FM Sa’ar warns: Hamas creates new Syrian front against Israel, Syrian gov’t is ‘jihadist Islamic terrorist group’

Despite appearances, Israel’s northern front remains a serious threat to Israel’s security, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar warned during the first high-level forum for managing Israel-EU relations since 2012.

Foreign ministers from 20 countries attended the meeting, including from Belgium, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, Romania, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden, along with additional representatives from six other countries, Sa’ar’s office said.

In remarks before the forum, Sa’ar vowed that Israeli would not compromise over its security on the Syrian border and warned: “Hamas and the Islamic Jihad are operating in Syria to create another front against Israel.”

He also called the idea the regime in Syria had changed for the better, “absurd.”

“The new government is a jihadist Islamic terrorist group from Idlib that took Damascus by force. We are all happy that Assad is gone, but we must be realistic. The Islamists speak softly – check how Iran spoke in 1979. But everyone knows who the new leader is,” he said.

Sa’ar also pointed to reports of Islamists taking violent revenge on minorities in the country. “They are taking revenge on the Alawites, they are harming the Kurds,” he said. Sa’ar has highlighted the situation of Syria’s Kurds several times in the past.

“Syria can only be stable if it is a federation that includes different autonomies and respects diverse ways of life,” he added.

Sa’ar’s comments came only days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had demanded “full demilitarization of southern Syria,” and stressed that Israel would not “tolerate any threat to the Druze community in southern Syria.”

He also highlighted that the Iranian regime, and the possibility it attains nuclear weapons, remained the “greatest danger to the world.”

“The Jewish people have learned from history – when your enemy declares its intention to destroy you, it is better to believe them,” he emphasized. “Iran obtaining nuclear weapons will certainly lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and others will join. Iran believes, like North Korea, that obtaining nuclear weapons will make it more secure.”

Sa’ar called on the international community to make clear that if the regime continues with its nuclear program, its existence is at risk. “The time to act is now,” he added.

“The dramatic weakening of Hezbollah by Israel ultimately led to Assad no longer being in power in Syria. There is an opportunity for positive change in Lebanon. There is an opportunity to liberate Lebanon from Iranian occupation and move it to the pragmatic Arab camp,” Sa’ar said.

He warned that Iran is continuing to attempt to smuggle money to Hezbollah, with the help of Turkey. “If the Lebanese army is stronger than Hezbollah, Lebanon's future will be better. If not, it will remain under Iranian occupation.”

Sa’ar praised the resumption of regular meetings between EU foreign ministers and Israeli representatives. “Good relations between Israel and the EU are in the interest of both sides, and I will continue to work to strengthen them,” he said.

“I believe Israel holds significant value for the European Union,” Sa’ar said, stressing that despite the war, Israel proved to be “an island of strength and stability in the turbulent Middle East.”

“We are the only democracy in the Middle East. We share common threats to our way of life in the West. We must work together to preserve democracy, the global order, and stability. Our relations should not be held hostage by the bitter conflict with our Palestinian neighbors,” he closed.