During the 1960s and 1970s, Syria and Israel were visibly enemies. Such conflict as the Six Day War, the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War pitted the two countries in conflicts that, for the most part, Israel triumphed. Although Syria never stopped technically being at war with Israel, for the past several decades, the borders have been relatively quiet But the Syrian civil war may radically change that quiet. Nevertheless, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon stated he and his staff are ready for any possibility. "The area has been chronically instable for a long time," he told an audience Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies. "We are prepared for any development," he added, stating that the other side needs to understand "the heavy price to be paid" if they instigate conflict.