Israel will not allow other countries to obtain precision weapons: PM

JERUSALEM, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel will act harshly against attempts by other Middle Eastern countries to obtain precision weapons.

"We are determined to prevent Iran and its proxies from establishing a military presence in Syria," he said at the start of Israel's weekly cabinet meeting, according to a statement released on his behalf.

"We are taking strong actions against these attempts and against the attempts to produce precision weaponry in all sectors, near and far," he added without elaborating.

Israel has been increasingly concerned by Iran's efforts to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials have been urging Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump to force Iran to completely withdraw its forces from Syria.

Last month, amidst talks of a possible peace agreement in Syria, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman announced that Israel will not be obliged to any possible international peace agreement in Syria and might continue to carry out airstrikes in its war-torn northern neighbor.

Israel, which shares a disputed border with Syria, officially claims it is not part of the war in Syria. However, Israel's air force has carried out dozens of fatal airstrikes in Syria, usually targeting allegedly Iranian sites or weapons convoys to the Lebanese-based military of Hezbollah.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-09/06/c_137447604.htm

KEY WORDS:Israel