Barak Says Assad Has Only 'Few Weeks' Left in Control
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The family of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has only "a few weeks" left in control of the strife-torn country, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told MPs on Monday.
"The Assad family has no more than a few weeks to remain in control in Syria," Barak told the parliament's prestigious foreign affairs and defense committee in remarks quoted by the committee spokesman.
"There is no possibility in the current situation of evaluating what will happen the day after Bashar's fall," he said.
Syria has been pressing a bloody and brutal crackdown against pro-democracy activists which the United Nations says killed more than 5,000 people in 2011.
Barak also warned that the fall of the Assad family could have implications for the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
"In the north, there may be possible implications from Syria on the Golan Heights and a broader area as the result of the loss of control," he said on Monday in a separate statement released by his office.
According to Barak, the Assad regime was deteriorating as a result of the combination of internal and external pressures.
"Even if it is hard to clearly see the exact date when the regime will fall, the trend is clear, and with every day that passes, the regime is getting closer to the end of its rule, and its grip is loosening," he said.
But the defense minister did not foresee significant international intervention in Syria for the time being, since the world "understands that there is no alternative to the current regime yet."
The collapse of Assad's regime would constitute a "severe blow to the radical axis," he said, putting an emphasis on the impact it would have on Tehran.
A U.N. estimate in early December put the death toll in Syria since the start of the crackdown in mid-March at more than 5,000.
An estimate by the Local Coordination Committees network of activists put the number at 5,862 including 395 children and 146 women.
02 January 2012, 17:56
10
"Prestigious" committee? Naharnet must be impressed by everything Zionist or Saudi (same thing).
02 January 2012, 17:57
31
this is the type of halucinations that is typical for zionist information war department.
readers here and naharnet editors must understand that there is a mossad effort for disturb any media that they think it's possible to disturb.
it really is zionist information war deparment and maybe a ne or 2 lebanese full of sectarian hatred.
02 January 2012, 19:08
20
i agree and will always agree with you my hero! you always speak from your heart
02 January 2012, 19:28
00
They should know better than anyone else. They are the ones who kept the Assad family in power all these years.
02 January 2012, 23:06
00
the filthy zionist information war department, beside their usual stupidities, is asking me if there will be a war.
that's how scared they are
02 January 2012, 23:59
00
after the wargames of the farsis in the gulf ,i think the american iranian deal is reachable,u can smell it from the kids like barak... irak is for farsis/russians and syria for the saudis/americans...but it will need some more scenarios and victims...nice free movie.
HASSOUN WILL BE SOLD BY THE FARSIS BUT WITH GOOD PRICE.I WILL REPEAT THE SAME COMMENT IN 3/4 WEEKS.
03 January 2012, 10:01
01
the filthy zionist information war department is concerned about my image and image of my party.
also, they try to be cynical
03 January 2012, 13:07
00
Dear jabalabadoo (and your fan club):
You are hilarious. Believe me,we are not concerned about your image. Although your mascara seems to be smearing. Ah ... it's hard work controlling the all the strings of our puppets.
Sincerely, The filthy Zionist information war department.
03 January 2012, 16:00
00
bravo jabalamel: you still are giving a great image of yourself and your party! still depth in your analysis and undeniable facts to support your comments! we only have to agree with such truth you are enlightening us with!
no doubt you have a fan! you are a PROPHET!!!!
03 January 2012, 17:23
00
wlik ya jabal 3amel they should make you a saint ya habibe, enta el hekme kela!!! enta wil fan club taba3ak you are the expert you understand more then anyone.
