Farouk al-Shara
Photo: AFP
Syrian VP: Israel won't attack Iran without US support
Al-Shara tells Ba'ath Party members Obama tried to 'restrain' Israel in order to prevent strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, adding that renewal of indirect peace talks requires US, European intervention
Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Shara estimated that Israel would not be able to attack Iran without the support of the United States.
Speaking to heads of the ruling Ba'ath Party, al-Shara claimed Thursday that US President Barack Obama has tried to "restrain" Israel in order to prevent a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.
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"The Israelis, despite their (vast arsenal), were unable to force the Palestinian people in Gaza to surrender and wave the white flag," he said.
The Syrian vice president said that in 2003, when the US invaded Iraq, Damascus stressed its support for the "national resistance" and claimed that the "American-Israeli plan in Middle East could not succeed."
Addressing the possibility of renewed indirect peace negotiations between Israel and Syria, al-Shara said such a process would require the support of the US and Europe.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Egyptian newspaper Al-Shorouk recently that if (Israel) were to violate his country's airspace in order to conduct reconnaissance operations on Iran, Ankara's reaction would resemble an "earthquake".
He urged Israel's leaders to refrain from "using the relationship they have with (Turkey) as a card to wage aggression on a third party."
About two months ago Turkey called off a planned NATO military exercise due to Israel's participation. Addressing the issue, PM Erdogan said Israel could not reasonably have expected to participate in a joint drill with Turkey after "sweeping" the people of Gaza during Operation Cast Lead.
