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An IAF jet taking off during the Second Lebanon War. (AP)
Last update - 23:52 08/09/2007
Syrian VP says Damascus' response to IAF action will come quickly
By Yoav Stern and Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondents, and News Agencies
Tags: IAF, Ghaleb Majadele, Israel 

Syria's vice president said that Damascus was considering a number of responses, which it would not be slow to take, to an alleged flight by Israel Air Force jets over Syrian territory early Thursday morning.

"Leaders and senior [Syrian] military officials are considering a series of responses. The results won't take long to come," Syrian Vice President Syrian Vice President Farouk Shara said in an interview released Saturday with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

Damascus said Thursday that Israeli jets broke the sound barrier flying over northern Syria, and then dropped munitions onto deserted areas after being shot at by Syria's air defenses. (Click here for map)
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Shara also said he was unable to reveal additional information because Syria's plans were a "national security matter."

A Syrian government newspaper on Saturday called the alleged IAF violation of Syrian airspace a joint U.S.-Israel operation, adding that the United States' silence on the issue encourages Israel's actions.

"This new Israeli hostile operation was carried out in coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv," the Tishrin newspaper said in a front-page editorial. "U.S. silence can only be interpreted as an overt and scandalous encouragement of Israel," it said.

It is still unclear exactly what happened, and Syria has stopped short of accusing Israel of purposely bombing its territory. An Israeli spokesman has said he could not comment on military operations. 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.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department had no specific comment on the incident, citing the lack of details about what happened. Some officials suggested the administration of President George W. Bush did not want to stoke tensions further by taking sides between Israel and Syria.

The incident early Thursday came after a summer of building tensions that have fed worries of a military conflict erupting between Syria and Israel. Damascus accused Israel last month of seeking a pretext for war, and the Israelis are keeping a close watch on Syrian troop movements.

"How could a superpower call for the establishment of peace and send invitations to some countries to convene a peace conference at a time when it maintains silence over a clear violation of the simplest laws and international norms?" Tishrin said in its editorial on Saturday of the U.S. remaining silent.

The newspaper also criticized Arab countries for planning to attend the proposed conference. "How would they go to Bush's conference and how would they justify to their people shaking hands with those who kill Palestinians and Iraqis and threaten the Arabs' future with grave consequences?" it said.

The Arab League on Friday branded the reported violation of Syrian airspace by the Israel Air Force as unacceptable, saying that it called into question Israel's commitment to achieving regional peace.

"These unacceptable maneuvers reveal negative Israeli intentions toward current discussions to achieve peace in the Middle East," an Arab League statement quoted its secretary-general, Amr Moussa, as saying.

Meanwhile, a state-run Syrian newspaper warned Friday that the country possesses "the means to respond... so that it will deter Israel against proceeding with such unpredictable adventures."

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

"These violations add only tension to the region at a time when all parties should work on pacifying the situation, not making it worse," an Egyptian foreign ministry statement said.

Israel would give no details on the incident, of which Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denied all knowledge. "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 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 soon after the incident was reported.

"Syria will not be drawn into an inconsequential stand-off in this unfavorable time and place," Syrian commentator Faiz a-Sayeg told Hezbollah-owned TV station Al-Manar after the incident. He added that Israel knows well that "today's Syria is very different from yesterday's Syria," especially after the Second Lebanon War. He advised Israeli leaders to reconsider their policy after the last war.

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.

Iran, which has strong relations with Syria and whose leader, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, repeatedly calls for Israel's destruction, blasted Israel on Thursday over Syria's claims, and accused Jerusalem of "spreading insecurity" in the Middle East.

