$1 billion that Iran has recently provided Syria used to buy surface-to-surface missiles, rockets, anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft systems.

Germany and Israel will try to initiate an international conference aimed at
stopping Iran's nuclear program, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Chancellor
Angela Merkel agreed during their working meeting in Jerusalem on Monday.
Germany and Israel will try to initiate an international conference aimed at
stopping Iran's nuclear program, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Chancellor
Angela Merkel agreed during their working meeting in Jerusalem on Monday.

Haaretz has meanwhile learned that Iran has provided Syria with more than $1
billion for arms purchases, reflecting Syria's drive to build up its
military power in the last year, as well as the strengthening of ties
between the two countries.

Olmert and Merkel discussed steps to continue the international pressure on
Iran that has developed following the third round of sanctions imposed by
the United Nations Security Council. Both leaders voiced ideas on increasing
the pressure on Iran and enlisting the international community to support
the effort.
A senior source said that Olmert had suggested holding an international
conference on Iran. The two leaders decided to advance the initiative and
will try to enlist other states to back it, including the United States,
France, Britain, Russia and China, as well as other European states and Arab
countries that are threatened by Iran's nuclear program.

Israel hopes that states from the moderate Sunni bloc in the Middle East,
such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and others would take
part in the conference.

Olmert said a widely supported international gathering would initiate
diplomatic pressure on Iran. A government source said such a conference
could discuss practical suggestions for dealing with the nuclear issue,
while sending a message to Tehran.

The $1 billion that Iran has recently provided Syria has been used to buy
surface-to-surface missiles, rockets, anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft
systems.

Israel has learned that Syria is buying more missiles than tanks, on the
assumption that attacking the Israeli home front would deter Israel on the
one hand, and help to determine the war on the other.

A government official said this week that Iran was making huge efforts to
upgrade the Syrian army. He said the close relations between Iran and Syria
could make it difficult for Syria to sever its strategic alliance with Iran.

The London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported in July 2007, during
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Damascus, that he promised
his counterpart Bashar Assad that Iran would finance Russian and North
Korean weapon deals for $1 billion. In exchange, Syria reportedly undertook
not to proceed with the peace process with Israel.

Intelligence officials presented different opinions on the Syrian-Iranian
alliance at the annual intelligence evaluation presented to the cabinet some
two weeks ago.

Mossad head Meir Dagan said Syria would be unlikely to break its ties with
Iran, even if talks with Israel resumed and it repaired relations with
Washington.

Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin disagreed, and said it was possible
Syria could sever these ties in exchange for a reversal of American policy
and an Israeli agreement to talk about the Golan Heights.

Israel is concerned over Iran's continuing weapon deliveries to Hezbollah
via Syria. Recently, it has become known that Iran sent Hezbollah a number
of deliveries, including a large amount of explosives.