WarSclerotic

IDF chief: Attack in Syria may lead to broader conflict – Israel News, Ynetnews.

Gantz tells Knesset Defense Committee strike on chemical weapons stockpiles may drag Israel into major war; says defections motivated Syrian rebels

Yoav Zitun

During a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee debate Tuesday on the possibility of an Israeli attack on Syria‘s stockpiles of chemical weapons, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz said the army may find it difficult to launch a “pinpoint” attack and warned that any other strike in Syria may drag the Jewish state into a broader regional conflict.

Gantz told the committee that Syrian President Bashar Assad‘s regime has boosted protection around its chemical weapons stockpiles and that the weapons have not landed in the hands of “negative elements” as of yet.

“But this situation may change,” he stressed, “and then we will be faced with a dilemma.”

Gantz said Israelmust also consider “who will remain after we act and in whose hands (the weapons) will land.”

Addressing the civil war in Syria, the army chief said Iran and Hezbollahhave provided substantial assistance to Assad’s forces – including weapons – but added that the defections of top commanders are hurting the Syrian army and motivating the rebels.

Earlier, the rebel Free Syrian Army said the Syrian government has movedchemical weapons to airports on its borders.

“We in the joint command of the Free Syrian Army inside the country know very well the locations and positions of these weapons,” a statement from the FSA said.

“We also reveal that (President Bashar) Assad has transferred some of these weapons and equipment for mixing chemical components to airports on the border.”

The statement said the weapons had been moved in a bid to pressure the international community, much of which has called for Assad to step aside in the face of a 16-month uprising against his rule.

This entry was posted on July 24, 2012 at 2:37 PM and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.