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Posted by MAC (Member # 47) on :

Israel readies for Iraq conflict

A Tel Aviv resident looks for protection in a gas mask

Israel says it will stage joint military exercises with the US as part of the country's preparations for possible attack following any strike on Iraq.
Senior Israeli official Raanan Gissin said some 1,000 US troops were expected in Israel this week with American-made Patriot anti-missile batteries.

The idea is to co-ordinate communications, and integrate Patriots with Israel's newer Arrow anti-missile systems.

Ineffective

Israel is concerned that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein will respond to any US strike by launching missiles with chemical or biological warheads.

Iraqi missiles struck Tel Aviv in 1991

Patriots were largely ineffective in intercepting Scud missiles that Iraq fired during the Gulf War in 1991.

Israel also announced that 6,000 citizens were to receive smallpox vaccinations in the coming days.

Israeli press reports say the country will put on high alert on 15 January.

The Israeli preparations come as the US presses ahead with plans for war in Iraq, with a big military exercise in Kuwait, involving more than 12,000 American troops.

Meanwhile, six Gulf Arab allies of the US - belonging to the Gulf Co-operation Council - have condemned Saddam Hussein for what they see as his continued threat to countries of the region.

But at the end of two days of talks, ministers failed to mention the American build-up - there are about 65,000 US military personnel in the Gulf and more are expected.

Posted by Kindgo (Member # 2) on :

Israel Told By Bush Not To Fight In US-Iraq War
Israel gets the word:
Won't fight in Iraq war

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/front_1.html

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Sunday, December 22, 2002
The Bush administration has told Israel that it will not participate in the U.S.-led war against Iraq.

Senior U.S. officials told Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz that the U.S. has decided that Israel will not be involved in the war against Iraq even if Iraq launches a missile attack against Israel.

Instead, the United States will provide for Israel's security should such an attack take place.

"They [the U.S.] are willing to give us all the necessary aid," Mofaz said according to Middle East Newsline. "I think the State of Israel is better prepared than it was in the past . . . if Iraq will respond with a missile attack against the State of Israel."

On Thursday, Secretary of State Colin Powell said that if the U.S. goes to war against Iraq, it will be a quick campaign.
"We are doing everything we can to avoid war," Powell said. "The President's made that clear. But if war comes, the only thing I would say about the nature of that conflict is that it will be done in a way that would minimize the loss of life, and it will be done to be accomplished in as swift a manner as possible."

On Friday, the quartet group of the United States, Russia, the EU and United Nations meets in Washington to discuss Israeli-PA war. But the U.S. has delayed the adoption of the roadmap proposal for a final settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The roadmap peace plan calls for Israel to commit "unequivocally" to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in 2005. The three-stage plan calls for firstly an "end to terror and violence" in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The second stage calls for "Palestinian institution-building" followed by a "transition" period leading to last stage of Palestinian "statehood."

"Because of the Israeli election, because of the number of issues that are before the Israeli public right now, we think it would be wiser in this instance for us to continue to work on the roadmap and wait until after the Israeli election is over," Powell said. "It's just a matter of weeks until that is resolved then we will engage with all the parties in the region with respect to a roadmap if we have complete agreement on the elements of the roadmap, at least within the quartet at that time."

In Gaza, PA officials criticized the Bush administration for failing to adopt the roadmap plan. The delay causes "a political vacuum in the region," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Thursday.

Overnight Friday, Palestinian sources said a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli troops after they surrounded the house of a leading Islamic Jihad member. The troops arrested 10 Hamas and Islamic Jihad members. Earlier, Palestinian sources said Israeli troops killed a 11-year-old Palestinian girl in the southern Gaza Strip when automatic gunfire strafed her house.

On Friday morning, Israeli security forces safely detonated a bomb placed in a shoe box near a busy mall in the coastal town of Netanya. Earlier, Mofaz said that Israeli troops will remain in Bethlehem over Christmas while allowing Christmas celebrations to continue.