Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., April 07, 2008 Nisan 2, 5768 | | Israel Time: 18:03 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Syrian soldiers (Archives) Last update - 11:00 04/04/2008 Syria: We choose peace, but we're ready for Israeli attack By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Intelligence, IDF, Syria  Damascus is prepared for an Israeli attack on its soil, but has chosen peace as its strategic option, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said on Friday. Moallem told a Sudanese news agency that as Western pressure on Syria intensifies, Damascus is readying for the possibility of further contention with the United States and perhaps even wars in the region. Also Friday, the Al-Hayat daily reported that Israel and Syria have been exchanging messages of a truce accompanied by mutual warnings against spurring war in the region.. Advertisement Meanwhile, Israeli Military Intelligence officials said Thursday at a defense briefing that Syria has not mobilized its reserve forces, despite press reports to the contrary. No irregular moves had taken place in recent days on the Syrian side of the border, the officials added. This estimate contradicts media reports of a recent Syrian deployment of three armored divisions, which was considered as likely to have stemmed from concerns in Damascus about an Israeli strike in response to an attack by Hezbollah. Hezbollah has threatened to attack Israel as revenge for what it claims is Jerusalem's responsibility in the assassination of terrorist mastermind Imad Mughniyah in February. Intelligence officials did say, however, that there were signs of "nervousness" and alertness on the Syrian Golan Heights signs that also appeared last spring and continued into the summer. Defense officials attributed the Syrian alertness in the sector to widespread training exercises planned by the Israel Defense Forces for the near future. Israeli military officials believe the Syrian army is continuing to train intensively, as it has since the Second Lebanon War, and that Iran continues to provide arms to both Syria and Hezbollah. Defense sources had earlier said on Wednesday that Israel is concerned that recent actions by the Syrian armed forces are a possible preamble for a Hezbollah operation against the northern border and a broader conflagration. Also Wednesday, Major-General Dan Harel, the Deputy Chief of Staff, warned Wednesday that Israel will respond with a heavy hand against anyone trying to target Israel. In a further sign that tensions were mounting along the Israel-Syrian border, Defense Minister Ehud Barak canceled a scheduled visit to Germany. 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Battle scarred Second Lebanon War film shows one officer's choice to keep his troops safe.   1.   Oooops hold everything; stop the media rush to war! 23:32  |  Chanalau, Tova 03/04/08   2.   Are we getting twitchy? 23:54  |  sh 03/04/08   3.   Like yom kippur war? 00:10  |  Levi 04/04/08   4.   Wolf..wolf..cried the child.! 00:22  |  Stephen. 04/04/08   5.   seems your "intelligence" isn`t very..... 03:45  |  David James Vickery 04/04/08   6.   Manipulating the News 04:20  |  Mark Lincoln 04/04/08   7.   "nervousness"? but of course! 07:51  |  eric 04/04/08   8.   "nervousness"? but of course! 07:51  |  eric 04/04/08   9.   If Syria 08:12  |  Motke 04/04/08   10.   Syrian Forcers Weaker Than Iraqi Under Saddam 08:54  |  Phil 04/04/08   11.   #7 Phil has not a care in the world 09:37  |  Johnboy 04/04/08   12.   Only a matter of time 11:02  |  Natallie Durson 04/04/08   13.   Hezbollah are Syria`s peace messengers 11:32  |  Dutch Dirk 04/04/08   14.   Harari was an Israeli agent of War 12:00  |  Nattalie Durson 04/04/08   15.   #10 Armed forces 1 12:19  |  Rab Burns 04/04/08   16.   