To: sandintoes who wrote (4469 ) 2/7/2001 10:43:47 PM From: Ilaine Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 59480 Here is a serious topic: now that Sharon has been elected in Israel, Iraq and Syria are talking about war! >>Syria: Sharon's election 'declaration of war' Wednesday, 7 February 2001 9:43 (ET) Syria: Sharon's election 'declaration of war' DAMASCUS, Syria, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Syria's official newspapers Wednesday said the election of right-wing leader Ariel Sharon as Israel's new prime minister was a "declaration of war." The Al-Baath newspaper, mouthpiece of the ruling Baath Party, said peace in the Middle East was almost impossible to achieve as the "victory of the bloody terrorist, war criminal and butcher Ariel Sharon is like an official declaration of war." "By choosing Sharon, Israel is choosing escalation, terrorism and aggression while it pushes the region again in the cycle of bloody violence," the newspaper said. "It also put the fate of peace in the whole world under the mercy of a war-crazy general." Fayez al-Sayegh, director-general of Syrian television and radio, called on the United States to control Sharon "before the region further plunges into the cycle of terrorism that is being practiced by Israel." Ali Abdel Karim, director of the official Syrian News Agency, said Syria "wants peace for itself and the others, but peace cannot be achieved by inequitable negotiations." He said Syria sought peace, but needed to be strong at the same time and it did not matter who was leading Israel. The state-run Tishrine newspaper said Sharon's election would deal "a dangerous blow to the peace process as this racist general only believes in the language of terrorism, killings and expansion and he is counting on continued support from the United States." The newspaper said Israel did not "mature for peace." "Any negotiations with it are not only sterile, but harmful to the Arab cause." It called on Arab countries to adopt a firm stand against what it called Israeli threats and blackmail to be prepared for "any possible Zionist adventure."<<vny.com