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An IAF jet taking off during the Second Lebanon War. (AP)
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Last update - 12:02 07/09/2007
Israel mum on any IAF entry into Syria airspace
By Yoav Stern and Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondents, and News Agencies

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denied on Thursday all knowledge of a Syrian report that its military fired on an Israel Air Force warplane that infiltrated its airspace and "dropped munitions."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Olmert said in response to a question on the issue from Haaretz, hours after his office and the Israel Defense Forces both said they refused to respond to Damascus' claims.

The prime minister was speaking at an event for his Kadima party to mark the Jewish New Year holiday next week. He insisted that it was business as usual, asking reporters, "do I not look relaxed?"

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Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Vice Premier Haim Ramon issued similar responses. "I don't know what happened there," Ramon said.

The IDF said it would not comment on the Syrian reports. "It is not our custom to respond to these kinds of reports," the IDF Spokesman's Office said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for Olmert said there would be no comment beyond the military statement.

Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal said Thursday that Damascus is giving serious consideration to its response.

"Syria reserves the right to determine the quality, type, and nature of our response to the Israeli attack," he told Al-Jazeera television. "The Syrian leadership is seriously considering its response."

Bilal, however, refused to indicate whether the reaction would be on the military or diplomatic level. He would not give any more details about the incident, but said it proved Israel's policies are based on hostility.

"Israel in fact does not want peace," said Bilal. "It cannot survive without aggression, treachery and military messages."

He said recent U.S. aid of $30 billion over 10 years to Israel encouraged its government to such arrogance that it delivered the morning message.

A Syrian Army spokesman, quoted by the official news agency, did not say how the military fired on the aircraft, but confirmed that the incident occurred at midnight Wednesday night.

"We warn the Israeli enemy government against this flagrant aggressive act, and retain the right to respond in an appropriate way," the spokesman said.

"The Israeli enemy aircraft infiltrated into the Arab Syrian territory through the northern border, coming from the Mediterranean heading toward the eastern region, breaking the sound barrier," the Syrian spokesman said.

"Air defense units confronted them and forced them to leave after they dropped some munitions in deserted areas without causing any human or material damage."

Syrian Cabinet Minister Buthaina Shaaban, speaking on Al-Jazeera television's English service, would not confirm that an IAF jet had attacked Syria, but did say the aircraft violated the country's airspace. "We are a sovereign country. They cannot do that," said Shaaban.

Al-Arabiya television reported that the incident occured in north-eastern Syria, close to the border with Turkey.

A Syrian analyst told Hebzollah's Al-Manar television that the plane was likely dumping munitions in order to maneuver, and was not carrying out a bombing raid.

The reported incident comes after months of growing tensions along the frontier and concerns that the escalation could result in war. Over the summer, Israeli and Syrian officials have repeatedly made announcements that they had no interest in hostilities.

Security official said late last month, however, that the IDF had decided that war with Syria is unlikely and was reducing its troop presence in the Golan Heights after months of tension.

The Israeli officials said recently that Syria's military had also reduced its war readiness, but offered no details as the exact steps taken by the Syrians are classified. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to divulge the information to the press.

In an interview Sunday night with Haaretz, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he saw no reason for any forthcoming military conflict between Israel and Syria.

