Cabinet okays IDF reserves call-up due to Syria crisis

Army to call up limited number of reservists ahead of possible American strike against Assad regime. Ya'alon: Syrian attack on Israel unlikely

Yoav Zitun|Published: 08.28.13 , 17:02

The Cabinet on Wednesday authorized the IDF to call up a limited number of reserve soldiers ahead of a possible US-led attack on Syria, which may be launched as early as Thursday.

"We've been given a mandate to call up thousands of reservists, but we will recruit only up to 1,000 to vital arrays in the Air Force, Home Front Command and IDF Intelligence," a senior IDF official said. "We've instructed the relevant units not to allow soldiers to go on leave tomorrow morning."

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Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said President Bashar Assad will most likely not order his forces to attack Israel in response to any military operation against his regime. "Our borders are stable despite momentary anomalies. Our responses clarify our red lines and are based on deterrence. This is why our borders are quiet and the situation in the territories and Sinai is claim," Yaa'lon told an economic conference in Tel Aviv Wednesday.

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In preparation for a possible American attack in Syria, the IDF has decided to deploy another Iron Dome missile defense battery in northern Israel within the next 24 hours in addition to the one already deployed in the Haifa area. The army may place another battery in central Israel. the Israeli Air Force may also deploy Patriot batteries in the Galilee region.

Senior American officials told NBC News the US could hit Syria with three days of missile strikes, perhaps beginning Thursday, in an attack meant more to send a message to Syrian President Assad than to topple him or cripple his military.

Defense Minister Ya'alon, "In Syria a process is taking place that is part of a historic event which occurs once a century – the dissolution of a nation state. The situation in Syria is the result of Western mistakes. There were people in the West who thought they knew what was best for the Arabs and created a nation state. What we saw in Tunis, Egypt, Libya and Iraq is a situation of the dissolution of the nation state and future wars."

Ya'alon warned that in the near future the Middle East will be characterized by "chronic instability. During this period tensions will surface, among other things due to global jihad forces. This situation creates tensions that may be turned against us.

"The Syrians crossed a red line set by the Americans – the use of chemical weapons. These are horrific scenes, but the matter is being dealt with by the West and the US, not us," he said. "We are prepared, but there is no panic or escalation. Our (finger) is not light on the trigger, but anyone who assumes he can threaten us will be met by our force."