DAMASCUS, Oct 11: Syria reserves the right to retaliate “by all means at its disposal” against any attack by Israel, the country’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said, a week after an Israeli air strike on a target in Syria.

“Syria reserves the right to retaliate by all means at its disposal,” Bushra Kanafani said at a press conference at the foreign ministry.

“We hope that the Israelis will not repeat their aggressions,” she said, but pointed out that “the right to self-defence is recognized by all states.”

“We hope that we can all of us avoid further escalation, but if Israel continues to violate our sovereignty and the disengagement agreement, Syria is going to exert its right of self-defence.”

The agreement to which she referred was the ceasefire ending hostilities between the two countries following the Oct 1973 war.

Last Sunday, Israel launched an air strike on a suspected military training camp for Palestinian militants near Damascus in the wake of a devastating suicide bombing that killed 19 people.

Israel alleged the target was used by Islamic Jihad, which claimed the bombing, but Damascus said the site was a civilian area.

Syria took the matter to the UN Security Council, seeking a resolution condemning the attack, but there has been no vote on the text because of opposition by the United States.

Responding to Saturday’s statement, a source in the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Syria must take “full responsibility” if it continues to support terror organizations.

“We are not interested in an escalation, but if Syria fails to take the necessary steps to stop attacks against us from its territory, it will bear the full responsibility,” said the source.

“Since the Sept 11 attacks (in the United States), everything has changed and no one can shelter terrorists,” the source said, referring to Palestinian militant groups that Israel accuses Damascus of supporting.

“We welcome peace, but we reserve our right to self-defence,” the official said, alluding to Israel’s air strike last Sunday.

On Thursday, Syrian President Bashar Assad hit out at Ariel Sharon’s “war government”, at a meeting here with UN Middle East coordinator Terje Roed-Larsen.

“The Sharon government is a war government which cannot survive without starting wars,” Mr Assad charged.

Two days earlier, Mr Sharon had said “Israel will continue to defend its citizens and we will not hesitate to strike our enemies in any place and any method.

“But at the same time we will not pass up any opportunity for peace with our neighbours.”

Israeli military chief of staff Gen Moshe Yaalon said the strike would serve as a warning to Damascus to stop giving succour to Palestinian “terrorists”.

Yaalon also accused Syria, Lebanon and Iran of trying to “torpedo the calm” in the region.

“We have to assure our defence and cannot remain indifferent in the face of terrorism against us,” he told public radio. —AFP