"The aims of that... provocative move by the Zionist regime was to shift its domestic crisis into areas other than Palestine, spreading insecurity in the region and covering up its failure in the 33-day war against Lebanon," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini
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  1.   IAF aircraft regularly enter Syrian airspace??? 12:25  |  Petteri 07/09/07
  2.   That, at least; 12:42  |  Axel 07/09/07
  3.   Just Testing 12:53  |  Neutered Observer 07/09/07
  4.   And when the next war starts? 13:05  |  John K 07/09/07
  5.   Warning Shot? More likely Olmert is truthful with this 13:11  |  Ronnie Wolman 07/09/07
  6.   War with Syria likely. It`s a question of timing 13:37  |  Natallie Durson 07/09/07
  7.   AN ARAB MINISTER 13:42  |  indrajaya 07/09/07
  8.   THE COMING WAR 13:45  |  indrajaya 07/09/07
  9.   Many times Israel 13:53  |  Dav 07/09/07
  10.   THE WARMONGERING NATURE OF ISRAEL 14:09  |  Patriot 07/09/07
  11.   Petteri in Finland 14:14  |  saus 07/09/07
  12.   I believe Olmert! 14:17  |  Dutch Dirk 07/09/07
  13.   Bravo for the IAF! 14:23  |  Jonathan S 07/09/07
  14.   Petteri 14:34  |  rich 07/09/07
  15.   #10 WHAT ARE ZIONIST LEADERS ?? 14:43  |  PAUL HARRIS 07/09/07
  16.   It`s no crime. We do it all the time 14:44  |  Natallie Durson 07/09/07
  17.   Syria needs better airdefense 14:46  |  John 07/09/07
  18.   1: Petteri, get a clue 14:47  |  David Teich 07/09/07
  19.   Indrajaya and the "Ummah" 14:48  |  Jacob ben-Isaac 07/09/07
  20.   Israel`s days are numbered... 15:03  |  ME Observer 07/09/07
  21.   To the Patriot (probably of Iran) 15:03  |  SLAVO 07/09/07
  22.   Petteri 15:17  |  ottomatik 07/09/07
  23.   MR SHAABAN,IS SYRIA THE ONLY SOVEREIGN COUNTRY? 15:23  |  Ian 07/09/07
  24.   Petteri #1 15:24  |  jjvanka 07/09/07
  25.   The Ummah from Indrajaya 15:25  |  Greg 07/09/07
  26.   Russian flights over NATO and European territory are commmonplace 15:28  |  Reality Check 07/09/07
  27.   ME Observer - BORING 15:32  |  x 07/09/07
  28.   N.O. #3 15:33  |  jjvanka 07/09/07
  29.   ME Observer: The Mediterannean and the Meds 15:33  |  Ronnie Wolman 07/09/07
  30.   Syria will respond with a CHEMICAL attack! 15:37  |  scalito 07/09/07
  31.   Saus #11 15:38  |  jjvanka 07/09/07
  32.   More Israeli nonsense 15:41  |  Tim 07/09/07
  33.   A costly Israeli mistake (probably) 16:00  |  Tosefta 07/09/07
  34.   Majadele=5th Column 16:02  |  Yishai Kohen 07/09/07
  35.   ?Ummah? of indrajaya and Muslim illusionists 16:21  |  Rami 07/09/07
  36.   Arab puppets dance to an insidious Russian tune. 16:30  |  A Realist 07/09/07
  37.   Syria`s antiaircraft systems (RUSSIAN). 16:34  |  David Nigel Braham 07/09/07
  38.   Minister of Science, Culture and Sports 16:41  |  db 07/09/07
  39.   For how long Israel can violate international law 16:44  |  Hakeem 07/09/07
  40.   After LOSING last Summer, Israel doesn`t have what it takes... 16:50  |  pop 07/09/07
  41.   #8 - Indrajaya 16:52  |  Maurice 07/09/07
  42.   Only problem is . . . 17:03  |  Fred Michaelsberg 07/09/07
  43.   AGAINST ALL ODDS 17:03  |  M 07/09/07
  44.   jacob ben isaac, replay 17:10  |  stefany love peace 07/09/07
  45.   re #12 17:10  |  elias 07/09/07
  46.   Ezekiel 38 - Israel will be attacked 17:11  |  Jesus is Lord 07/09/07
  47.   #34 POP 17:16  |  JewishHeart 07/09/07
  48.   I dunno what you are talking about 17:19  |  The Judge 07/09/07
  49.   So what? 17:20  |  Claudio 07/09/07
  50.   Airspace violation 17:23  |  david 07/09/07
  51.   #7 alert fake indrajaya 17:23  |  forum monitor 07/09/07
  52.   Israel in Self Destruct Mode. 17:25  |  Anton 07/09/07
  53.   #8 fake indrsjaya 17:25  |  forum monitor 07/09/07
  54.   36 M could be the helmeted heroes in uniform who hid in the sky 17:28  |  lakshmi 07/09/07
  55.   THE COMING WAR by Indrayayay 17:35  |  17 07/09/07
  56.   I told you so 17:39  |  Twogunz 07/09/07
  57.   I was right 17:42  |  Twogunz 07/09/07
  58.   Do all... 17:42  |  Clickfool 07/09/07
  59.   pop 34 17:44  |  alan 07/09/07
  60.   Armchair general Durson Speaks # 6 17:46  |  Twogunz 07/09/07
  61.   And Syria`s allowing weapons txfer to Hizballah? 17:51  |  B`galil 07/09/07
  62.   # 10 Patriot 17:53  |  Twogunz 07/09/07
  63.   IAF Violation of Syrian Airspace 18:01  |  Daniel A. Greenbaum 07/09/07
  64.   pop,you`ve blown your load 18:03  |  Ronnie Wolman 07/09/07
  65.   Tosefta 18:03  |  Mark Lincoln 07/09/07
  66.   CLICKFOOL`S RUDENESS 18:08  |  Brant 07/09/07
  67.   The Coming War No 8 18:08  |  Smith 07/09/07
  68.   Reality Check, Reality Check 18:16  |  Mark Lincoln 07/09/07
  69.   HAARETZL WHAT`S HAPPENING?????? 18:16  |  Brant 07/09/07
  70.