Arabnews Editorial: Attack on Syria is Sharon on the Rampage: "This was no message to Islamic Jihad. It was a cold, unambiguous threat to Syria: Either jump to Israel’s diktats or else. There can be no question about it. Immediately after the strike, the Israelis then warned Syria there would be more if it did not close down so-called terrorist organizations.

"An inevitable conclusion must be that the Israelis were acting on behalf of the US; it is difficult to believe that that they would have struck without the green light from Washington. We know that the Americans have loudly accused Syria of supporting terrorism and warned it to stop. Damascus is further seen by the Americans as a problem in Iraq, providing support to officials of the former regime and allowing Syrian volunteers to cross the border and join in attacks on US troops. The notion that Washington used the Israelis to threaten the Syrians into line makes too much sense to be dismissed."

"This could have potentially catastrophic results. It could well end in war. Sharon certainly knows that, even if the Americans do not. He knows that the strike will escalate tension in the Middle East, not diminish it. He knows that the Syrian government will not take this outrage lying down, that it will respond in anger and, far from ending support for organizations which the Israelis and Americans label as terrorist, will strengthen them."

"We know Sharon does not want peace with the Palestinians, that he wants rid of them. War would certainly provide him with the opportunity to terrorize them into flight."

Arabnews Editorial: Attack on Syria is Sharon on the Rampage: "This was no message to Islamic Jihad. It was a cold, unambiguous threat to Syria: Either jump to Israel’s diktats or else. There can be no question about it. Immediately after the strike, the Israelis then warned Syria there would be more if it did not close down so-called terrorist organizations.

"An inevitable conclusion must be that the Israelis were acting on behalf of the US; it is difficult to believe that that they would have struck without the green light from Washington. We know that the Americans have loudly accused Syria of supporting terrorism and warned it to stop. Damascus is further seen by the Americans as a problem in Iraq, providing support to officials of the former regime and allowing Syrian volunteers to cross the border and join in attacks on US troops. The notion that Washington used the Israelis to threaten the Syrians into line makes too much sense to be dismissed."

"This could have potentially catastrophic results. It could well end in war. Sharon certainly knows that, even if the Americans do not. He knows that the strike will escalate tension in the Middle East, not diminish it. He knows that the Syrian government will not take this outrage lying down, that it will respond in anger and, far from ending support for organizations which the Israelis and Americans label as terrorist, will strengthen them."

"We know Sharon does not want peace with the Palestinians, that he wants rid of them. War would certainly provide him with the opportunity to terrorize them into flight."