Israel gives Syria ultimatum

[banana republican]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3275886,00.html

Israel gives Syria ultimatum



London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat says Israel gave Syria 72 hours to stop Hizbullah’s activity, bring about release of kidnapped IDF troops. ‘Israel will not end military activity until new situation created that will prevent Syria, Iran from using terror organizations to threaten its security,’ newspaper quotes Pentagon official as saying
Roee Nahmias



The London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat reported Saturday that “Washington has information according to which Israel gave Damascus 72 hours to stop Hizbullah’s activity along the Lebanon-Israel border and bring about the release the two kidnapped IDF soldiers or it would launch an offensive with disastrous consequences.”


The report said “a senior Pentagon source warned that should the Arab world and international community fail in the efforts to convince
Syria to pressure Hizbullah into releasing the soldiers and halt the current escalation Israel may attack targets in the country.”


Al-Hayat quoted the source as saying that “the US cannot rule out the possibility of an Israeli strike in Syria,” this despite the fact that the Bush administration has asked Israel to “refrain from any military activity that may result in civilian casualties.”



'Hizbullah made the same mistake'



The report also mentioned that President George W. Bush has repeatedly put much of the blame for the recent escalation on Syria.


“It is no coincidence that the Hizbullah operation comes at a time when the international community is working to impose sanctions on Iran due to its nuclear program and settle the score with Syria by establishing an international court to try those behind the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri,” the Pentagon source said.


According to the source, Hizbullah made the same mistake as Hamas when it did not predict the ramifications of its actions and ignored the regional and international changes since the fall of Saddam Hussein.


The source said that Israel has indicated that it “will not end its military activity until a new situation is created that will prevent Syria and Iran from using terror organizations, such as Hamas and Hizbullah, to threaten its security.”

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[banana republican]

3. The post came from Raw Story... n/t

[Posteritatis]

2. Can anyone confirm this on other sources?

Something like that sounds like it'd be screamed from the headlines of the major news sources; if Israel's threatening Syria with military actions, why aren't BBC, CNN, etc talking about it? In short, pending confirmation, I disbelieve.

[megatherium]

4. The Isrealis have in fact already denied this. nt

[Igel]

6. But the threat's not made.

It's ambiguous, as is the case with so many other pronouncements in this situation that have been taken to absolutely, positively clearly mean different things, depending on who's doing the reading.

It's the US saying Israel may attack Syria, and such attacks can't be ruled out. A cautious military man would point out that, yes, it's possible Israel might attack Syria, and unless he's heard that they wouldn't attack, he can't rule them out. A well informed military man that's heard that such attacks were planned, but were confidential, would also point out that, yes, it's possible Israel might attack Syria, and unless he's heard that they wouldn't attack, he can't rule them out.

"Washington has information according to which Israel gave Damascus 72 hours to stop Hizbullah’s activity along the Lebanon-Israel border and bring about the release the two kidnapped IDF soldiers or it would launch an offensive with disastrous consequences.”

"Launch an offensive." Let's see ... that could mean airstrikes against Syria. Or it could mean tanks will roll into Lebanon. If the former, I'd expect Israel *not* to announce it. But I'd not be surprised, either way.

[daleo]

5. Now this is ominous

I think things really could get out of hand.

[Monkeyman]

7. Yep

And who is caught in the Middle our military in Iraq or is that what Bush wants hmmmmm

[Moderator]

8. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2391348