If it were just ‘Obama officials’ saying this, that is one thing, but we also have Israeli intelligence confirming the intelligence. We also know from basic logic about the Assad regime that they have had chemical weapons, that the mindset of their regime is to use them, and they are in a use it or lose it situation right now.
All of that trumps some ‘unnamed’ Syrian official going to some third rate Canadian rag.
Elements within Israel have their own agenda. I was going to speculate on that in the post but couldn’t be bothered. They probably see it as a larger proxy war with Iran. Something the US should not be involved in.
If they want to stir up trouble let them but dont let them draw US forces into it.
Destabilizing Syria is not good for the region or for Syria so these complex geo-political games are not really in anyones interest including Israel’s.