Despite Words Of Warning, Israel Wants To Stay Out Of Syria Conflict
--CLIP
Despite Israels warnings of a harsh response should Assad target Israel, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus public demand that the Americans respond to last weeks chemical weapons attack, Israels policy remains unchanged: Not only does it not want to get dragged into Syrias civil war itself, but its not even particularly eager to see the tyrant toppled. Netanyahu, to his credit, has thus far handled the Syrian crisis sensibly and responsibly, and if Israel can possibly remain outside the arena, it wont be involved in any American strike on Assad.
But Israel wont shed any tears if Assad absorbs a limited strike, for two reasons: to restore the taboo against the use of chemical weapons, which had been eroded completely by Americas previous disregard of Assads repeated crossings of Obamas own red line, and because a blow to Syria is also a blow to Iran, which had been gaining confidence from both Assads recent successes and Washingtons hesitancy until now.
For now, everyone is waiting for America to strike, and then to leave again. After that, Assad will presumably resume slaughtering his countrymen with rifles, tanks and aerial bombings. But the slaughter will henceforth be in conformity with the new rules: All means are kosher except, of course, chemical weapons.
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http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.544385