Israel divided over best course ahead
Israel's diplomatic and defense establishment appears to be divided over the best course of action to take on Syria, analysts and former military commanders said Thursday.
It has been no secret that some of Israel's political leaders and generals were initially disappointed that President Obama sought congressional approval for missile strikes, saying it showed weakness that would embolden Syrian President Bashar Assad and boost Iran and its nuclear ambitions.
An analysis in the Times of Israel, citing unnamed sources, said that Obama's decision to hit the pause button had "privately horrified" Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that "the message that is received in Syria will be clearly understood in Iran."
Now, many Israelis have begun to identify some advantages in a Russia-brokered diplomatic deal to secure Assad's stores of chemical weapons, especially if it succeeds. Oded Eran, former deputy chief of mission at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, said, "Now there are more Israelis who are looking at the possible deal between Russia and United States on the chemical arsenal of Syria as an interesting precedent. If the international community, through the U.S. and Russia, is able to put its hands on, to monitor or collect all the arsenal of Syria, this could be some sort of a precedent concerning Iran."
Israel maintains that Iran is seeking to build a nuclear weapon, a development it has described as "an existential threat." Iran says its nuclear program is limited to research and energy production.
U.N. report may pinpoint culprit
Diplomats said Thursday the report by U.N. chemical weapons inspectors expected next week could point to the perpetrators of an alleged chemical weapons attack even though they are only charged with determining whether deadly agents were used in Syria — not who was responsible.
Two diplomats said the inspectors collected many samples from the deadly attack on Aug. 21, including soil, blood and urine, and interviewed doctors and witnesses. They may also have collected remnants of the rockets or other weapons used in the attack which the Obama administration says killed 1,400 people, the diplomats said.
Under the mandate for the U.N. team led by Swedish chemical weapons expert Ake Sellstrom, the inspectors are to determine whether or not chemical agents were used and if so which agent. There is near certain belief in U.N. circles that the deaths were caused by a chemical weapon, and the nerve agent sarin is the main suspect.
in his own words
« We call upon the international community, not only to withdraw the chemical weapons that were the tool of the crime, but to hold accountable those who committed the crime in front of the International Criminal Court. »
Gen. Salim Idris, the top rebel commander, who slammed the Russian proposal and called for Syrian President Bashar Assad to be put on trial for allegedly ordering the Aug. 21 chemical attack
