Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the end of Bashar al-Assad’s rule in Syria presents both important “opportunities” and risks for Israel.
Netanyahu said Israel is interested in “neighborly relations” with Syria, but also in ensuring “that no hostile power settles right next to Israel’s border.”
During a visit to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz, Netanyahu said this “historic day” for the Middle East was a “direct consequence of our strong action against Hezbollah and Iran.”
This had set off a “chain reaction” in the Middle East, Netanyahu said. He recalled the treatment of numerous Syrian war victims in Israeli hospitals. He said Israel reached out to anyone interested in peace with Israel.
