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Senior Arab officials tell Israel that Syria is not planning to attack
By Amos Harel, Barak Ravid and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents

Two friendly Arab countries have told Israel that Syria is not planning to attack in the coming months. The messages were relayed by senior-level officials and are based in part on talks with the officials' Syrian counterparts.

This is part of a broader effort by moderate Arab states to contain the tension emerging between Jerusalem and Damascus.

The officials say the Syrian military preparations are defensive, and are a "mirror image" of similar Israeli movements in the Golan Heights.

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Meanwhile, Syria has received 10 batteries of advanced anti-aircraft missiles, Russian sources say. This is the first in a series of shipments that are to include 36 such batteries.

The anti-aircraft missiles are part of a $900 million arms deal, Moscow's Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported Friday, citing Russian military industry sources.

Two months ago, Jane's Defence Weekly reported that the deal included a total of 50 batteries, and that 10 of these were meant for Iran.

Syria has denied that the deal is connected to Iran.

The Israeli defense establishment is closely following the Syrian rearmament because of the implications it holds for the Lebanese front.

The missile system in question, Pantsyr-S1 (NATO code-name SA-22), carries short range anti-aircraft weapons that can be mounted on vehicles. Israeli defense officials are concerned that such missiles will be transferred to Hezbollah, which could launch them via small, difficult to detect squads.

In addition to being a close-in air defense system designed to defend ground installations against a variety of weapons, including aircraft, helicopters, missiles and precision-guided munitions, it can also engage light-armored ground targets.

Pantsyr-S1 carries 12 surface-to-air missiles on launchers with a target acquisition radar with detection ranges of 30 kilometers. This radar tracks both targets and the surface-to-air missile while in flight. Maximum engagement rate is 12 targets a minute, according to the manufacturer, KBP Instrument Design Bureau of Tula, Russia.

Since the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Syria has been carrying out a rapid rearmament program. In addition to anti-aircraft weapons, it has focused on advanced anti-tank missiles like those Hezbollah used against Israeli armor during the war.

During his visit to Jerusalem last week, U.S. Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns described Syria as a country that supports terrorism.

