- Title: Netanyahu condemns "Turkish invasion of Kurdish areas" in Syria
- Date: 10th October 2019
- Summary: INTERNET (OCTOBER 10, 2019) (REUTERS) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU'S TWITTER PAGE, TWEET READING (English): "ISRAEL STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE TURKISH INVASION OF THE KURDISH AREAS IN SYRIA AND WARNS AGAINST THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE KURDS BY TURKEY AND ITS PROXIES. ISRAEL IS PREPARED TO EXTEND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE GALLANT KURDISH PEOPLE" MORE OF NETANYAHU'S TWITTER PAGE
- Embargoed: 24th October 2019 14:31
- Keywords: Israel Syria Kurds U.S. Turkey Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
- Location: JERUSALEM/INTERNET
- City: JERUSALEM/INTERNET
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001B0IKVUV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday (October 10) condemned Turkey's military incursion against a Kurdish militia in northeast Syria and cautioned about the possibility of ethnic cleansing.
"Israel strongly condemns the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish areas in Syria and warns against the ethnic cleansing of the Kurds by Turkey and its proxies," Netanyahu wrote on Twitter. "Israel is prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the gallant Kurdish people."
U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to stand aside as Turkey invades Syria and fights Kurds allied with Washington has some Israelis wondering whether they too might eventually pay a price for his impatience with Middle East engagements.
Sunday's surprise Syria about-face was the latest in recent steps that have stirred discomfort within Netanyahu's conservative cabinet, which had long seen itself and the Trump administration as marching in lock-step.
Without criticising Washington, Netanyahu on Thursday stressed Israel's self-sufficiency - a change of tone from his promotion, just weeks ago, of his personal rapport with Trump and their discussion of a possible bilateral defence pact.
Israel has maintained discreet military, intelligence and business ties with the Kurds since the 1960s, viewing the minority ethnic group - whose indigenous population is split between Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran - as a buffer against shared adversaries.
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