Terror 'a way of life' for Syria
Harold's List
Haviv Rettig, THE JERUSALEM POST Sep. 28, 2005
Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim told The Jerusalem Post Wednesday that Israel would "burn into the consciousness of the Palestinians that the rules of the game have changed."
Boim responded to a report leaked to Israel Radio by Palestinian sources on Wednesday, that Syrian President Bashar Assad met with representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Damascus on September 10 and asked them to increase their terror attacks against Israeli targets.
According to the report, Assad told the Palestinian terror groups at the meeting that they had absolute freedom of action in attacking Israel. Assad was quoted as saying, "Syria is under siege. We are under international pressure. They're hounding us because of what's happening in Iraq and the investigation of the assassination of [former prime minister] Rafik Hariri in Lebanon. Do what you must in the territories. Draw fire away from us."
Boim told the Post that Assad's support for terror was not new. "[Terrorism] is a regular way of life [for the Syrian regime], one which Assad the father began and Assad the son is continuing," he said.
"It is a fact that over the years, Syria has hosted these terror organizations. This gives Assad a direct connection to the snakes' heads, the heads of the terror organizations," Boim told the Post.
While Boim wouldn't say whether Israel had independent intelligence confirming the meeting in Damascus, Boim asserted that "you don't need special intelligence" to recognize the Syrian regime's connection to Palestinian terror.
Earlier this week, Assad arrived in Cairo for an urgent meeting called at Egypt's request. According to Palestinian sources, who reportedly also gave the information about the Damascus meeting to the Egyptians, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak told Assad not to interfere in the Palestinian arena.
Boim added that while Israel would still hold the Palestinian Authority formally responsible for terror from its territory, "We don't care at this point exactly who is doing the shooting. Any missiles or Kassam artillery barrages will receive a response in kind. We will do what Abu Mazen [PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas] refuses to do. Our hands will not be tied in any way.
"Abu Mazen made the greatest mistake he could," Boim continued, "when he invited Hamas into the political system without forcing it to take even the very first step toward participation in a democratic system: disarmament."
Haviv Rettig, THE JERUSALEM POST Sep. 28, 2005
Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim told The Jerusalem Post Wednesday that Israel would "burn into the consciousness of the Palestinians that the rules of the game have changed."
Boim responded to a report leaked to Israel Radio by Palestinian sources on Wednesday, that Syrian President Bashar Assad met with representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Damascus on September 10 and asked them to increase their terror attacks against Israeli targets.
According to the report, Assad told the Palestinian terror groups at the meeting that they had absolute freedom of action in attacking Israel. Assad was quoted as saying, "Syria is under siege. We are under international pressure. They're hounding us because of what's happening in Iraq and the investigation of the assassination of [former prime minister] Rafik Hariri in Lebanon. Do what you must in the territories. Draw fire away from us."
Boim told the Post that Assad's support for terror was not new. "[Terrorism] is a regular way of life [for the Syrian regime], one which Assad the father began and Assad the son is continuing," he said.
"It is a fact that over the years, Syria has hosted these terror organizations. This gives Assad a direct connection to the snakes' heads, the heads of the terror organizations," Boim told the Post.
While Boim wouldn't say whether Israel had independent intelligence confirming the meeting in Damascus, Boim asserted that "you don't need special intelligence" to recognize the Syrian regime's connection to Palestinian terror.
Earlier this week, Assad arrived in Cairo for an urgent meeting called at Egypt's request. According to Palestinian sources, who reportedly also gave the information about the Damascus meeting to the Egyptians, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak told Assad not to interfere in the Palestinian arena.
Boim added that while Israel would still hold the Palestinian Authority formally responsible for terror from its territory, "We don't care at this point exactly who is doing the shooting. Any missiles or Kassam artillery barrages will receive a response in kind. We will do what Abu Mazen [PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas] refuses to do. Our hands will not be tied in any way.
"Abu Mazen made the greatest mistake he could," Boim continued, "when he invited Hamas into the political system without forcing it to take even the very first step toward participation in a democratic system: disarmament."
posted by Marko at 9/28/2005 10:16:00 AM
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