On 10 September, Syria’s Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Dr. Fayssal al Mikdad gave an interview to al Mayadeen TV. In it he discussed the strategic achievement of the Syrian Arab Army and its allies in Deir Ezzor, describing it as a turning point in the foreign war of terrorism imposed on his country. He said “it brings us closer to the moment of final victory.” Mikdad’s words that “the time will come for Israel to pay for these attacks” caused Israeli ‘Defense’ Minister Avigor Lieberman to immediately and publicly go rabid.

Syria has been fighting NATO- and Gulfies armed and funded terrorists since 2011, when this foreign-imposed crisis was created. In 2014, months after Syria had turned in its chemical weapons, Obama used the deaths of US and UK mercenaries in the SAR as cover story to bomb anyway. More than 60 countries joined in this war criminal bombing, with ISIS as the mantra — ISIS, another branch of al Qaeda, created by the US.

This US-led coalition has recently targeted SAA convoys in Deir Ezzor as they were advancing to the Al-Taim oil field. US killed many after which ISIS attacked the same site, but the army succeeded in repelling that attack and maintains control of the area.

Though Israel is not an official member of the criminal coalition, it has bombed Syria on so many occasions as to be named al Qaeda’s air force against Syria (the US became the second, September 2016, when Obama ‘accidentally’ slaughtered 83 Syrian soldiers in Deir Ezzor). Israel has also provided ISIS with state of the art medical care, in both Israeli hospitals and in IDF units in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Mikdad condemned last week’s atrocity of Israel bombing Mesyaf, killing two soldiers. Syria’s request for a UNSC condemnation was refused. He said that Syria will not forget this attack, that Syria’s children will not forget it, and the time will come to reply. Mikdad noted that Syria knows it priorities, and its current priority is to finish fighting terrorists in Deir Ezzor. He warned Israel from repeating such attacks — supported by the US — calling them a violation of international law.

We have the right to defend Syria and its sovereignty. — Deputy FM al Mikdad to al Mayadeen TV

Mikdad stated that Israel wants to distract Syria from ISIS, from ridding the region of these terrorists.

The interview of Minister Fayssal al Mikdad had barely aired when madman Lieberman threatened all of Syria: “I propose to our neighbors in the north…not to launch threats…because it will end badly for them.”

The arrogant entity of Israel allows itself to violate the law, to attack and kill Syrians, but when the Deputy Foreign Minister says Israel should pay the price, its rabid dog spokesman appears on the scene to act as though Israel were the injured country. Israel, which provides free health care to ISIS, Israel which has committed multiple war crimes against Syria, has the temerity to further threaten the SAR.

The world is accustomed to the malignant propaganda of NATO media against Syria. No matter how ghastly, it is expected; every grotesque atrocity against this country has been normalized. In 2013, after a savage slaughtered a Syrian soldier, and cannibalized his heart, lung, and liver, he was wooed by NATO msm; romantic odes were written to him, transforming his demonic act into an allegory of war.

In 2013, also, the octogenarian father of al Mikdad was kidnapped from his home in Ghasm, Daraa, by FSA monsters. Western media normalized this terrible act, that of invading the home of a very old man and violently removing him from his secure environment. NATO msm gave him a blurb, casually noting that “rebels have targeted the families of officials in the past,” using the senior as a preface to another propaganda attack on the government.

Foul as these media are, the world is accustomed to their ugliness; their reporters would not get paid if they did not promote criminal lies on behalf of war crimes.

What is the excuse, though, of the Arabic media? They act as small underlings under the colonialist boot, rushing to report on the words of the war criminal Lieberman, while neglecting to make available Minister al Mikdad’s full interview — and with English captioning? Why are the priorities of Arabic media inverted?

FM Fayssal al Mikdad’s words of bringing us closer to the final victory are the priority.

— Afraa Dagher with Miri Wood