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Top defense official Gilad: Israel must strive for peace with Syria

By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent

Top defense official Amos Gilad said on Tuesday that it was imperative for Israel to attempt to reach a peace accord with Syria, in order to weaken the influence of extremist elements across the Middle East.

Israel "must strive for peace with Syria because we are on a collision course with [the Syrians]," Gilad told participants at the 9th annual Herzliya Conference.

According to Gilad, peace with Syria is a realistic prospect. "We were on the verge of war in 2006, and the next time there is a confrontation with Hezbollah and they fire Syrian-made rockets at us, it is not certain that we will be able to respond."
"Peace with Syria, if properly realized, could weaken a coalition of extremists and weaken threats that Israel has difficulty dealing with," Gilad said. "We have to give this a chance. Since we are already on a collision course [with Syria], it will not matter if we fail."

Meanwhile, defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Thursday that the transfer of particular weapons systems from Syria to Hezbollah would obligate Israel to take action in Lebanon.

During a tour of the northern border on Tuesday, Barak addressed concerns that Syria was looking to transfer anti-aircraft missiles to the Lebanon-based militants group, vowing that Israel would respond to such an illicit deal.

The defense minister, who was addressing an Israel Defense Unit on the northern border, would not detail in his address which weapons systems were allegedly being dealed.

"There are [weapons] system capable of tipping the status quo in Lebanon and we will need to consider our response should they be transferred," he said.



Original Article: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1061210.html