Israel to judge Syria's commitment to US-Russian deal on chemical weapons

Israel will be able to judge whether the Syrian regime has complied with the US-Russian agreement on putting Syrian chemical weapons under international control, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee in the Israeli Knesset, Avigdor Lieberman, revealed on Sunday.

Speaking to Israeli Radio, Lieberman explained: “According to the agreement, Bashar Al-Assad has to produce all data about his chemical weapon’s stockpile and all other related infrastructure within a week from now.”

Lieberman said that Israel had enough intelligence information about the real stock of chemical weapons in Syria and thus “it will be able to determine whether Al-Assad had completely complied with the agreement by comparing what he is offering with the information we already have.”

Regarding fears that the Al-Assad regime might transfer parts of its chemical stock to neighbouring allies in Iraq or to Hezbollah in South Lebanon, Israel’s International Relations, Intelligence and Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said that Israel would know.

In an interview with Israeli TV, Steinitz said: “Israel has good capabilities, and has drawn a red line over the transfer of chemical weapons to terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah.”

Regarding the agreement with Syria, Lieberman also said: “It will not be enough that Al-Assad offers information about his chemical weapons stockpile; he must offer all information about related infrastructure, research and development centres, raw materials and stores.”

He affirmed that Israel has detailed information about Syria’s chemical weapons program and believes this agreement would be a “very big achievement for Israel if it were fulfilled.” He added: “The Americans have done a great business.”