told you the truth something you do not want to hear it was a necessary measure we needed to show that there was a line in a very dangerous one. anyone who hoped there would be a breakthrough was in for a disappointment hours of testimony and the evidence all for naught that you mentioned in the russian press release that somebody here was going to be present who was a witness of producing the video of the white helmets and i was wondering where this witness is and if he can tell his testimony. more and more it's my view all these witnesses we heard from today are the evidence the white helmets feel is fake i don't know maybe i missed something. in one ear out the other with no pause in between we have independent research of n s a billy who returned from damon just days ago about what she saw there. well actually i am

surprised and i'm shocked at the levels to which west of me. has stooped over this alleged event in duma and the moral bankruptcy and degeneracy that were saying from western media i mean to accuse russia are basically exploiting a child in use of the evidence of eleven year old has and after western media has cynically exploited children throughout the history of this conflict and if we don't have to go back to far to remember loved it in east aleppo it is almost whatever evidence is produced now all it will be perceived as being influenced by russia or by syria i mean we've already seen the british government and western media if you like laying the ground for saying that russia had already predetermined with the site before the oprah c.w.

comment so we can almost predict that if o.p.c. w. find no evidence of chemical weapon use in that area the next line will be russia tampered with and sanitized and sprayed affirmation around the site before a.b.c. w could get there when i spoke to people in duma doctor as medical star in the same hospital in the medical point that received victims on that night they all also told me exactly the same thing as people are now hearing in the hague and also when i went outside and spoke to civilians only seven hundred meters away from the alleged attack they were also all saying the same thing to me that there was no chemical weapon attack. here let's bring some more information in on the breaking news story that we just upon last hour police in birmingham in the u.k. say a hit and run into that that occurred outside a city mosque could be terrorism earlier it was reported a car plowed into a group of pedestrians outside the sharjah la mosque two men are said to have been

injured the vehicle was seen speeding away from the scene will bring on the story as it it comes. and i wrap things up for. me for the latest at the top of the. israeli air force strikes inside syria are growing bolder targeting iranian military installations in the country well israeli actions provoke an all out

conflict in the middle east well my guest today is lieutenant general benjamin twenty of the israeli defense force. the syrian civil war keeps throwing in new players with israeli jets and syrian air space striking government military targets as well as damascus is. the risk of a serious response from tehran is growing israel continue gambling with its strikes in the face of possible confrontation in syria is it ready for any possible escalation in the middle east to get another conflict. lieutenant general benjamin downstate twentieth i.d.f. chief of staff welcome to the show it's really great to have you with us a lot's to talk about russia is planning to deliver s three hundred missile defense systems just syria following the u.s. coalition strikes earlier this month israel has always criticized the prospect of

damascus having asked three hundred but as two hundred system are in essence defense weapon why do they make israel so nervous. well definitely three hundred system is a serious system that covers lots of area to include the space of israel and once they're in the hands of the syrians and north to the control of russia. end up using it the way things it is israel is operating in the north in a remote against russia of course nor even against syria itself but it's actually acting against what we believe to be negative elements of strategic capabilities because in the hands of the wrong people. in this system if it's there might challenge us a little bit but i believe we know how to do is everything. for our out of israel's military intelligence most yadlin things israeli air force is likely to strike they

asked three hundred say if those are deployed in syria since they view the missile system as a threat do you think it's a likely scenario will you know i cannot put myself in the hand heads or in the shoes as we say of former acting general of prime minister in the ministry of defense. i'm sure when i'm confident that of a strategic leadership is not trying to operate against russia of course only needs to do all it wants to do is to ensure israel's security and i have full confidence in the discussion and. the way the thing things being done so we'll let the future speak but general i mean the things happen every day unexpected things happen every day so if that was a scenario that happens at a cli would take place with that set moscow in tel aviv on a dangerous path of confrontation is israel ready for that and taken that both have

