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Politics : Israel to U.S. : Now Deal with Syria and Iran -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ed Huang who wrote (2163)	10/11/2003 11:15:12 AM
From: Ed Huang	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 22250

Syria, Israel Trade Words Over Airstrike Sat October 11, 2003 08:37 AM ET By Inal Ersan DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria said on Saturday it had the right to defend itself if Israel mounted any repeat of an attack that struck deep inside its territory last weekend. Israel responded by saying a state that harbored "terrorist organizations" had no right to talk of self-defense. Israel carried out an air strike last Sunday against what it said was a training camp for "terror groups" after a suicide bombing in Haifa in northern Israel that killed 20 people. The Islamic Jihad movement said it was behind the attack. Syria said the Israelis had struck a civilian target. "We hope that the Israelis will not repeat their aggression. In case of repetition, Syria has the right to exercise self-defense in all available ways," foreign ministry spokeswoman Bushra Kanafani told a press briefing in Damascus. Asked if her remarks suggested military action, Kanafani said: "I am talking about self-defense and self-defense has its meaning so I don't have to clarify its meaning." Analysts say the Israeli armed forces would present a formidable foe for Syria if Damascus moved beyond diplomatic measures to military action. Gideon Meir, a top Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, initially said Israel viewed "every state which is harboring terrorist organizations...as legitimate targets." However, he later toned down his comments to say it was only the "terrorist organizations and their leaders" who were legitimate targets, not the harboring countries. "A state harboring terrorist organizations who are attacking innocent civilians, which does not belong to the civilized family of nations, has no right to make comments about issues of self-defense," he said. He said Israel had to "protect its citizens from horrifying terrorist attacks like the Israeli people experienced in... Haifa." U.N. APPEAL Kanafani argued that all suicide bombings were masterminded and executed by Palestinians in Palestinian territories and that some leaders of Palestinian factions were residents of Syria only because Israel did not allow them to return home. "Everybody knows that Hamas and (Islamic) Jihad are based inside Palestine and that the operations are planned there and executed there," she said. Kanafani, who insists the offices of Palestinian factions in Syria have only media functions, said last Sunday's raid hit a target that had been abandoned as a Palestinian military position "years ago." Syria denies links to "terrorist groups" but says there is a difference between terrorism and legitimate resistance to Israeli occupation. It has demanded the U.N. Security Council condemn Israel for the attack, the deepest air raid into Syria by the Jewish state in 30 years. Kanafani said Damascus was still hoping the Council would adopt a Syrian measure to condemn the Israeli raid. "But unfortunately we are facing difficulties, very grave difficulties because of the American position that supports the act of aggression of Israel against us and considers it an act of self-defense." Washington has said Syria must stop "harboring terrorists," but urged both Israel and Syria to avoid actions that could inflame tensions in the region. (Additional reporting by Gwen Ackerman in Jerusalem) reuters.com

To: Ed Huang who wrote (2163)	10/11/2003 12:50:25 PM
From: rrufff	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 22250

I believe my approach has been balanced. It should not be a surprise. I can't quite understand how you seem to have the need to constantly post anti-Israel and even what appears to be anti-Jewish articles. It seems you want peace and security for both sides. Yet, you seem to have a desire to only post articles that slant one way. You don't seem object to something that is universally abhorred, i.e., the use of suicide bombers as a military tactic. >>Fairly balanced opinion piece<< At least your comment show your willingness at certain degree to accept balanced viewpoints. You quote >>“The fundamental of my views are simply that Israel has the right to exist, and the Palestinians likewise, in a state of their own.<<