Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Tuesday, 27 Tammuz, visited the Golan Heights, accompanied by senior IDF commanders including Northern District Commander Major-General Yoel Strik.

It has been reported that Lieberman is at odds with senior defense establishment officials, as he feels the response to Hamas terror must be significantly more severe than it has been while IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott and others feel restraint is in order. Ben Caspit reported in the daily Maariv on Tuesday that the IDF commander and other security agency heads feel a non-military solution may be attainable while Lieberman favors a stern and immediate military response.

During his northern visit, Lieberman expressed satisfaction with the status of preparedness of forces protecting the border. He cited that while Israel is willing to continue providing humanitarian services to Syrian nationals, Israel is unwilling to accept them in the country. Regarding Syrian soldiers operating along the border on the Syrian side, in the UN buffer zone, he stated, “Every Syrian soldier in the zone endangers his life”.

Lieberman addressed this week’s decision to shut the Kerem Shalom Crossing, explaining that while Israel will continue permitting food and medicine to enter Gaza, nothing else will be permitted in. The crossing was shut by Israel towards pressuring Hamas to bring an end to daily fire kite attacks into southern Israel.

He stressed that Israel stands firm on its absolute unwillingness to accept an Iranian presence in Syria, and as such, will do what is necessary to keep this from occurring.

סיימתי סיור עם מפקדי צה”ל בצפון. נקפיד על כל פסיק בהסכם ההפרדה בין ישראל לסוריה מ1974. כל חייל סורי שידרוך באזור החיץ מסכן את נפשו. נפעל בעוצמה נגד כל תשתית טרור שנזהה באזור וגם המשטר ישלם מחיר כבד על עצם שיתוף הפעולה. pic.twitter.com/qc2xst4hNa

— אביגדור ליברמן (@AvigdorLiberman) July 10, 2018

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)