Israel Matzav

Russia to 'just fulfill contracts' by sending S-300 to Syria; Israel threatens to prevent deployment

Russia has announced that it will send the S-300 anti-missile system to Syria.

Al-Jazeera reports that Russia claims it's just going to fulfill its contracts to send the S-300 anti-missile system to Syria.

Let's go to the videotape.



What's unmentioned here is that there were hints from Israel today that it might intervene militarily to prevent the S-300 from being deployed. Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz fears that the S-300 could be used against commercial aircraft arriving and departing from Israel.

“Clearly this move is a threat to us,” Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said as he stood outside the Home Front Command Headquarters in Ramle.

“At this point I cannot say that there is a step-up in the shipment of the S-300. The deliveries have not taken place, I can attest to this, and I hope they do not. But if, by some misfortune, they arrive in Syria, we will know what to do,” Ya’alon said.

...

Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said of Russia decision, “one can not understand or justify such behavior. It is totally wrong.”

He spoke in Jerusalem at a one day conference called, “Israel: A new reality?” hosted by the Israel Project. Steintiz explained to the audience of diplomats and journalist that the S-300 could be used both as a defensive and offensive weapons. It is capable of hitting aircraft, including civilian planes, he said.

“Supply such weapons to Assad in the middle of a civil war, while he is slaughtering his own people,” Steinitz said, could be seen as a sign of encouragement and support.

Russia used a European Union decision not to renew its boycott of weapons shipments to the Syrian rebels as an excuse to justify shipping the S-300 to Assad.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Bashar al-Assad, European Union, Free Syrian Army, Moshe Yaalon, Nusra Front, Russia, S-300 missile defense system, Syria, Syrian uprising, Yuval Steinitz

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:02 PM