At a forum discussing the situation in Syria, a top American defense official said over the weekend that it was probably a good idea for Israel to have struck Syria's nascent nuclear facility in 2007.
Speaking at the panel at the Halifax International Security Forum on Friday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work simply answered “yes” when asked by a panel member if Israel had done the proper thing regarding the Syrian nuclear plant.
Also sitting on the panel was Zionist Union MK Tzipi Livni, who spoke about Syria as well.
“Israel's greatest concern is that the war will end with the Shi'ites in a greater position of strength,” she said. “The non-radical states in the region that are not interested in the ideology and terror advocated by ISIS and Iran are hopeful that the free world will band to fight in the shortest time possible to bring order back to Syria. Otherwise, they fear, they will have to learn with the radicals, who themselves are seeking to overthrow those states. This is a critical battle that the entire world must join.”
Work and Livni made their comments at the Halifax International Security Forum, an annual event, held each November, where decision-makers and thinkers who deal with real-world threats gather to discuss ways of dealing with the difficult issues their countries face. Setting the security agenda each November for the coming calendar year, the Forum convenes relevant and key leaders in an unscripted, intimate atmosphere over three days in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The community that meets at Halifax represents more than 60 countries, yet is limited to 300 participants.
The 2007 attack on the Al-Kibar nuclear facility in northern Syria was said to have been carried out by special Israeli forces. Israel has never confirmed officially that it was involved in the attack