arrive in Syria, we will know what to do," he told
reporters.
Israel has launched several air raids inside
Syria this year, targeting convoys transporting weapons to its arch foe
Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Intelligence and Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz also confirmed Israel would "react to any threat".
"I
hope Damascus understands that. We will react forcefully," he told
reporters on Tuesday, describing Russia's planned delivery of the S-300
anti-aircraft missiles as "morally wrong".
Moscow on Tuesday defended its arms shipments to Damascus.
Deputy
Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the missiles were a "stabilising
factor" which could act as a deterrent against foreign intervention, as
fears grow that the Syrian conflict, which has claimed more than 94,000
lives, could spill over into neighbouring countries.
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=59078
Posted @ 16:25
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