Barak: Syria-Lebanon arms transfer violates UN resolutions

Defense minister responds to media reports that Syria recently transferred Scud missiles to Hizbullah.

By YAAKOV KATZ
The transfer of advanced Syrian weapons to Lebanon destabilizes the region and is a blatant violation of United Nations resolutions, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday in response to media reports that Syria recently transferred Scud missiles to Hizbullah.
On Monday, Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai reported that Damascus had transferred the missiles to Hizbullah and that in response, Israel had threatened to bomb Syrian and Lebanese targets.
Barak said Tuesday that the IDF was closely following what was happening in Lebanon.
“We have no offensive intentions with regard to Lebanon,” he said during a tour of the IDF’s Tel Hashomer Base. “We recommend that everyone work to retain the quiet.”
Earlier in the day, Barak visited the Ramat David Air Force Base with Deputy Chief of General Staff Maj.-Gen. Benny Gantz and said the IDF was prepared for all of the challenges it currently faced.
At the same time, though, Barak said Israel needed to make efforts to achieve peace with its neighbors.