Report: Syria was preparing itself for air force strike - Haaretz

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Fri., October 26, 2007 Cheshvan 14, 5768

Israel Time: 02:11 (EST+7)

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Report: Syria was preparing itself for air force strike

By Yoav Stern

Syria was preparing itself for a possible military confrontation with Israel two week ago, the United Arab Emirates-based daily Al-Khaleej reported yesterday.

According to the report, Syria had expected Israel to carry out a wide-spread attack on its territory during the Id al-Fitr celebrations two weeks ago.

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Syrian officials close to the affair told the newspaper that there was a possibility of a military confrontation erupting between the two countries, despite the calming messages Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been sending Syria through various mediators.

The preparations for confrontation dominated the conversations between Syrian President Bashar Assad and Turkish officials during the former's visit to Ankara last week, according to the report. The Turkish deputy chief of staff assured Syria that Ankara would not let Israel Air Force planes return to Syrian territory.

The report also said that Russia and China had warned Israel and the United States against such a possible attack, which it said would have taken the conflict out of the Middle East. According to the report, Russia asked Washington to quickly intervene and "control Olmert's government."

Tensions between the two countries have risen over the last six weeks, since the IAF carried out an attack on a site within Syrian territory on September 6. Media reports have speculated that the IAF targeted a North Korean nuclear facility in its air strike. Neither Israel nor Syria has confirmed these speculations.

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