enjoyed a really good relations recently. yeah definitely i think the relations between russia and israel are both good definitely important one and i don't see a collision between israel in russia is such once again sophie israel's interests in the north remain of security interest. is. if you wish war you know by default because we want to but because we have to so i'm sure that if there is a way to bypass the need of confrontation people will definitely like it however we cannot jeopardize our security interests and whatever comes under those considerations comes under this consideration. israel's defense minister lieberman set that the israeli retaliation will come if and i quote anyone attacks us that

the country will strike whatever system it needs to so far it's israel doing the attacking in syria so is it stops doing that and risking a counter strike it should be worried about anything should it. yeah well you see the point is very much everybody is trying to promote stability in the northern arena russia is trying to promote it is really different to support stability in the northern arena so we have this trend of political stability that everybody respects. but underneath this canopy of stability if you wish we can see the positioning and the potential rise over radical elements capabilities in their hands this is something israel cannot stuck its head in the seven states nothing if somebody can do it doesn't mean that it's

raining so we have to look into reality is if you wish really to operate against what we believe that seriously in danger our security in the region . and therefore i think that's what minister of defense to be right he said that we really have to operate against whatever we have to operate if individuals us but. what exactly do you mean by dangerous element because you've said israel is after stability in the north and their reign about striking syrian targets or iranian targets in syria doesn't really bring stability at all how do you arc so. iranians who operates form syria or from lebanon against israel it's a radical outpost that doesn't just look to stabilize syria but it's like to be capabilities against israel in windows if abilities

becomes potentially a danger this is something very serious that we have to take in our consideration and i believe that i will it should be doing just that so since two thousand and twelve israelis believed to launch more than one hundred airstrikes on syrian territory aiming at suspected it on the link targets like if that is the reason for israel's opposition to castrate hundreds in syria when they're reinforcing a syrian missile defense shield want to allow israel to do what they did before on a regular basis. you know what i'm sure that there was in the official channels between ministry of defense and prime minister and president putin what i respect very much trying to put the stability on the ground the discussions are being made over there and once again i think we should not ignore all the real facts and the surface stability it's on the upper layer underneath there are

negative elements being pushed by a lot is the biggest terrorist organization operating from the old an arena it is being supported by syria it is being supported by the iranians it is being equipped with high technologies between in danger israel's security we cannot ignore death. and therefore we are very clear on what we are definitely clear is what we are doing this is exactly what you are seeing nobody is sitting for syrian society nobody is seeking for syrian territory nobody is seeking for lebanese terrorists you are talking you know to the man who was the last one to leave lebanon in two thousand you are talking to the man who ordered to be in the field hospital that already treated more than four thousand syrians in our israeli hospital so israel

has nothing against those countries the only thing we care for in this is what we are doing exactly what we are doing we are defending ourselves on the day to day basis and we must be responsible enough strategically speaking looking into potential future threats for us this is exactly what we'll do and i understand the logic although friends and allies. and definitely i understand the logic behind what you're saying. and i understand your devotion to the cause that you've been citing all your life but as of today has balls and the iranian targets that you call dangerous are fighting to syrian civil war they're not fighting israel. let's not get too naive sophie. in rockets being delivered to the iranians because a higher level of distance with a higher level of accuracy is

a high level of explosions and none of that has been used against israel against syria and i'm glad they didn't use it i'm just building pileups of an issue it has no other address than future israel stopping it we cannot ignore that fact and this is exactly what we are doing and i'm sure that if you close the camera and speak to whoever you want the official intelligence element in russia well you know other places you would get pretty much descendants well i'll tell you what everyone else is worried about they ask awaiting strikes against it on in targets in syria are really making people nervous can a direct hit on israel a confrontation break out because of this. i'm just saying i mean there is a solution for that if your own doesn't push in strategic capabilities that we know what of the the end target to them that big which seems different if you runs is

not involved in this or if it's the position is footage of people who didn't syria if the roof illusion illegal who operates there would look to israel then a similar problem but the reality is that. doing something against it even if you go over to the declaration of the iranians unfortunately they do talk about destroying israel etc etc etc so once we see all that around there's no way we can ignore it or should we ignore it so once again almost yadlin and i keep quoting because i just spoke to him recently he thinks that russia could play and mediating role between israel and iran to prevent an all out conflict moscow enjoys a good relationship with both sides while israel accept russia's help in preventing a big conflict. i respect russia's strategic a pivotal in syria in trying to stabilize the area once again i don't think we should sacrifice future threats for the stability i think it can come together

push for stability for human rights ensure everybody's interest make sure the no negative element let's put it this way is a call that you know this question being put on the ground i think that might change picture all right general we're going to take a short break right now when we're back we'll continue talking weather tenant general benjamin katz twentieth i.d.f. chief of staff talking about the middle east pressing issues stay with us.

