WASHINGTON, Sept 22: Two prominent US lawmakers on Sunday urged Israel to stay out of any war with Iraq following reports that the Jewish state had informed Washington it planned to retaliate if attacked by the Iraqis.

The New York Times, quoting Israeli and Western officials, reported earlier Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had informed the White House of his stance, which was seen as a major shift in Israeli thinking since the 1991 Gulf war when 39 Iraqi Scud missiles struck without any Israeli response.

“The Israelis ought to stay out of it because of the political consequences in the region if they get in,” said Republican congressman Henry Hyde, chairman of the House International Relations Committee.

“If Israel were to send aircraft or troops or bombs ...into Iraq, the entire Arab world would have reason, at least enough for its own purposes, to rise up and justifiably, in their mind, increase the level of violence against Israel,” he told CNN.

“I don’t think it’s necessary. I think we can react appropriately to anything Saddam Hussein does,” he added.

Speaking on the same program, Joseph Biden, the Democratic senator who heads the Senate Foreign Relations committee, concurred.

“I agree with Henry, that to make this a pan-Arab war, Israeli-Arab war instead of Saddam weapons of destruction versus the world, would be the reason why Saddam would attack Israel,” he said.

Biden acknowledged that it would be very difficult for Israel from refraining from responding if attacked.

He said this highlighted the need to “get world public opinion, UN opinion behind us in terms of moving against Saddam Hussein if he does not separate himself from his weapons of mass destruction.”

The Times said Sharon’s stance reflects a widespread belief among Israeli politicians and generals that Arab leaders perceived Israel’s restraint during the 1991 Gulf war as weakness.—AFP