‘NATO support of Syrian rebels makes it an accessory to murder, kidnapping’

Syrian rebels are refusing to release a group of UN peacekeepers in Golan Heights until government forces withdraw from the area. As the hostage crisis continues to unfold, many say it's the rebels' supporters that are truly responsible.

“The only reason they’re acting this way is because they feel they have some sort of support from the west,” political analyst Ibrahim Alloush told RT.

He said that if you look at the whole picture, you will easily find that the problem is not with those rebels, but with those who are supporting them – “the ones who are arming them, financing them, and providing them with political support.”

Alloush spoke to RT about the recent kidnappings, and western countries’ ongoing support to the Syrian rebels.

RT:The rebels say they won't release the UN peacekeepers until Syrian government forces withdraw from the area - is that a realistic demand?

Ibrahim Alloush: Obviously it’s not a realistic demand. What we’re talking about here says something about the shady nature of these so-called rebels that are being promoted by NATO countries and GCC rulers. At the same time, I’d like to draw your attention to the fact that HRW said yesterday that these same rebels are being investigated for the summary execution of unarmed troops that were captured from Syrian posts nearby. At the same time, I’d like to add that Arab league countries decided yesterday in Cairo that these rebels are to be armed further and that they’re going to give these rebels serious heat in the Arab League. Add to that the fact that William Hague – the Foreign Minister of Britain – has said that Britain will be providing those rebels with additional military hardware. If you look at the whole picture, you will easily find that the problem is not with those rebels, but with those who are supporting them – the ones who are arming them, financing them, and providing them with political support. This makes NATO countries and GCC rulers accessories to murder, kidnapping, violation of international law, and the possibility of having those UN peacekeepers killed.

RT:With western states stepping up their aid to the rebels - might they reconsider their approach in light of this hostage crisis?

IA: Let’s face it – the only reason they’re acting this way is because they feel they have some sort of support from the west, as well as GCC countries and the Muslim Brotherhood. I think they were encouraged by the exchange or the release yesterday of the German journalist who infiltrated into Syria illegally, who was handed over to the Russian ambassador. What you’re dealing with here is terrorism, pure and simple, and the more you give, the more they will demand. I think we need to have all the countries of the world face up to the fact that you have to stand in the way of these people; otherwise they will turn the streets of Damascus and other Syrian cities – as well as world capitals – into blood soaked streets. We need to stand up to those people and face up to the west that refuses to condemn the bombings that took place in Syria around the 21 of February last month.

RT:The hostage crisis is unfolding right on Israel's doorstep, but the Jewish state still says it's not planning to get involved - why is that?

IA: Because the Zionists have decided that it’s better for them to see the Syrian regime toppled because they believe this will weaken Syria and weaken Hezbollah in Lebanon, which would be a strategic gain for them. So they are involved in supporting rebels. Meetings have been held secretly between some of the officers of those rebels in Jordan, with Israeli officers to coordinate action against the Syrian regime. Israel is part of this already, and just like NATO, is not directly involved in the way of…attacking directly, but they are lending support – military, political, and financial – as well as media coverage – to those rebels. They’re playing with Syria’s security. Those actions would not have happened had it not been for weakening the central state in Syria, which is the operation which is being undertaken by the west and GCC countries.