Related articles:
  • Syrian Minister: We are seriously considering our response to IAF airspace violation
  • ANALYSIS: The question is, how will Damascus respond?
  • TIMELINE: A chronology of Israel-Syria relations since 1947
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      1.   NO DAMAGE 14:59  |  Avi 06/09/07
      2.   bring it on 15:07  |  harrys 06/09/07
      3.   Did they bomb targets or "dropped" in the desert? 15:08  |  Man deVoshkes 06/09/07
      4.   hubb! ahava! don`t make yourselves unhappy! 15:09  |  christoph 06/09/07
      5.   Etzis playing with fire again? 15:12  |  Andreas 06/09/07
      6.   starting with syria 15:18  |  mike 06/09/07
      7.   Syria 15:30  |  Roxy 06/09/07
      8.   I Feel Good 15:37  |  Mark 06/09/07
      9.   with new sukhois it will be even more difficult 15:37  |  mehmet 06/09/07
      10.   go back and take out those SAMs 15:49  |  vik 06/09/07
      11.   Israel under pressure to hand 15:51  |  Chris Linthwaite 06/09/07
      12.   If True, Syria Needed The Message 15:51  |  Yoram 06/09/07
      13.   Israel is out of control 15:51  |  pop 06/09/07
      14.   Testing Testing 1, 2, 3 16:00  |  Natallie Durson 06/09/07
      15.   Pretext for war 16:01  |  Twogunz 06/09/07
      16.   Fun`s On the Way 16:03  |  Solon 06/09/07
      17.   Syria and Iran are ready to CRUSH Israel! 16:07  |  brad 06/09/07
      18.   Israel is playing with fire and outcome can be a real tragedy 16:10  |  Petteri 06/09/07
      19.   Assad are you capable of doing anything but talk 16:17  |  zionist forever 06/09/07
      20.   Did it happen or is Syria (Hezb/Iran/Hamas) looking for an excuse 16:17  |  Malcolm McDonald 06/09/07
      21.   Very Interesting & disturbing. Standing By IAF answer 16:19  |  Simon Mohammed 06/09/07
      22.   American plane 16:23  |  antoine 06/09/07
      23.   To #8 vik 16:24  |  Marcus Davidson 06/09/07
      24.   It is all about timing 16:24  |  mak 06/09/07
      25.   Yes, this is a peaceful country that does not want war 16:25  |  American 06/09/07
      26.   Syria shows great restraint 16:25  |  steve 06/09/07
      27.   This is why Israel does not want the Russians to help 16:28  |  BB 06/09/07
      28.   As a Jew I find it sad 16:28  |  Wandering Jew 06/09/07
      29.   to pop number 12! 16:30  |  ed 06/09/07
      30.   No Syrian planes in the sky? 16:30  |  Captain 06/09/07
      31.   "Retain the Right to Respond" are the key words 16:31  |  David P 06/09/07
      32.   #7 Roxy "The Israel Defense Forces said it would have no comment 16:41  |  Realist 06/09/07
      33.   Israel had no comment 16:44  |  Realist 06/09/07
      34.   why did it take 14 hours to report the incident?? 16:44  |  Mark Harvey 06/09/07
      35.   #2 Becareful what you wish for 16:44  |  Fed Up 06/09/07
      36.   Iran...Syria needs your nukes NOW 16:46  |  Man 06/09/07
      37.   to mehmet # 9 16:52  |  derya 06/09/07
      38.   Does Anyone Know What They`re Talking About? 16:53  |  Jeff Northridge 06/09/07
      39.   26 Steve 16:58  |  Realist 06/09/07
      40.   to American 16:59  |  dalya 06/09/07
      41.   Syrian proof? 17:01  |  Jake 06/09/07
      42.   Wow, from "bring it on" to "no comment" 17:04  |  Dave from Chicago 06/09/07
      43.   Wandering something, what are you talking about 17:09  |  Wandering Christian 06/09/07
      44.   IAF Plane 17:12  |  andyt 06/09/07
      45.   #10 17:19  |  Aaron 06/09/07
      46.   Syrians Believe Anything! Leave Israel Alone! 17:21  |  Yosemite 06/09/07
      47.   dalya - What does that have to do with violating a country? 17:23  |  American 06/09/07
      48.   Syria Should: 17:25  |  pop 06/09/07
      49.   More than ONE plane fired 17:26  |  pop 06/09/07
      50.   dalya - Primitive 17:27  |  American 06/09/07
      51.   To read or not to read into this: that is the question 17:27  |  Richard S 06/09/07
      52.   2nd Time on ONE Year 17:28  |  pop 06/09/07
      53.   Things Happen 17:28  |  Chaim Gorenstein 06/09/07
      54.   to Wandering Jew # 27 17:31  |  Hass 06/09/07
      55.   # 2 bring it on 17:32  |  danalogue 06/09/07
      56.   To "American": a correction for you 17:36  |  Jake 06/09/07
      57.   to Vik,No 8 17:36  |  Abe 06/09/07
      58.   what did they fire at it a peashooter? 17:36  |  victor hardman 06/09/07
      59.   Reminiscent 17:39  |  Double Click 06/09/07
      60.   No more 17:45  |  ed 06/09/07
      61.   @25, american aka mahmud 17:45  |  vladimir 06/09/07
      62.   pop 17:48  |  Jasmine 06/09/07
      63.   Israel must do what it has to do. 17:50  |  Adam 06/09/07
      64.   2 COMMENTS ON THE SITUATION 17:50  |  AVIV 06/09/07
      65.   syria shows restrain 17:51  |  vladimir 06/09/07
      66.   Syria seeks to relieve pressure on Hamas 17:52  |  B 06/09/07
      67.   This is very strange 17:52  |  KUTW 06/09/07
      68.   mehmet # 9 So What Happened To The Syrian SAMs? 17:52  |  Jeff Northridge 06/09/07
      69.   Hey Dave from Chicago #37 17:54  |  FOX 06/09/07
      70.   Syria might be looking for a confrontation 17:55  |  KUTW 06/09/07
      71.   Historic opportunity for Russia 17:58  |  mehmet 06/09/07
      72.   41. pop: the ?proportionate? response 17:58  |  KUTW 06/09/07
      73.   40 American: on violations of space 18:01  |  KUTW 06/09/07
      74.   Syria is just talk 18:07  |  Jack Meoff 06/09/07
      75.   LOL! Yeah Fired and missed..Dooh! 18:08  |  Jack Meoff 06/09/07
      76.   Natalie, here`s a bone dear #14 18:10  |  FOX 06/09/07
      77.   Seems clear 18:10  |  guido 06/09/07
      78.   Exploring a way to enter Syria undetected? 18:10  |  Tosefta 06/09/07
      79.   Are Omert and the IDF THAT scared of peace talks? 18:13  |  Michael 06/09/07
      80.