Israel Opposes Iranian Presence in De-Escalation Zone in Southern Syria
The Israeli army rejects any Iranian presence on the Syrian border with
Israel and will work on this issue according to the decisions made by the
political leadership, according to a spokesman for Israel Defense Forces
(IDF).
16:15 23.07.2017
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201707231055802866-israel-syrtia-iran-deescalation/

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — Israel opposes the Iranian presence near its border in
de-escalation zone in the southern regions of Syria, a spokesman for Israel
Defense Forces (IDF) told Sputnik Sunday.

In early July, a de-escalation zone was established in the southwestern part
of Syria in the districts of Deraa, Suweida and Quneitra. On Saturday, an
agreement on the Eastern Ghouta deescalation zone near Damascus, north of
the southwestern zone, was signed. Secretary of the opposition Popular
Diplomacy Movement Mahmoud Afandi told Sputnik that the monitoring of the
zone was likely to be carried out by the United States and Russia without
Iran.

"The Israeli army's position on the ceasefire in southern Syria follows the
political position of the Israeli government… We reject any Iranian presence
on the border with Israel and will work on this issue according to the
decisions made by the political leadership," head of the IDF Spokesperson’s
Arabic desk Avichai Adraee said.

The representative of the army added that the country, in respect of the
Syrian crisis, adheres to the principle of non-interference and does not
support either side, but reserves the right to act in case of attempts to
cross the "red lines" established by Israel with regard to its security.

"The red lines that Israel has established in connection with security,
attempts to transport weapons and advanced combat systems for the Hezbollah
movement. We are instructed to act in these cases," Adraee explained.

The agreements on the order of functioning of the Eastern Ghouta
deescalation zone in Syria were signed following the talks held in Cairo by
representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry and the Syrian opposition,
mediated by the Egyptian side. The first humanitarian convoy in the
de-escalation zone and the evacuation of the wounded are planned in the
coming days. The documents were signed as a result of development of
previous agreements reached at the Astana talks in early May.