France reportedly urged Israel to invade Syria during last year’s Lebanon war. Ma’ariv and Israel’s Army Radio reported Sunday that during its July-August campaign against Hezbollah, Israel received a secret missive from French President Jacques Chirac.
According to the reports, Chirac urged Israel to spare non-Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and to spread the offensive to include an invasion of Syria in which President Bashar Assad would be toppled. Chirac promised that France would back an Israeli move against Syria in all the key diplomatic forums, Ma’ariv and Army Radio said. French and Israeli officials declined comment on the reports.
During the Lebanon war, Israel ordered its forces not to endanger the armistice with Syria, and U.N. observers reported a tense calm on the Israeli-Syrian border.
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