Peres Backs Obama on Syria: ‘Thoughtfulness Should Not be Confused With Indecision’
by Zach Pontz
Israeli President Shimon Peres believes the United States “will respond in the right way” to the Syrian government’s use of chemical weapons, despite President Barack Obama’s gamble in taking the matter to Congress for a vote.
“I have full faith in President Obama’s moral and operational stance. I recommend patience, I am confident that the United States will respond in the right way to Syria,” Peres told Israel’s Army Radio Monday.
On Saturday Obama announced he would seek approval from Congress for any action taken on Syria. Damascus mocked the decision as an “historic American retreat” after the U.S. president had promised an imminent response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
But Peres’ analysis differed.
“Thoughtfulness should not be confused with indecision, better to analyse before the event rather than after it. I trust President Obama,” he said, while emphasizing that Israel will not become involved in the country’s civil war.
“It is not for Israel to decide on Syria, we are in a unique position, for varying reasons there is consensus against Israeli involvement. We did not create the Syrian situation,” he said.