Iraq officially threatens Israel
if U.S. attacks
|
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Tuesday, December 4, 2001
NICOSIA Ñ For the first time, Iraq has specifically threatened
Israel with retaliation for any U.S.-led campaign against the regime of
President Saddam
Hussein.
A senior Iraqi diplomat said Saddam has seven million combatants called
the Quds Army. The diplomat said Iraq would "swallow Israel up" if his
country is attacked.
"The Palestinian cause and liberation of Jerusalem as well as campaign
against Israel is a fundamental issue for Iraq, just like many other Islamic
states," Iraqi charge d'affaires in Teheran Abdul Sattar Izzeddin Rawi said.
The warning came hours after Iraqi President Saddam Hussein convened his
defense chiefs on late Sunday. The Iraqi News Agency said the meeting
focused on Iraqi preparations for any U.S.-led war against Baghdad.
Last week, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri suggested that Iraq would
target Israel. But Sabri did not mention Israel by name. On Monday, Deputy
Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said Iraq is prepared for a ground war should the
United States attack but did not threaten Israel.
At the same time, Rawi told the official Iranian news agency IRNA that
Saddam has sent three messages to the United States and its European allies.
The messages
warned against any attack on Baghdad.
The diplomat said Kurds in northern Iraq would suffer greatly if they
cooperate in any U.S.-led effort to topple Saddam. For a decade, the Kurds
have maintained self-rule in the north.
Rawi warned that the United States would not achieve anything in an
attack on Iraq. He reiterated Iraq's refusal to allow the return of United
Nations weapons inspectors in his country.
|