Israeli official says Syria must not have chemical weapons

By TIA GOLDENBERG
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s intelligence minister says Syria cannot be allowed to obtain chemical weapons. Elazar Stern’s remarks come after a report emerged that Israel targeted Syria’s chemical weapons facilities. In an interview Tuesday with Israeli Army Radio, Stern would not directly comment on the report in the Washington Post. But Stern, a retired military general, hinted that Israel could not accept such weapons in the hands of its enemy to the north. Israeli officials have declined to comment on the Washington Post report, which said that Israel struck Syria on two occasions — one this year and one last year — in a bid to block attempts to rebuild its chemical weapons program.