Israeli minister urges West to give more arms to Kurds, Jordan

Western states should provide more weapons to Jordan, Egypt, Kurdish forces and certain opposition forces in Syria, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said on the sidelines of the Munich Security conference on Friday.

 

Israeli officials had previously stopped short of making such explicit calls, citing concern that such groups would face added hostility by being publicly associated with Israel.

 

Kurdish regional forces are battling Islamic State militants on Syrian and Iraqi territory where IS has submitted whole towns to strict Islamic rule. Egypt is trying to defeat jihadists operating in the Sinai Peninsula, bordering Israel.

 

When asked what the Western-led alliance conducting air strikes against IS strongholds could do better, Steinitz said: “More support with weapons and also financial support to more moderate groups, Islamic forces, like for example the Kurds, like the Free Syrian Army and like moderate Arab states, like Jordan, like Egypt.”

 

Read More: Israeli minister urges West to give more arms to Kurds, Jordan – Middle East – Jerusalem Post