In a rare public dissent with US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered humanitarian aid to the YPG terrorists on Oct. 10, claiming they faced possible “ethnic cleansing” by Turkey and its Syrian allies.
“WE ARE PROUD OF TAKING STAND ALONGSIDE THEM”
Tzipi Hotovely, Israel’s deputy foreign minister, told parliament on Wednesday that the offer had been taken up. “Israel has received many requests for assistance, mainly in the diplomatic and humanitarian realm,” she said. “We identify with the deep distress of the Kurds, and we are assisting them through a range of channels.”
Hotovely did not elaborate on the Israeli assistance, other than to say that during “dialogue with the Americans…, we state our truth regarding the Kurds…and we are proud of our taking a stand alongside the Kurdish people”.
Israel has maintained discreet military, intelligence and business ties with the terror organizations since the 1960s.
Chief among those today are Iranian-sponsored forces deploying close to Israel’s borders, including within Syria. “Israel indeed has a salient interest in preserving the strength of the Kurds and the additional minorities in the north Syria area as moderate and pro-Western elements,” Hotovely said.