Syria Says Its Threats to Hit Israel Exaggerated

[Herschel]

Syria appeared to row back on its recent threats to Israel, with a senior minister saying in remarks published Sunday its comments had been taken out of context and exaggerated.

Israel bombed what it said was a Palestinian militant training camp in early October, the first attack on Syrian territory in almost three decades.


Syria did not retaliate but last week its Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara told a British newspaper his country would strike back if Israel attacked again, adding the target could be Jewish settlements on the Golan Heights.


Syrian Information Minister Ahmed al-Hassan, however, told the Arabic daily Asharq al-Awsat in an interview Shara's comments were just "chit-chat to journalists."

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031102/wl_nm/syria_israel_dc_1

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Syria realizes it must mind itself. Their empty threats were an attempt to avoid embarassment. What would happen if Syria challenged Israel? I think you know the answer.

[tinnypriv]

1. Interesting logic

If Syria did threaten to hit the Golan, it did not threaten to hit "Israel", but Israeli-occupied territory.

There I was convinced Reuters was anti-semitic, but now it is bending over backwards to recognise Israeli occupation of the Golan in the face of overwhelming international opposition?

Whoops.

[Darranar]

2. "Empty" threats?

If their threats are so "empty," why did you support the IDF strike on one of those "threats"?

[ForestsBeatBushes]

3. D

I would never take anything Syria says at face value.

It's either pap for the West or pap for the Arabs and NO threats are empty...perhaps we don't know when they will be carried out and under what rationale, but they have to be sure it's one that the international community will buy which, of course, is not too hard.

[Darranar]

4. Neither would I...

however, don't you think it's a bit hypocritical to go on and on about the threat from terrorism based in Syria and WMD-tipped missiles there and then dismiss their threats as "empty"?