ISRAELI ARMY CHIEF: U.S. MILITARY WITHDRAW FROM SYRIA SHOULDN’T BE EXAGGERATED

Monday, 24 December 2018

ISRAELI ARMY CHIEF: U.S. MILITARY WITHDRAW FROM SYRIA SHOULDN’T BE EXAGGERATED

24.12.2018

Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot during a speech at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya. Source: Israeli military Spokesperson’s Unit

On December 23, Israeli military Chief of Staff said that U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw American troops from Syria should not be “exaggerated” and stressed that Israel is relying on itself to counter any threat from the war torn country.

“This is a significant event, but it should not be overstated. For decades we dealt with [Syria] alone. The IDF operated independently throughout this period, including over the last few years with US and Russian forces present,” Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot said during a speech at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya.

According to Lt. Gen. Eisekot, the Israeli military focused mainly on preventing the Iranians from establishing a strategic military presence throughout Syria in the last four years. The Israeli commander went on to claim that Israel foiled an Iranian plan to mass 100,000 fighters in ground, naval and intelligence bases in Syria, mainly near the separation line with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

“We still haven’t been able to destroy the Iranian capabilities to establish regional hegemony in Syria.” Eisekot added.

Earlier, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to intensify military action in Syria after the White House’s order for all US troops to pullout out of the country.

“I know that we do so with the full support and backing of the US,” Netanyahu said.

While the main stream media is panicking over U.S. forces withdrawal from Syria and the supposed threat it poses to Israel’s security, the statements of Netanyahu and Lt. Gen. Eisekot indicate that Israel has no problem at all with this step.

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