The Chanalau phenomenon will end up dragging Syria into a war it 12:33  |  Genuine Tosefta 04/04/08   17.   #10 2 12:34  |  Rab Burns 04/04/08   18.   #10 3 12:43  |  Rab Burns 04/04/08   19.   #10 4 12:53  |  Rab Burns 04/04/08   20.   #9, PHIL, don`t confuse nervousness with mistrust 13:56  |  VIPER 04/04/08   21.   If Israel touches another state it will be gone with the wind 13:58  |  Dutch 04/04/08   22.   RAB BURNS AND OUR GREATPILOTS. 14:09  |  DANNY. 04/04/08   23.   #13, RAVING RAB part 1 14:10  |  VIPER 04/04/08   24.   After the Tour 14:25  |  Mark Lincoln 04/04/08   25.   #13, RAVING RAB part 2 14:32  |  VIPER 04/04/08   26.   #4 15:49  |  Cesar Fajardo 04/04/08   27.   If Syria Wanted Peace They would get out of Lebanon 16:15  |  Assad the fool 04/04/08   28.   Durson & Dutch Dirk two purveyors of Hate 17:02  |  ROBERT/MONTREAL 04/04/08   29.   I guess that`s fair 17:04  |  Walter 04/04/08   30.   Dutch finally right Israel touches another state Israel will wipe 17:06  |  Robert/Montreal 04/04/08   31.   to Rab Burns 15 16 & 17 kudos to you! 17:35  |  Robert/Montreal 04/04/08   32.   #5 Vickery - Canada 17:47  |  * BEN JABO 04/04/08   33.   #6 Mark D. Lincoln - regards to your wife 17:48  |  * BEN JABO 04/04/08   34.   We choose peace but we host the following: 18:09  |  Abu Halil 04/04/08   35.   Syria has NEVER chosen peace...history of violence..rogue state 19:34  |  David 04/04/08   36.   Why would Syria... 19:49  |  Ben Azai 04/04/08   37.   You Chose Nothing 20:40  |  Yosemite 04/04/08   38.   Mark Lincoln 22:52  |  TonyL 04/04/08   39.   Syria has never chosen peace in the last 60 years 22:59  |  jj 04/04/08   40.   True! Syria did choose peace. 23:10  |  Murray of Montreal 04/04/08   41.   Props to Rab Burns, Viper (and Dutch) are simply wrong as usual 23:11  |  jj 04/04/08   42.   Mark Lincoln 23:20  |  TonyL 04/04/08   43.   I Remind You Of What We Are Up Against 23:40  |  Phil 04/04/08   44.   #23 00:34  |  Rab Burns 05/04/08   45.   #23 00:34  |  Rab Burns 05/04/08   46.   10 Phil`s Walk in the Park 01:21  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/04/08   47.   Rab Burns - Occupying a Country of 19 Million 01:36  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/04/08   48.   SYRIA`S NEXT ATTACK AGAINST ISRAEL MAY BE HER LAST ?? 01:51  |  Bill 05/04/08   49.   TonyL - and there are paranoid psychotics in the world 02:09  |  Mark Lincoln 05/04/08   50.   The Neocon `Roadmap" 02:14  |  Mark Lincoln 05/04/08   51.   # 31 Robert/Montreal 02:57  |  Rab Burns 05/04/08   52.   The number of folks in the world 03:16  |  Mark Lincoln 05/04/08   53.   What happened in 1973 03:22  |  Mark Lincoln 05/04/08   54.   For a decade or more 03:26  |  Mark Lincoln 05/04/08   55.   To Mark Lincoln 03:37  |  gus 05/04/08   56.   Actions speak louder than words... 04:05  |  Nathaniel 05/04/08   57.   To # 14: Yep! And so is the Easter Bunny.... 04:50  |  Brazilian 05/04/08   58.   Why would Syria start a war now? 06:45  |  Panther Jet 05/04/08   59.   Just in case anyone hasn`t guessed 07:26  |  Panther Jet 05/04/08   60.   #47 Mark 07:54  |  Rab Burns 05/04/08   61.   #41 jj 08:00  |  Rab Burns 05/04/08   62.   Panther Jet - I stand right beside you 08:16  |  Adrian de Klerk 05/04/08   63.   #60 Rab 08:40  |  Panther Jet 05/04/08   64.   Adrian 08:52  |  Panther Jet 05/04/08   65.   #63 Panther Jet 09:45  |  Rab Burns 05/04/08   66.   #50 mark returns to dreamland and dreams 09:45  |  v hardman 05/04/08   67.   Mark Lincoln P1 10:07  |  TonyL 05/04/08   68.   DON`T PLAY THE GAME OF CONVENTIONAL WAR AGAIN 10:23  |  indrajaya 05/04/08   69.   #63 Panther Jet 10:40  |  Rab Burns 05/04/08   70.   Mark Lincoln P2 10:41  |  TonyL 05/04/08   71.   Syrian Rantings. 11:59  |  David Nigel Braham 05/04/08   72.