Reform Party of Syria (RPS)

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's comments warning of a possible war with Syria have received wide coverage in the news media. Comments from Syria and Iran have received much less attention.

On Feb. 4, 2010, Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moallem implicitly threatened to commit war crimes against Israeli civilians by threatening to bring any war to Israeli cities should fighting break out. The Syrian government's news agency (SANA) carried his comments in a meeting with the Spanish ambassador Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos. Moallem is quoted as stating:

"Israel should not test Syria's determination… Israel knows that war will move to the Israeli cities….Israel has to commit to the just and comprehensive peace requirements."

This follows a statement by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also reported by the Syrian News Agency that "Israel is not serious about achieving peace since all facts point out that Israel is pushing the region towards war, not peace.."

For his part Spanish ambassador Moratinos "expressed appreciation of Syria's positive role for the establishment of security and stability in the Middle East."

These words came within days of the threatening words reported on the Iranian government's Internet News site PressTV (Feb. 1, 2010) from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Iran "will deliver a harsh blow to the 'global arrogance' on this year's anniversary of the Islamic Revolution." Iran recently launched a rocket into orbit carrying turtles, mice and worms. There is concern that this rocket could be utilized for delivering warheads as well. Ahmadinejad's explicit threat received little coverage from the American news media.