He was particularly scathing regarding the ties between Syria and Iran. "We are making efforts to isolate Iran, and Syria is one of the few countries that are an obstacle to this and who are working in the opposite direction," he said.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Premier Nuri al-Maliki is expected to visit neighboring Syria tomorrow to discuss "security and political issues," official government spokesman Ali al-Dabagh told Iraqi state television Saturday. No further details were disclosed by al-Dabagh.
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  1.   Nuri al-Maliki, to Syria as to Iran? 03:44  |  Akiva Patysh 19/08/07
  2.   Such A Relief 03:52  |  Yoram 19/08/07
  3.   if you trust/believe this, have i bridge for sale just for you 04:03  |  ralph 19/08/07
  4.   Dose Syria has stomach to attack Israel? 04:18  |  e.m 19/08/07
  5.   And Syria wants to use these against.... 04:23  |  Nechama 19/08/07
  6.   You go Nuri ! 04:28  |  David James Vickery 19/08/07
  7.   Just how good is the Russian stuff asks NATO RIGHT ??? 04:52  |  M. Segal 19/08/07
  8.   much bigger worries than Israel 04:53  |  peter 19/08/07
  9.   Like Duh! 05:11  |  Mark Lincoln 19/08/07
  10.   #5, necham, a little info for you 05:12  |  VIPER 19/08/07
  11.   "FRIENDLY ARAB COUNTRIES".... that`s an OXYMORON! 05:18  |  amir 19/08/07
  12.   Israeli Army in Damascus soon. 05:43  |  rucha 19/08/07
  13.   Syria not Planning to Attack Israel?? 05:45  |  David 19/08/07
  14.   to Nechama 05:48  |  US Arab 19/08/07
  15.   to nr 4 from a Syrian 06:12  |  Sami 19/08/07
  16.   Russian arms to Syria 06:46  |  Doleh 19/08/07
  17.   "Arab states to Israel: Syria not planning attack " 06:51  |  bat yam 19/08/07
  18.   Russia = Evil Empire 07:02  |  Ronald 19/08/07
  19.   same old russian anti semitisim-cold war 2 07:11  |  steve 19/08/07
  20.   Here We Go again.... 07:43  |  RH 19/08/07
  21.   ISRAEL IS PLANNING A WAR AGAINST IRAN 07:44  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  22.   # 1, AKIVA PATYSH (TZIONI) 08:04  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  23.   Israel 08:06  |  Hunter 19/08/07
  24.   VIPER.It is the Army of Allah,their proxies,that are the problem 08:13  |  PETER.SM 19/08/07
  25.   indrajaya."ISRAEL PLANNING--" does Israel share plans with you? 08:16  |  PETER SM 19/08/07
  26.   DJVICKERY"Arab unity" like Shiite and Sunni?? 08:21  |  PETER.SM 19/08/07
  27.   second lebanon war 09:38  |  larry 19/08/07
  28.   Damascus and Lebanon 09:48  |  Steve 19/08/07
  29.   Syria not planning to attack........ 10:04  |  Roxy 19/08/07
  30.   AND HOW MANY LIES HAS AFLY?/ 10:06  |  paul harris 19/08/07
  31.   # 21 21 Fake Indrajaya 10:13  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  32.   #30 Indy 10:57  |  D 19/08/07
  33.   To Indrajaya from the democratic state of Indonesia 10:59  |  dovale 19/08/07
  34.   # 25, PETER SM 11:36  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  35.   Enemies United 11:52  |  An Arab Neighbor 19/08/07
  36.   Syria attacking Israel??? It Must be a Joke 12:54  |  Ronnie Wolman 19/08/07
  37.   # 31, FAKE INDRAJAYA ALERT 13:04  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  38.   US Arab & Viper 13:55  |  Nechama 19/08/07
  39.   MORE LIES ! THEY SEEK WITH ALL THERE SOUL TO DRSTROY 14:39  |  ILSupporter 19/08/07
  40.   indrajaya.Not your private conspiracy theory, facts please! 14:44  |  PETER SM 19/08/07
  41.   # 33, DOVALE 14:44  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  42.   #20 RH 15:13  |  Chris Linthwaite 19/08/07
  43.   #38 Nechama 15:17  |  Chris Linthwaite 19/08/07
  44.   # 40, PETER, SM 15:28  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  45.   "Two friendly arab countries" 15:29  |  Uzziel 19/08/07
  46.   1967 - Israeli Provocation 15:30  |  Double Click 19/08/07
  47.   What did they say pre-Yom Kippor attack? 15:46  |  r 19/08/07
  48.   Nothing quite like a little war talk to lift the spirits. 15:51  |  Labhras 19/08/07
  49.   Indrajaya these fake notices are a bore 15:51  |  yawn 19/08/07
  50.   Ronnie Wolman #36 16:08  |  GABE1 19/08/07
  51.   peter of Montreal 16:09  |  GABE1 19/08/07
  52.   ever same game 16:13  |  Axel 19/08/07
  53.   indrajaya of jakarta @22 16:14  |  Akiva Patysh, tzioni 19/08/07
  54.   WHERE IS TZFONIT/BRACHA WHEN NEEDED 16:14  |  GABE! 19/08/07
  55.   Ronnie Wolman, good morning.! 16:18  |  Akiva Patysh 19/08/07
  56.   Quiet for the next few months 16:19  |  Tosefta 19/08/07
  57.   Quiet for the next few months 16:21  |  Tosefta 19/08/07
  58.   An Arab Neighbor # 35 The Axis Of Jihad 16:37  |  Jeff Northridge 19/08/07
  59.   An Arab Neighbour 16:41  |  rich 19/08/07
  60.   An Arab Neighbour 16:42  |  rich 19/08/07
  61.   Gabe: What is beshert 16:58  |  Ronnie Wolman 19/08/07
  62.   Gabe: What is beshert 16:58  |  Ronnie Wolman 19/08/07
  63.   Ronnie Wolman-Done Deal 17:09  |  GABE1 19/08/07
  64.   to Akiva # 53 17:11  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  65.   Double Click #46 17:12  |  GABE1 19/08/07
  66.   DCLICK.Why did Egypt kick out the UN peace keepers ? 17:31  |  PETER SM 19/08/07
  67.   Crazy Russia Arms The Syrians Who Are Huge Terror Sponsor 17:33  |  Tal 19/08/07
  68.   indrajaya"indications, possibilities, analytical explanations " 18:00  |  PETER SM 19/08/07
  69.   # 64, FAKE INDRAJAYA 18:16  |  indrajaya 19/08/07
  70.   13 David. Yours are words of wisdom but the 18:53  |  John Allen 19/08/07
  71.   If So, Why Arms Deals with Iran and Russia? 18:57  |  Solon 19/08/07
  72.   TO NO 9. MARK LINCOLN 19:06  |  DANNY. 19/08/07
  73.   #52 axel grinds to a halt again !! 20:02  |  victor hardman 19/08/07
  74.   Israel is not planning to attack Syria 20:21  |  Sarah 19/08/07
  75.   Anyone hear of intelligence? 20:34  |  Tzfonit 19/08/07
  76.   Yeah Yeah Blah Blah Here`s The Problem! 20:51  |  Yosemite 19/08/07
  77.   Moderate Arabs Say Syria is not attacking 21:19  |  Larry 19/08/07
  78.   whats the big dea 21:19  |  Ryan 19/08/07
  79.   Indrajaya Please Come To Iran For A Medal! 21:20  |  Majid Moghaddas 19/08/07
  80.   Senior Arab officials tell Israel that Syria is not planning atta 21:30  |  Martin List,M.D. 19/08/07
  81.