BICOM

Following a period of public silence on the issue, several Israeli ministers expressed their support for efforts to dismantle Syria’s chemical stockpile while at the same time warning that Iran is closely observing with its own nuclear development in mind.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at a naval ceremony in the northern city of Haifa, saying “what needs to be ensured is that the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons will be dismantled and the world will ensure that anyone who uses weapons of mass destruction will pay a price.” Netanyahu stressed that “The message Syria receives will resonate very strongly in Iran” and also said that Israel’s ability to defend itself “is the foundation of our security.”

At the same ceremony, Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon said “We don’t yet know how the free world will act in light of the massacre in Syria, and we are following developments responsibly,” but that given the “unending storms” in the region, “we must ensure that we navigate the ship with sturdy and safe hands through the stormy waters of the Middle East.”

Meanwhile, Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz directly addressed the Russian plan to disarm the Assad regime’s chemical capability, telling Army Radio this morning, “I cannot say that we have full faith, but if this Russian proposal … will really remove the chemical weaponry from Syria, first of all, and will then dismantle it … then this is a way to end this tragedy and a way to end this threat too.” Justice Minister Tzipi Livni spoke in more general terms regarding Syria at a legal conference in Herzliya, saying that the United Nations (UN) “must intervene” and that “It is not enough to make heart-warming speeches. [The UN] must also struggle for such values with its actions.”