Jerusalem: A senior Israeli Cabinet minister has warned that the transfer of Syria`s chemical weapons to Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon could trigger an Israeli attack.
Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom confirmed to Israel`s Army Radio that top security officials held a special meeting last week to discuss Syria`s chemical weapons arsenal.
Israel has long expressed concerns that embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad, clinging to power after a 22-month civil war, could lose control over his chemical weapons.
Shalom says the transfer of weapons to groups hostile to Israel, particularly Hezbollah, would cross a "red line."
"It would be crossing a line that would demand a different approach, including even action," he said. Asked whether this might mean a pre-emptive attack, he said: "We will have to make the decisions."
PTI