BERLIN
The Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister has broken his silence and called on Western powers to arm moderate forces battling Islamic State (IS) militants.
Yuval Steinitz said, “More support with weapons and also financial support to more moderate groups, Islamic forces, like for example the Kurds, like the Free Syrian Army and like moderate Arab states, like Jordan, like Egypt.”
Israeli officials have remained silent on the issue in the past, fearing that public association with Israel would create further hostility towards the states and other groups.
Jordan has seen public opinion swing towards increased military action against IS in the wake of the murder of pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh.
Steinitz said that he doesn’t believe there is a threat to Jordan’s sovereignty from IS, but if there was, Israel would interfere if necessary.
Egypt is fighting IS on the Sinai Peninsula border with Israel, and various Kurdish forces are tackling the jihadists on fronts in both Iraq and Syria. The Free Syrian Army is seen to have little central coordination, but nonetheless vital to the anti-Assad cause.
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