October 27, 2003	Monday	Sha’aban 30, 1424

LONDON, Oct 26: Syria will strike back if Israel attacks again, and could hit Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights, Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara said in a British Sunday newspaper interview.

Israel launched an air strike on what it called a “terrorist camp” near Damascus earlier this month. Syria did not retaliate but Foreign Minister al-Shara said that if attacked again, Syria would strike back.

“After we were attacked, we acted in a responsible way and went to the United Nations, and a majority of our people supported that,” Shara said. “But if we are attacked again the people will not stand for it, and we will have to carry out the will of the people.”

In the Sunday Telegraph interview, Shara hinted Damascus might target Jewish settlements on the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981.

“We have many cards that have not been played. Don’t forget there are many Israeli settlements in the Golan. I am not exaggerating but I am describing things as they might happen,” Shara was quoted as saying.—AFP