Russia: Syrian ceasefire plan will consider Israel’s interests

Russia’s foreign minister says Moscow and Washington will consider Israeli security concerns in Syrian ceasefire plan.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told RIA news agency on Monday that Moscow and Washington will take Israeli security concerns into account when formulating the Syrian ceasefire plan.

Moscow’s top diplomat was responding to Prime Minister Netanyahu, who informed media in Paris that Israel opposes an arrangement that leaves an Iranian military presence in Syria.

The US and Russia seek to freeze the Syrian civil war through the establishment of de-escalation zones in the war-torn country. The Israeli leader normally refrains from directing criticism of Washington’s and Moscow’s policies in Syria.

Netanyahu delivered the remarks after attending a memorial ceremony marking 75 years since 13,000 French Jewish citizens were arrested and deported to the death camps during the Holocaust.

Jerusalem is strongly opposed to Iranian plans to establish longterm military bases close to Israel’s borders that could dramatically change the situation on the ground by entrenching Hezbollah’s presence on the border between Israel and Syria.

Earlier on Monday, former National Security Council chief Yaakov Amidror warned that if Israel’s security is not taken into consideration by the international community, the IDF could be sent to neutralize Iranian and Hezbollah bases in Syria.

Netanyahu said that in addition to Hezbollah’s strong presence in Lebanon, Hamas also seeks to establish a foothold on Israel’s northern borders and could turn Lebanon into a second front against the Jewish state. During his meeting with President Macron in Paris, the Israeli leader asked the newly elected French president to utilize his country’s historic influence in Lebanon to counter the Hezbollah threat.

By: Daniel Krygier, World Israel News

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