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guy a great so well paul chimes for. a nice minute. and where bad was lieutenant general benjamin gats the twenty as idea of chief of staff discussing israel's view on the middle eastern affair so general a confrontation with iran means a confrontation with hezbollah and the last time it happened it didn't go very smoothly for as that is another costly war like that really worth the risk for the country. was definitely an escalation in the northern area by and large and eleven

and specifically we know to be a hike in the park as we say but and i hate to see it's happening overseas for me is really perspective but seriously speaking says i understand that in lebanon. so many houses so many buildings that possess both a living room and miss a room in the same house i would really recommend lebanon not to let this happen because i think the price of lebanon would end up being the unfortunate price i must say would be by far. than what we build these we decide we know it's not easy but we are capable of dealing with whatever threat that comes from the feet on deal is once again in jeopardy as to trumpet ministration is weighing a new sanction it's in jeopardy because once the trumpet ministration is weighing in new sanctions against iran by me mate tehran threatens to vigorously resume

their nuclear program if united states scraps the deal i know that israel didn't like the deal since the very beginning but what i'd be happy if the deal collapsed all together. well i think that what you must bear in mind is the goal of the deal is it was was to keep it with the radius form approaching the ability to create potentially military nuclear capabilities i think all the discussions of what used to be the or what might be to be grooming for future times we'll have to look at it does it serve. the goal of keeping the ring is from this ability it's something the americans need to put their think about it other people understood already said the supporting to do but this is something that the bush countries will have to deal with but i mean it's obvious that if the deal collapses tehran will read

new iranian enrichment it makes no secret of it it says it will and then israel wells that have to strike an iranian nuclear site how is that good for anyone i mean there will be retaliation strikes on the iranians the americans will stay in the region will be on everything. is that's why i've said the thing that the means for t.g. good of everyone should be keep iran from nuclear capabilities on the means could be sold and it is so different in so many of them the goal should be one keep them from being able to produce military nuclear capabilities and it's not an israeli interest it's a war interest it's the region interest and yes it's an israeli interest is would if you would speak to someone from the arab countries in the gulf area and other places just a few would have who simply the same answer so the deal does precisely that it

keeps. tehran from enriching uranium does that mean that israel is in favor of the deal. the prime minister of israel have said so many times and he's been doing it in his discussion with the board leader with the gaffes that he sees in that can it be improved to make sure that really at the end of the road iran does not get the future proof. permission to produce this nuclear capability i think that's the idea i think there are a few holes over there and of course all the inspections everything and everything all very important so another topic that's been discussed very much lately the crown delegation is prepared by president trump to go to israel to mark the transfer of the embassy to jerusalem saying how his announcement of the transfer really made the palestinian issue heat up do you see this as a maybe a little over the top and unnecessary maybe even

a provocative move. well you know i don't look at the provoke it is potentially the reason of it of the potential this collision of it definitely jerusalem is the capital of israel you've been in these are so many times you know it yourself. since the days of king david we didn't need to have a president trump is all due respect. saying it but these jews are he's our corporate elites my opinion that most countries all countries who basically move their. assets into jerusalem just like the case in most of just the case in washington d.c. even though the new york city's dick let's put it in the financial capital of his of the united states you've been to tel aviv televisa definitely a financial capital of the state of israel but the capital of israel is drizzle and that's where all those and this is new and sometimes it's up to get what part of life yeah but i mean so far it's just american strat carpeting that you're a salon member say others aren't too prone and too quick to accept that. really i

