BICOM

Israel’s Defence Minister spoke out yesterday over the ongoing civil war in Syria, pointing the finger of blame at the Syrian regime and his Iranian allies.

Speaking at a conference in Eilat, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman rhetorically asked, “Where is the international community?” over Syria.

He said: “[Syria’s President] Assad is a butcher, who has slaughtered and murdered hundreds of thousands of people, including by using chemical weapons.”

Lieberman continued: “In my opinion, he [Assad] should be removed from power – and we should block Iranian involvement in Syria.”

Placing the conflict in a regional context, he added: “It’s a shame that instead of focusing on the very unfortunate fact that 500 people are killed in the Middle East every day, the international community would rather criticise Israel for every new balcony built on a settlement.”

Earlier this month, Lieberman acknowledged that Israel has carried out air strikes in Syria to prevent Hezbollah, whose fighters are engaged alongside al-Assad’s forces in Aleppo and elsewhere, from smuggling advanced weaponry, including weapons of mass destruction. Lieberman reiterated at the conference  that Israel has no intention of involving itself in Syria’s bloody civil war, but said: “When I am asked, time and time again, what should be the nature of a possible future accord in Syria, I say and repeat that… the Iranians and Assad cannot be part of the accord.”

Iran is a staunch al-Assad ally and forces loyal to Tehran continue to fight alongside al-Assad’s military forces. UK Prime Minister Theresa May said yesterday that “President Assad and his backers, Russia and Iran, bear responsibility for the tragedy in Aleppo,” where international leaders fear that large-scale deliberate killing of civilians has taken place.

Iran’s Ambassador to London and his Russian counterpart were both summoned by UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to discuss “concern” over their countries’ actions in Syria.