Israel Matzav

Iran to give Syria $1b to drop negotiations with Israel

According to a report in the Lebanese Arabic daily Asharq Al-Aswat, at their meeting in Damascus on Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed on a military alliance pursuant to which Iran will provide Syria with $1 billion to pay for Russian and North Korean weapons and will help bring about the overthrow of the Siniora government in Lebanon in return for Syria dropping all peace negotiations with Israel. The weapons to be provided will reportedly include fighter jets, tanks, missiles against naval craft (like the Chinese C-802 - now manufactured in Iran - that Hezbullah used against an Israeli ship in Lebanon last summer) and Syria's nuclear and chemical weapons research programs.

The report went on to say that aside from economic, cultural and scientific cooperation, Iran will help to fund Syria's purchase of Russian and North Korean weapons. These weapons reportedly will include 400 advanced Russian T-72 tanks, 18 Russian Mig 31s, as well as eight M-8 helicopters and other military equipment.

In addition, Iran will reportedly help Syria build factories that would manufacture medium-range missiles, and will also supply Syria with Iranian-made tanks and armored personnel carriers. The Syrian navy will also reportedly be rearmed with Chinese-made C-801 and C-802 missiles, which are presently being manufactured in Iran.

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On the diplomatic front, Ahmadinejad reportedly promised Assad to help topple Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and to push sway on the Lebanese parliament with the aim of restoring pro-Syrian influence there. Assad, for his part, agreed not to enter peace negotiations with Israel.

For the record, DEBKA reports this is not new and pre-dates Thursday's meeting in Damascus.

In response, Yisrael Beiteinu's Avigdor Lieberman, who betrayed the right by joining Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert's coalition, now wants everyone else to help save Olmert by joining a 'national unity' government.

"The strengthening of the relationship between Assad and [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad demands that Israel reorganize its political and military [strategic policies]," said Lieberman.

"The Iranian threat, said the minister, remains outside of politics, and therefore I call on the prime minister and the head of the opposition to reconsider the option of [forming] a national emergency government."

Olmert's response was to pander to Israel's extreme left:

In a speech before a retired kibbutz farmers' forum in the Jezreel Valley Friday, Olmert said that Israelis who believes that they could hold onto Judea and Samaria forever “were dreaming. Everyone understands that the state of Israel can't exist without a guarantee of a Jewish majority," Olmert told the group, and in order to maintain that majority, Israel had no choice but to jettison the lands liberated during the Six Day War.

In a separate speech on Saturday to a group at Kibbutz Yifat, Olmert said that he intended to run for Prime Minister again as the Kadima candidate. He also discussed a number of security issues, and said that Israel should not launch an extended assault against Hamas in Gaza, as an IDF official said might be necessary on Thursday.

Let's get rid of Olmert and have new elections first and then we can discuss 'unity governments.' If Olmert wants to help the country, he can do it by taking his single-digit approval rating and calling new elections.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:54 PM