Last update - 00:00 17/08/2007
Syrian cabinet minister reiterates country does not want war
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Syrian cabinet minister Bouthaina Shaaban said Thursday that Syria does not want war.
"We hope that war does not break out. We want to live in peace in our land and the land of our fathers," Shaaban told BBC Arabic-language radio in an interview.
Speakers from Israel and Lebanon were also interviewed on the the program, which dealt with the possibility of war in the region.
Shaaban, who is the Syrian minister of expatriates, harshly criticized the United States' policy of isolating Syria.
"The possibility of war stems from the policy of refusing dialogue with countries," she said. She also said the millions of dollars being invested in armaments in the area could be used to stabilize the region.
Despite denials and official statements, the general atmosphere in Syria is that it is on the brink of war. Arab sources in Israel told Haaretz Thursday that family members in Syria say the street is preparing for war, and that rumors of war are flying.
"Maybe Assad wants to prove that he did something for his people. He is not like his father," a source said.
Hassan Fadlallah, a representative of Hezbollah in the Lebanese parliament, said yesterday that his organization "is not looking for war and does not want war."
However, Lebanese residents told Haaretz that there was concern there about a regional war.