by Benjamin Kerstein – Algemeiner
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday denounced the just-launched Turkish invasion of the Kurdish region of northern Syria.
“Israel strongly condemns the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish areas in Syria and warns against the ethnic cleansing of the Kurds by Turkey and its proxies,” the prime minister stated.
“Israel is prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the gallant Kurdish people,” he added.
Israel strongly condemns the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish areas in Syria and warns against the ethnic cleansing of the Kurds by Turkey and its proxies.
Israel is prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the gallant Kurdish people.— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) October 10, 2019
The Jerusalem Post reported that a group of over 100 IDF officers sent a letter to Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi urging them to take action to prevent possible Turkish atrocities against the Kurds.
“As Israelis and as Jews, we must not stand idly by,” the letter said.
Turkey claims its offensive is intended to create a security buffer zone on the border with Syria and neutralize Kurdish terror groups.
The Kurds say it is a cynical attempt to destroy Kurdish military forces that have been successful in the fight against the Islamic State and ethnically cleanse the Kurdish population, replacing them with Arab Syrian refugees currently living in Turkey.
Netanyahu’s remarks are a rare split with US President Donald Trump, who effectively gave Turkey a green light to undertake the invasion and pulled American troops out of the area.
The Kurdish militias in northern Syria have been staunch allies of US forces in the battle against the Islamic State.
