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Syria and Israel

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SYRIAN President Bashar Assad’s laying-it-straight during a recent BBC interview has seemingly prompted the Israeli censor to admit to the September 6 air-strike deep inside Syrian territory, on what the Syrians called an “empty military installation”.

Published: Thu 4 Oct 2007, 8:07 AM

Updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 1:00 AM

However, the rationale for the risky strike remains shrouded in mystery, with speculation ranging from hitting Hezbollah-bound shipments to taking out material meant for North Korea to testing the constantly improving Syrian air defence mechanism.

Considering the circumstances, the last of the three seems most likely, and carries the grimmest undertone. Word for some time has hinted at an upcoming Syrian attempt at re-taking the controversial Golan Heights. And choosing between Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak’s ‘neither side wants war’ assertion and Syrian Opposition Leader Halim Khaddam’s ‘prospects of war increasing’ fears, the latter might well become a real possibility if Israel’s unilateral show of force does not cease. It is unfortunate that Tel Aviv’s actions betray no fear of conflict, and hence no caution to avert it.

Israel has long pursued a tight-lipped policy of ambiguity regarding defence and security matters, especially those related to its nuclear programme. But blatantly violating international law and subsequently hiding behind carefully crafted rhetoric can hold sway for only so long. And powerful as the censor is inside Israel, its over-eager opinion tightening often causes its masters undue embarrassment in the international realm, where their reputation is already suffering on numerous pretexts since last summer’s botched misadventure across the border with Lebanon.

These are times when considerable effort is being put in to get the Middle East to talk peace. And since both Israel and Syria are essential elements of that peace equation, it suits them more to display maturity that the moment requires. Clearly, Bashar Assad’s advisors in Damascus adopted the right response to what Ehud Olmert’s ill-advised manoeuvres had prompted.



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