Monday, September 10, 2007

Israel calculating Syria's reaction to IAF violation


Al-Manar Special

"10/09/2007 As Israeli political silence over the "unprecedented" IAF violation of the Syrian airspace prevailed, Israeli media implied at the nature of the mission, without giving details. The Israeli media focused on the fuel tanks dropped on Turkish soil, saying they were tanks used for F-15 fighter jets. These planes are capable of reaching Iran and hitting targets there. This highlights the IAF mission that might have been destined to be carried out beyond Syrian borders.
The Israeli television said that unveiling the nature of the mission would cause unbearable damage to Israel. Perhaps this is what led Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to praise his army for keeping silent about the mission.

As Israeli official circles are seeking to ease down tension with Syria, particularly after reports said that the Syrian army had called up part of its military reserve, these circles expressed concern about a possible indirect Syrian reaction. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Israel should be on high alert for quite some time. "This is a year of preparation to respond with an unabated war. It is also a year to search for ways to achieve peace, if possible," said Barak. Israeli political analysts say that there is an alert on the intelligence level and predicted that "holidays would be very tense this year in Israel."

The Israeli silence emanating from fear from a Syrian reaction and the emphasis on avoiding a confrontation with Syria, once again underlines an Israeli fear from a second military blow. Former National Security Council chief Giora Iland warned that Hezbollah's military accomplishment in the July war encourages the Syrians to resort to the military option against Israel. "

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