Roland Dumas is a former French foreign minister under Socialist President Francois Mitterand. Here is an account from Press TV, the Iranian international news provider, quoting Dumas as saying on French television that the British had been planning an “invasion of rebels into Syria” for at least two years.

Responding to a question on the motive behind inciting violence in Syria, Dumas said, “Very simple! With the very simple aim! To overthrow the Syrian government, because in the region, it’s important to understand, that the Syrian regime makes anti-Israeli talk,” said Dumas The former foreign minister added that he had been told by an Israeli prime minister a long time ago that Tel Aviv would seek to “destroy” any country that did not “get along” with it in the region.

Press TV said Dumas’s statement came during a recent interview with French Parliamentary TV network, LCP. I wonder if any American news orgs will pick this up.

Aside from a LaRouche organ, which may be the Iranians’ source for the same story:

LCP interrupted, “With what aim? Overthrowing Assad?” Dumas replied, “Very simple! With the very simple aim! To overthrow the Syrian government, because in the region, it’s important to understand, that the Syrian regime makes anti-Israeli talk. And consequently, everything that moves throughout the region— I was told confidentially by an Israeli prime minister quite a long time ago: we will try to get along with the states throughout the area, and those who don’t get along, we’ll destroy. “That’s one policy, that’s one conception of history, but after all, why not? But we have to be aware of that.”

Thanks to Nicholas Wibberley.