JERUSALEM: Israeli government minister warns the world of Iran-Syria strengthening alliance

Record ID: 278828

  • Title: JERUSALEM: Israeli government minister warns the world of Iran-Syria strengthening alliance
  • Date: 22nd July 2007
  • Summary: (W2) JERUSALEM (JULY 22, 2007) (REUTERS) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER EHUD OLMERT WALKING TO WEEKLY CABINET MEETING VARIOUS OF ISRAELI MINISTERS ARRIVING AT MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI MINISTER, ISAAC HERZOG SAYING: "The world has seen President Bashar al-Assad hosting one of the most dangerous persons on earth, President of Iran Ahmadinejad, his ally and of course his
  • Embargoed: 6th August 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVANVJJIR7IRBYLW6D34JZCVTE9
  • Story Text: An Israeli government minister said on Sunday (July 22) that the world should watch closely the strengthening ties between Syria and Iran.
    Isaac Herzog, an Israeli minister of social welfare, commented on Thursday's meeting in Damascus between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
    "The world has seen President Bashar al-Assad hosting one of the most dangerous persons on earth, President of Iran Ahmadinejad, his ally and of course his colleague, main supporter of arms, smuggling, violating international resolutions, together with Nasrallah, the head of the Hezbollah, another arch terrorist. We ought to know it, we are at the forefront of a moderate coalition which confronts a main coalition of evil which is determined to spread hatred and instability around the world and the world should be very much attentive to these developments and very much aware of them," said Herzog ahead of a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
    In their last week's meeting, the Iranian and Syrian leaders pledged to strengthen the alliance between their countries, which are both under U.S.-led pressure.
    Israeli media reports said Assad's talks with Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel's destruction, had raised concerns in Israel that the two may be improving their trade and military ties.
    Israel has demanded Syria sever relations with Iran, whose nuclear programme it wants halted. Israel also wants Syria to stop aiding Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon and Palestinian militants groups including the Islamist Hamas.
    Israel and Syria had been passing messages in recent months, largely through international mediators, among them Turkish officials and United Nations envoy Michael Williams, to explore the possibility of resuming peace talks.
    Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert responded on Saturday (July 21) to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's call in a speech on Tuesday for Israel to guarantee a full pullback from the land it captured in a 1967 war.
    Olmert said Syria was setting an "impossible threshold" for peace talks by demanding Israel commit to withdraw fully from the occupied Golan Heights before negotiations resume.
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