Netanyahu: The West should treat Iran the same way it treated Syria

The prime minister on Saturday reiterated Israel's support for Trump's decision to act against Assad's use of chemical weapons.

By HERB KEINON
Updated: APRIL 15, 2018 14:18
Netanyahu's remarks at the weekly cabinet meeting on the allied attack on Syria's chemical weapons, April 15, 2018 (GPO)
The same resolve the US, Britain and France showed in standing up to Syrian President Bashar Assad's use of chemical weapons in Syria needs to be shown in preventing terrorist states and organizations from getting nuclear capabilities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a phone conversation Saturday night with British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Netanyahu, who was referring to Iran, spoke about this conversation at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting.
US President Donald Trump has given the European powers – France, Britain and Germany – until May 12 to fix the Iranian nuclear agreement signed in 2015. If it is not satisfactorily altered, he has warned, he will walk away from the deal.
Netanyahu reiterated that Israel fully supported Trump's decision to act against Assad's use of chemical weapons, and added that Jerusalem welcomed the French and British participation in the mission.
Netanyahu said he told May that “the important international message that was given with the attack was zero tolerance for the use of non-conventional weapons. I added that this policy also needs to be expressed in preventing terrorist states and organizations from obtaining nuclear capabilities.”
The premier said he told May that the leading source of instability in the region is Iran, and that Assad needs to understand that when he lets Iran militarily entrench itself and its proxies in Syria, he is endangering Syria and the entire region.


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