(Financial Times) Yossi Alpher - Before the war starts, it is important to set the record straight. Israel has a far-reaching strategic interest in the destruction of the non-conventional capabilities of Hussein's regime, along with the elimination of its support for Palestinian suicide terrorism. All the other talk of an Israeli role or interest is largely without foundation. Over the years, the Israeli threat assessment has evolved to the point where conventional attack is now assigned low probability, while terrorism and non-conventional attack are in some instances seen as a single threat - for example, Iraq or Syria providing radical Palestinians with a non-conventional capability. Until recently, Israel essentially faced these threats alone. The U.S. and UK have now concluded that Iraqi, Iranian, and Syrian weapons of mass destruction, and support for terrorist organizations such as Hizballah and Hamas, also threaten them and their legitimate interests. At the 11th hour, Israel finds itself no longer alone - a source of immense relief.
2003-02-18 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive