Al Qaeda: Syrian rebels must set up caliphate for war on Israel

Ayman Zawahiri, the al Qaeda leader, in his first remarks about the Syrian civil conflict, warned rebel fighters “not to do the West’s work by replacing President Assad with a moderate, democratic government.” Instead, an Islamic caliphate must rise in Syria “to wage all-out war with neighboring Israel.”  Zawahiri declared: “America, its agents and allies want you [the rebels] to shed your blood and the blood of your children and women to bring down the criminal Ba'athist regime, and then set up a government loyal to them and to safeguard Israel's security," he said.