Israel accused of warmongering
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Tuesday said Israel was ready to “hit its enemies any place and in any way.”
The warning comes after fighting broke out against Israeli forces on its border with Lebanon in a brief cross-border gun battle. One Israeli soldier was killed.
Israel has warned Syria and Lebanon to stop their alleged support of militant groups.
Two days ago Israel attacked an alleged Palestinian training camp, northwest of the in Syrian capital Damascus.
It was retaliation for the suicide bombing of a restaurant in Haifa on Saturday, which killed 19 Israelis.
Mr Sharon said the Syrian attack was on “a civilian location.”
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War Mr Sharon said: “Israel will not be deterred from defending its citizens and will hit its enemies any place and in any way.
“At the same time, we will not miss an opening or an opportunity to reach an agreement with our neighbours for the peace we long for so much.”
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accused Mr Sharon’s Government of warmongering.
He said: “[The raid] is an attempt by the Israeli government to extract itself from its big crisis by trying to terrorise Syria and drag it and the region into other wars.”
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has appointed an emergency cabinet amid new Israeli threats to expel him following the suicide bombing.
Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qurei said the cabinet would attempt to “assert control over security.”
