Tel Aviv, February 04: Extremist Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday warned that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would lose the war and his power if he battled Israel.
“When there is another war, you will not just lose it, but you and your family will lose power,” he said at a conference.
A key regional player, Syria is engaged in peace talks with Tel Aviv in a bid to recover the Syrian Golan Heights, under illegal Israeli occupation since 1967.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Wednesday described on role of Washington in the Middle East peace process as “essential, given the strategic relations between the United States and Israel.”
“Syria holds out hope for its role, as long as the United States wants its role to be constructive,” Syria’s top diplomat said.
Muallem also hit back at remarks from Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak who said Monday: “In the absence of a peace agreement with Syria, we might find ourselves in a forceful conflict that could lead to an all-out war.”
The Syrian foreign minister said: “Israelis, do not test the power of Syria since you know the war will move into your cities.”
—Agencies