Israel's Prime Minister has asked the US to create buffer zones on the Syrian side of the border — but does not want Israeli troops to be present in them

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged the US to create buffer zones on both the border between Syria and Israel and the border between Syria and Jordan, to prevent Iran and Hezbollah from "establishing a presence in those areas", according to Haaretz.

According to reports, Netanyahu has asked the US as well as other "world actors" to include the creation of buffer zones in any political settlement reached in Syria.

More "buffer" for Israel?

Netanyahu believes that Iran's presence in Syria would "undermine the stability of the region and threaten the security of both Israel and Jordan".

Haaretz reports:

Netanyahu has not explained how he thinks such buffer zones could be established or who would control who enters them and supervise what happens within them. But he wants them to be on the Syrian side of the border, and does not want Israeli troops to be present in them.

So Israel wants foreign troops to occupy Syria in order to protect Israel's "security"? That's some serious chutzpah.

By the way — doesn't Israel already have a "Syrian buffer zone" (the Golan Heights)? Apparently Netanyahu needs more Syrian land to protect the Syrian land that Israel is already occupying.

Let that sink in.

It gets better, though:

The issue of Iran’s presence in Syria once the civil war ends was also discussed by the security cabinet at its meeting last Thursday. A minister who attended that meeting said Iran is increasingly consolidating its position in Syria, with all that implies for Israel. Another issue discussed at the meeting, the senior minister said, was Israel’s growing fear that its air force’s freedom of action in Syria is becoming more complicated.

Yes, Israel's ability to bomb a sovereign nation whenever it wants, illegally, could become "complicated". What an outrage. Someone please call the Anti-Defamation League.

To end on a serious note: We're glad that the major players in Syria are no longer trying to hide their intentions. Honesty is the best policy.