Israel Expects Alawite Refugees From Syria
Israel’s military chief on Tuesday said the country is readying to take in Syrian refugees should Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime fall. Lt. Gen Benny Gantz told a parliamentary committee that he expects Assad will be ousted by the popular uprising against him.
According to Gantz, Assad’s ouster will hurt Syria’s ruling Alawite minority, so “we are getting ready to take in Alawite refugees in the Golan Heights.”
According to the AP, Gantz added it was possible Assad would stir up trouble with Israel in the occupied Golan to try to weaken opposition against him. “Assad and the Syrian regime may have a hard time acting against us in the short-term, but we also need to take into account that Syria has advanced weapons systems,” Israel’s top officer conveyed.
