Here’s Why Israelis Are Once Again Angry With Obama: ‘Absolutely Perplexing’
Here’s Why Israelis Are Once Again Angry With Obama: ‘Absolutely Perplexing’
Israeli officials and media are voicing
dismay and anger over yet another leak of sensitive military
information by the Obama administration, with one veteran broadcaster
asking if the White House is fine with Hezbollah obtaining advanced
weaponry.
As TheBlaze reported
on Thursday, an Obama administration official told the Associated Press
that Israeli aircraft attacked a military site in the Syrian port city
of Latakia early Thursday morning, targeting advanced Russian-made
SA-125 missiles and other equipment the Israeli government believed
would land in the hands of Hezbollah.
CNN and other American news outlets also quoted “an Obama administration official” revealing that Israel was behind the attack.
While the Israeli government is not
commenting on the reports, Israeli media and officials are expressing
annoyance at the repeated leaks about Israeli military activity by U.S.
government officials.
“It is unclear why the US would leak such information, as it could increase the pressure on Syria to retaliate against Israel,” the Jerusalem Post wrote.
Israel Army Radio devoted an extended
segment to the issue on its Friday morning news program during which
veteran broadcaster Micha Friedman asked if it’s possible that while the
Americans are saying “no” to Syrian chemical weapons, they are okay
with weapons being transferred to Hezbollah.
Member of Knesset and retired Israeli
Defense Forces General Amram Mitzna told Army Radio Friday morning,
“There is something absolutely perplexing that I don’t understand its
meaning whereby American sources leak to the American press. The
Americans know what’s happening in the region and it’s possible there’s
even strategic coordination [with Israel]. It sounds very, very jarring
as there are strategic relations between Israel and the U.S. for years.”
“I can tell you that the State of
Israel has to maintain its strategic goals and regarding absolute and
necessary security not to hesitate to act even when it’s not pleasant
for our friends in the West,” Mitzna added.
Mitzna explained that Israel cannot
afford to allow Syrian President Bashar Assad to transfer sophisticated
weaponry like land-to-sea missiles to Hezbollah. Israeli defense
officials are concerned that if Hezbollah obtains advanced weaponry that
would change the strategic balance in the region, the Israel Defense
Forces could face difficulty countering the radical Shi’ite group in the
future.
This isn’t the first time the Obama
administration has been accused of leaking sensitive military
information regarding Israel’s reported operations in Syria. In July,
Israeli officials were upset when unnamed Pentagon officials told the
media that Israel was behind a missile attack again in Latakia that
targeted Russian-made anti-ship missiles.
Bill Gertz of the Washington Free Beacon reported
over the summer that when Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter was
in Israel, “The Israelis argued in private meetings and other exchanges
that the disclosures could lead to Syrian counterattacks against Israel
and should have been coordinated first with the Israeli government.”
In May, Israel Radio reported that the Obama administration had apologized to Israel
for leaking that Israel was responsible for airstrikes on Damascus
Airport that month. According to Israel Radio, the administration blamed
“low-level” officials for the unauthorized leak, as TheBlaze previously
reported.
Barry Rubin, director of the Global
Research in International Affairs Center, told TheBlaze at the time,
“Can you imagine if things were reversed and somebody did that to the
U.S.?”
Source: The Blaze
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