hope and believe that more countries would follow the. lead to nothing with the palestinian leader just another excuse form of doing and if well i tell you how it looks from the outside what is with so many politicians coming over to israel it seems that this is not just about these rallies it's more about the american voters and i mean it's great for trump to protect himself as a friend of israel to his voters at home but should he really be doing it at the expense of israel's security. where once again we believe the jerusalem is our capital for decades hundreds of years thousands of years and we stay saw the future plans as these very result jerusalem is not israel is we understand it according to our jewish history and these are history of our country sometimes those principle come with a price i don't think it should come as price i think it has to do nothing with the

palestinian issue all those places are talking about jerusalem as we know it and the locations are such it has no or really interaction and definitely in the few is nothing of the palestinians idea so seriously we would like to put political side for a second to be look at the essence itself. i don't see why should there be any major problems but once again jerusalem is essential for us and we will stand for it for . so generally not most of the time i want to talk to these rallies about the palestinian issue they tell me that they palestinians do not want peace that israel is ready for concessions but palestinians aren't and you can't talk to them and then when i talk to the palestinians day say that exactly same thing about israel though you you are obviously a very patchy arctic man who served and serves his country are you able to take

a step back and see this from a distance how unbending both sides are. to feel. that those the police the news and the israelis need. to give up in the illusionary dreams of getting read from the other we are staying here they're staying here and eventually we have to find ways of living side by side peacefully they already got. historical political suggestion by prime minister or by prime minister barak in both cases they rejected them and we face wave of violence as a real is a result of it we didn't give up on our security and our existence no should we do it in the future but i really hope it's on both sides we would find leaders this

would understand did they need to sit with one another nobody's going. in for the over living side by side peacefully resolved is with securing its security and existence and i think that if people have serious enough ways we'll be found do you think it's wise to be so stern on the palestinian issue i tell you i'm asking because this is something that hits me personally me very closely we should have people at gaza border and then a man wearing a kippah is attacked in broad daylight in berlin and in france where i grew up and most of my childhood friends friends are friends jewish people and it's getting dangerous for the jews does and it's so interrelated don't tell me it's not related does being tough on the palestinians in danger the jewish communities in europe.

well unfortunately we might see a negative linkage between things that happens here and seeing that might happen under the way evil and to sin is in different places in the world just like the examples that you have given and once again. let's be honest enough to say what we are seeing in gaza those are unfortunate events instead of hamas supporting its people and taking its budget in india and rebuilding them in education system or through the trees if you were ever they use them as human shields in the form of the border trying to penetrate through damage to infrastructure over there this is something that obviously we cannot unfortunately just saying that you are not agreeing is not enough we have to sometimes do things and those unfortunate events we continue to happen as long as hamas doesn't stop them on their side so do you think the current lineup of stayed steady or mediating the conflict working out well i mean the united states is israel's biggest ally

about as a mediator in my not me the bastien's the palestinians don't trust the white house do you think a change of format might help move this issue along. the way it's an israeli palestinian challenge it should be and is very precious to me an issue was disappointed decides to give this support and i really think that for the benefit to the future. general thank you very much for this very candid take on the issue. where we're talking to general benjamin the twenty is idea of chief of staff. view on the situation in syria and other pressing issues of the middle east that's it for this edition of.

foreign policy could be described as double speak the president doesn't have a defined policy approach. or difficult to discern is this what the art of the deal is transform policy making america great again. join me every thursday on the alex i'm i'm sure and i'll be speaking to the world of politics. i'm show business.

the u.s. house intelligence committee reveals its final report into alleged russian meddling in the presidential election and finds no collusion between the trunk campaign and russia will be looking into other findings of this long awaited report. elsewhere three people have been confirmed killed almost a thousand others injured after fresh clashes have erupted in garza months according to the palestinian health ministry. key witness in the russian doping scandal fails to confirm several allegations during court testimony that says the careers of many russian athletes were almost destroyed following his claims. more than a dozen syrians have testified at the hague saying that an alleged chemical attack in the town of duma was fake.