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Israel Not to Do Anything to Endanger US Campaign: Peres
Israel would not do anything to frustrate and endanger the US-led campaign against Afghanistan's ruling Taliban launched Sunday evening, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said in an interview with CNN.
"We see ourselves as part and parcel of the campaign, and if asked, Israel will do everything necessary (to help the U.S.)," Peres added.
He may suggest that Israel would not launch major military actions against the Palestinians, who have clashed with Israel for more than a year. More than 800 people, most of them Palestinians, have been killed in the clashes.
Israel fears that another wave of attacks against the Palestinians would draw fire from Arab states and harm the U.S. efforts to isolate the Taliban.
Meanwhile, Peres told Israeli media that in his opinion, the U. S. attack on Afghanistan in retaliation for the September 11 terror attacks in the U.S. would not bring danger to Israel at the current stage.
Asked whether Israel might be a target as a consequence of the U.S. bombardment, Peres said: "At this stage I don't see a danger of this kind."
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's spokesman Ra'anan Gissin earlier also told a news conference that all the necessary measures have been taken to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens from whatever kind of attack may ensue.
Another spokesman for Sharon also said that Israelis "wish the president and the American people success and we will extend whatever assistance we can."
Though the unnamed spokesman emphasized that Israel was not a formal part of the operation against Afghanistan, Israel Radio reported that Israel has provided enormous intelligence to the U.S. in the past few days.
Peres confirmed to Israel's Channel Two television that Sharon received a warning from U.S. President George W. Bush about the attack an hour before it took place. But he stressed that he did not think "they gave us or will give us operational details."
The unnamed spokesman for Sharon said Sunday evening that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had updated Sharon over the last three days on the timing of the assault, and that Bush had spoken to Sharon in the course of Sunday afternoon.
"Bush told Sharon that this attack is only the first phase in the war against terror," Gissin said.
Peres said in the interview with Channel Two that the U.S. attack on Afghanistan was "a brave decision."
"It is a brave decision by the president (Bush), along with (his) very convincing and touching speech," he said, obviously referring to Bush's televised speech from the White House shortly after the attack began.
"I think that all us, first of all, are praying for the welfare of the American army and its allies and for the freedom of the whole world," he added.
Gissin earlier told Xinhua that Israel wishes good luck to the U.S. army's efforts. Terming the attack as "a campaign against terrorism," he said that at the current time, Israel would not reveal its plans to prepare for a possible retaliation against it due to the U.S. attack.
"I do not want to give any speculations about the (U.S.) attack. The attack has just started and we still do not know the result of the attack. We should wait and see," he added.
Meanwhile, an emergency session of Israel's security cabinet was underway Sunday night to discuss the situation after the U.S. military strikes, diplomatic sources in Tel Aviv told Xinhua. Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer, Israel Defense Forces officers and intelligence officials attended the meeting.
Israeli Defense Ministry officials said that "This is not our war," adding that Israel will do all it needs to protect its citizens but no more than this at the present time.
Israel Army Radio reported that the Israel Air Force and other units, particularly along the country's border with Jordan, have been placed on higher alert.
The army's Home Front Command, which is responsible for distributing gas masks for the Israelis, was holding an emergency session to confirm strategies of dealing with a possible retaliatory strike against Israel.
With the likelihood of the U.S. attack mounting, thousands of Israelis have visited gas mask centers over the last two weeks in fear of possible anti-Israel attacks, especially chemical attacks.
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