Israel threatens Syria strike after bombings

JERUSALEM – Israel threatened to launch a military attack against Syria yesterday, accusing Damascus of being directly implicated in a double Hamas suicide attack which killed 16 people.

Israel responded to that attack, carried out by the smaller Islamic Jihad organisation, with an air strike on an alleged Palestinian militant training camp deep inside Syria. As Israel’s top diplomats pressed their case that Damascus should pay the price for sheltering Hamas leaders, deputy defence minister Zeev Boim dropped strong hints that a strike on Syrian targets could be imminent.Syria dismissed the threat as lacking in credibility and denied any involvement in the bombings.”The rule that ‘anyone who deals in terror against Israel is a target’ is a rule that must be stated and one that we must stand behind,” Boim told public radio, adding that Israel would take care not to cause a “conflagration” on its northern border.Syria “must understand that this policy will have clear consequences…if we believe that Damascus has crossed a red line we will act,” he added.Sixteen people as well as the two bombers were killed on Tuesday in a double suicide attack in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva.Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the radical Islamist movement Hamas whose senior leader, Khaled Meshaal, is based in Damascus.Prime minister Ariel Sharon’s official spokesman, Raanan Gissin, said “the order for the terrorist attacks comes directly from Khaled Meshaal’s bureau based in Damascus.”Syrian foreign minister, Faruq al-Shara, however denied any link to the Beersheva attacks.”The Israeli threats against Syria are not based on any evidence and are completely lacking in credibility,” he said.Nampa-AFPAs Israel’s top diplomats pressed their case that Damascus should pay the price for sheltering Hamas leaders, deputy defence minister Zeev Boim dropped strong hints that a strike on Syrian targets could be imminent.Syria dismissed the threat as lacking in credibility and denied any involvement in the bombings.”The rule that ‘anyone who deals in terror against Israel is a target’ is a rule that must be stated and one that we must stand behind,” Boim told public radio, adding that Israel would take care not to cause a “conflagration” on its northern border.Syria “must understand that this policy will have clear consequences…if we believe that Damascus has crossed a red line we will act,” he added.Sixteen people as well as the two bombers were killed on Tuesday in a double suicide attack in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva.Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the radical Islamist movement Hamas whose senior leader, Khaled Meshaal, is based in Damascus.Prime minister Ariel Sharon’s official spokesman, Raanan Gissin, said “the order for the terrorist attacks comes directly from Khaled Meshaal’s bureau based in Damascus.”Syrian foreign minister, Faruq al-Shara, however denied any link to the Beersheva attacks.”The Israeli threats against Syria are not based on any evidence and are completely lacking in credibility,” he said.Nampa-AFP