Quote:An Israeli cabinet minister has warned that if the Syrians use their recently supplied advanced Russian air defense missiles to bring down Israeli planes over Israeli territory, the launchers would be targeted — even if that means endangering Russian military specialists at the launch sites.

Environmental Protection Minister Ze’ev Elkin, who is also co-chair of the Russia-Israel Intergovernmental Commission, told Russian media Monday that it was a “big mistake” for Moscow to supply its ally Syria with the S-300 missile system, because the advanced missiles, which are considered a significant threat to Israeli air power in the area, “might lead to destabilization of the situation.”

Quote:Elkin cautioned that “considering the mess” that the Syrian army was in, the Syrians cannot be trusted to operate the equipment correctly and may end up shooting down an “Israeli military or commercial plane over Israeli territory.”

Israel, he noted, reacts to attacks on its territory and aircraft with “practical actions,” which would “undoubtedly take place” against the launchers should Israeli aircraft be hit in Israeli airspace.

Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, Zeev Elkin, speaks at the Jerusalem Center for Public and State Issues, on September 13, 2017. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)
“I greatly hope that there would be no Russian military specialists [at the missile launch sites],” he said, stressing that in the past Israel has taken pains to ensure that Russian military personnel are not hurt through its actions in Syria.

The Israeli Air Force has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria in recent years against targets linked to Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, which Israel says are working to establish a military presence there that could threaten the Jewish state.

Quote:“Recently at a meeting the United States stated that Russia is preparing for war. Yes, Russia is preparing for war, I can confirm it. Yes, we are preparing to defend our homeland, our territorial integrity, our principles, our values, our people. We are preparing for such a war. But there is a major difference between us and the United States. Linguistically, this difference is just in one word, in both Russian and English: Russia is preparing for war while the United States is preparing a war” (emphasis added).

We are so used to western diplomats and politicians saying more or less anything and everything (as the joke goes: when do you know that a politician is lying? When his lips move) that many of us stopped paying attention to what is being said. If tomorrow Trump or some “Congressperson” goes on national TV and declares “read my lips – up is down, dry is wet and yes means no” – most of us will just ignore it. The truth is that being exposed to that constant stream of empty, bombastic and always dishonest statements makes most of us immune to verbal warnings, even when they come from non-western political figures.

It is, therefore, crucial to fully realize that Russian official and diplomats carefully measure every word they say and that when they repeat over and over again that Russia is ready for war, they actually and truly mean it!

Quote:The Israeli regime has threatened to hit the Russia-made S-300 missile defense launchers in Syria, even those manned by the Russian military itself, should the launchers target Tel Aviv’s warplanes.

Speaking during a press conference for Russian media on Monday, Israeli Minister of Environmental Protection Ze’ev Elkin said Moscow’s supply of the S-300 system to Damascus was “a big mistake” that “might lead to destabilization of the situation.”

He then questioned the Syrian army’s ability to use the system properly.

“The Syrian military are not always capable of correctly using the hardware transferred to them. In case of improper operation, civilian aircrafts may be harmed,” Elkin said.

He further warned that the Israeli regime would take “practical action” in response to alleged attacks from Syria and stressed that Russia “bears partial responsibility” for Syria’s use of the system.

mapoui post=366427 Wrote:once these plants—which include oak trees, mango trees, and horse chestnut trees—are gone,

ketchim post=366528 Wrote:

mapoui post=366427 Wrote:once these plants—which include oak trees, mango trees, and horse chestnut trees—are gone,

nothing happens under an Oak tree, chestnuts need a fireplace and mango is overrated
unless it comes from Guyana :whistle: