BICOM

Britain, France and the United States delayed a UN Security Council vote yesterday on a resolution demanding an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in Syria to allow time for further negotiations with Russia.

Diplomats indicated that a draft resolution could be presented today, after Russia rejected an initial draft resolution as “categorically unacceptable” and suggested it was ready to veto the measure if no compromise text is agreed.

The text backs a probe by the Organisation of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and demands that the Syrian government cooperate to provide information about its military operations on the day of the assault.

President Trump and other world leaders condemned the attack and claimed the Syrian government was responsible for it.

During his meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan yesterday, the President said: “These heinous actions by the Assad regime cannot be tolerated.  The United States stands with our allies across the globe to condemn this horrific attack and all other horrific attacks, for that matter.”

He added that his “attitude towards Syria and Assad has changed very much.”

In the face of condemnation from the international community, Syria’s army has denied any use of chemical weapons as has its main international supporter, Russia.  The Syrian army said it “has never used [chemical weapons], anytime, anywhere, and will not do so in the future”.

In an interview in Yediot Ahronot today, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman became the most senior Israeli official to point the finger at Assad. He said: “The murderous chemical weapons attacks on citizens in Idlib province in Syria and on a local hospital were carried out on the direct order and planned by the Syrian president, Bashar Assad, using Syrian planes.”

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have also joined the international outcry. Rivlin described the attack as “a stain on all humanity” while Netanyahu “sharply condemned” the attack and called on the international community to complete the process of removing all of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles.

Some in Israel have raised the possibility of Israeli intervention in Syria, but Lieberman has emphasised that this was the responsibility of the international community.