BICOM

Israeli leaders remained largely quiet in the wake of US President Obama’s weekend pledge to refer a decision on military action in Syria to Congress.

Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon and other senior Israeli leaders had repeatedly urged public calm but reiterated that Israel would respond firmly to any Syrian attack following a Western strike. During yesterday’s cabinet meeting, Netanyahu and Ya’alon briefed ministers on matters concerning Syria with Netanyahu commenting “There are sensitive and delicate issues here.” He said that issues surrounding Syria would be subject to “strict, central management” and urged ministers not to make any public comment. He asked them “to continue to act responsibly… to refrain from acting carelessly and irresponsibly toward our ally [the United States] in order to get a momentary headline.”

Although there was no comment from the Prime Minister’s Office, Channel Two and Haaretz published reports that Obama had informed Netanyahu of his intention to delay a strike on Syria, prior to his public announcement that he would seek Congressional support.

On Saturday evening, before Netanyahu’s call for ministerial silence over Syria, Economy Minister and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett wrote on Facebook that it is “more correct now than ever” that “Israel cannot count on anyone but itself.” Reflecting similar concerns, several media commentators this morning including Eli Bardenstein in Maariv comment that Western hesitation over Syria indicates to Iran that there will be no international intervention over its nuclear programme.

Meanwhile, the IDF yesterday discharged most of the one thousand or so reservists who had been called up last week as tension mounted in the region. The reservists serve mainly in the Home Front Command, intelligence units and missile defence units. Head of IDF Northern Command Yair Golan commented, “The army’s preparation was responsible.”