Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Otari threatened to retaliate strongly should Israel attackhis country. "Israel will greatly suffer by a Syrian response should it attack. It understands this well," he said in an interview with the Tunisian Assabach newspaper.
"Syria hasevery power component in order to retaliate," al-Otari said. "We have the constant willingness to face any possibility and Israel knows this full well." He further noted, "No one wants war, however Syria will fight to its last soldier in case a war is forced upon it."
Al-Otari addressed claims according to which Damascus is providing Hezbollahwith weapons. "The allegations against Syria of providing Hezbollah with Scud missiles are preposterous. How would we insert this amount of weapons when they (Israel) control the space and sea?"
Syrian President Bashar Assad made similar statements inIstanbul last week. "Israel refuses mediation because it knows that successful mediation would lead to peace and the Israeli side doesn't want peace," he claimed.
Assad nevertheless stressed that Damascus is trying to prevent a case of war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, onhis part, tried to send a calming message whiletouring the northern border last week. "We are willing to start negotiations with Syria with no preconditions, just as we're doing now with the Palestinians," he said.