As concerns surrounding Syrian chemical weapons falling in the hands of Global Jihad terrorists including Hizbullah increase, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has sent National Security Advisor Yaakov Amidror to Moscow to meet with is counterpart, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Amidror will work to enlist the support of the Russians to prevent the Syrian chemical weaponry from reaching the hands of terrorists.

Israel is seeking to avoid the need for military intervention but Jerusalem is keenly aware that in the absence of an alternate solution the IDF will have to act to prevent the weapons from reaching the hands of Islamic fundamentalist organizations.

It is confirmed by officials in Jerusalem that the rapidly deteriorating situation in Syria compelled Defense Minister Ehud Barak to return home ahead of schedule from the Davos economic summit.

Israel is operating on the premise that Russian wields considerable influence with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, and Jerusalem is seeking to have Assad increase security around his chemical weapons significantly or find another original solution that is viewed as acceptable by Israel. In addition, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday 16 Shevat 5773 met with US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro and it is quite likely that the Americans were also briefed regarding Amidror’s visit to Moscow.

Shapiro released a message to the Israeli media on Monday 17 Shevat that the US and Israel are keeping one another apprised on matters of national interest including the situation in Syria.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday released a message that his administration views this the final days of the Assad administration.

Israeli concerns also surround Russian built missiles that are part of the Syrian arsenal, including anti-tank rockets, but without question the burning issue surrounds the chemical weapons. At the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the media the Middle East does not sit back and wait as a coalition is formed.

Mr. Netanyahu stated the threats facing Israel at present from Syria are most serious. Later in the day the announcement was made that an Iron Dome missile defense system battery was positioned in northern Israel, in the port city of Haifa. IDF officials later announced the positioning of the Iron Dome was “routine” and not connected to mounting Syrian threats.

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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)