Syria Refutes Israeli Charges, Supports Peace Efforts

“Syria has been supporting the efforts of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in creating an environment that would allow for peace and the creation of a Palestinian state and we will continue to do so,” a Syrian Foreign Ministry official told Reuters.

“This operation harms the efforts of the Palestinians (for peace) and gives Israel a pretext to bash the peace process … it contradicts Syrian policy,” he said in reference to the Tel Aviv bombing which killed at least four Israelis.

Damascus also rebuffed the Israeli accusation of being behind the attack.

“Syria has no relation to this operation or any other (operation) and that the (Damascus) office of that group (Islamic Jihad) had been closed,” said a Foreign Ministry source.

Israel accused Syria Saturday, February 26, of being behind the Tel Aviv bombing attack.

“We have proof directly linking Syria to this attack,” Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told a meeting with security officials in Tel Aviv, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.

Vice Premier Shimon Peres said the United States is currently leading “an initiative” against Syria, and Israel has to allow it to do so.

Also Saturday, Israel pointed the finger at the Lebanese resistance movement Hizbullah, which immediately denied any involvement in the bombing.

There were contradictory reports from the political and military leaders of the Islamic Jihad regarding responsibility for the attack.

A video tape by Saraya El Quds, the Islamic Jihad’s military arm, claimed the attacks.

However, several senior Jihad leaders, including Nafez Azzam, disclaimed the operation and reiterated commitment to the cooling down period in agreement with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Possible Strike

Following the Tel Aviv blast, speculations have been raising on an Israeli military action against Syria.

“Action by us against Syria is certainly possible. We have done it in the past,” Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim told a radio interview.

“If (Syrian President Bashar) al-Assad needs another hint from us, then of course he will get it.”

In October 2003, Israeli warplanes attacked a Syrian site near the capital Damascus following a Palestinian attack on an Israeli target.

Israel occupied the Syrian Golan Heights during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed the area in 1981.

The area is a grassy plateau overlooking north-eastern Israel and south-east Syria and have important water resources – providing Israel with a third of its water needs.

The US, Israel main ally, accuses Syria of harboring “terrorists,” developing weapons of mass destruction, and allowing foreign fighters into Iraq through its borders. Syria denies all allegations.

Peace Frozen

Following the attack, Israel announced that the planned handover of some West Bank towns to the Palestinian control had been put on ice, Reuters said.

The transfer of West Bank population centers, which was supposed to have begun with Jericho, had already been stalled in recent weeks over disagreements on to what extent Israel would ease army checkpoints and roadblocks.

“There will not be any diplomatic progress, I repeat, no diplomatic progress, until the Palestinians take vigorous action to wipe out the terror groups and their infrastructure in the Palestinian Authority’s territory,” Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Sunday.

Addressing his cabinet in forceful tones, Sharon threatened military action against Palestinian resistance factions.

“Israel will have to step up its military activities that are aimed at protecting the lives of Israeli citizens,” he said.

The main Palestinian resistance groups pledged on February 12 to maintain a de facto truce reached during the Sharm El Sheikh summit earlier this month and not to immediately retaliate any Israeli aggressions.