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| By Israel Insider staff August 20, 2007 |
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A government-owned Syrian daily newspaper Monday accused the United States of foiling any chance of peace talks between Syria and Israel, Ynet reported.
The newspaper -- Tishrin -- condemned the US government's decision to upgrade military aid to Israel to $30 billion over the next 10 years, accusing the US of supporting what the paper believes to be a bellicose regime.
"American aid to Israel comes at a time when it is not only rejecting peace but also threatening and vowing to work around the clock to conduct military maneuvers in preparation of a new war. It is no secret that the war statements made by Israel officials against Syria are not pointless but express Israel true intentions towards Syria," the editorial read.
The accusation comes in the wake of numerous reassurances by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that Israel does not want war with Syria.
In an attempt to ensure that Syria does not misinterpret Israel's intentions, the government has taken various measures. Among them is Defense Minister Ehud Barak's decision last week not to distribute gas masks to the public despite reports that Syria recently procured chemical and biological warheads. Barak fended off sharp criticism from the right, saying that the Syrians could understand the move as preparation for an offensive strike.
Olmert has been meeting frequently with security officials to discuss tensions with Syria and plan for possible scenarios. The Shin Bet went so far as to recommend that Olmert cancel his summer vacation abroad for fear that the Syrians would mistake his absence as a sign of a lack of vigilance.
Israel, the paper read, was working "around the clock and stages exercises as preparation for the next round of war. It is no secret that declarations of war being tossed freely by Israeli officials against Syria are not just empty statements, but are significant promises regarding Israeli intentions against Syria," it read, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Paper went on to blame Israel for the region's problem, saying that "even if Israel is not the direct cause of the tragedies, murders and crimes in our area, [Israel] is indirectly [responsible for them]."
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