Israeli President Reuven Rivlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. Photo: GPO.

JNS.org – Israeli President Reuven Rivlin warned German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday that Iran and Hezbollah were attempting to create a permanent foothold in Syria that would “force Israel to react.”

Rivlin said Iran’s efforts to establish a foothold in Syria and create Shi’a militias throughout the Middle East represented a direct threat to Israel and that Iran was liable to “sink the whole region into war.”

The Israeli president also said the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group had “consistently violated UN Security Council resolutions,” which was endangering both the Lebanese and Israeli people.

“The president clarified that the weapons infrastructure that Hezbollah was building may require the State of Israel to respond,” a statement by Rivlin’s office said.

The statement by Rivlin came just hours after Israeli purportedly hit a Syrian chemical weapons facility near the city of Hama.

The Israeli president, who was in Germany as part of a state visit, thanked Merkel for Germany’s strong military support for Israel, which has included strategic weapons systems such as nuclear-capable submarines.

“We all hope this commitment will remain between the two countries forever, regardless of which coalition is in power in either country,” Rivlin said.