Israeli military attacks uncover agenda to occupy Iran, Syria: Observer

July 18, 2006

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Israeli military attacks on Palestine and Lebanon on retaliation for the kidnapping of a few Israeli soldiers have uncovered Tel Aviv`s global agenda to occupy Iran and Syria, an academic observer said.

"Starting from Palestinian problem, Israel`s agenda now is to enter Syria and Iran. Releasing her kidnapped soldiers is important, but her actual agenda has been clearly uncovered as civilians have become victims," Hariyadi Wirawan, an international relations expert at the University of Indonesia, said here on Tuesday.

He said Israel once said the source of all problems was in Iran and Syria which are more daring than Hamas.

With the fall of the Sunni-dominated Iraqi government, Iranian Shi`ites were now leading the fight against Israel, he said.

Iran, under the leadership of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, wanted to lead the Muslim world to help Palestine and the country had inspired Hizbullah in Lebanon to be more daring in fighting Israel, he said.

Therefore, the United States and Israel believed that the presence of Israeli power was again needed in the region, he said.

He regretted that even international bodies such as the United Nations would be helpless in stopping the Israeli aggression.

"The US has used her veto in the UN Security Council, and the UN Human Rights Council also could not do anything," he said.

Meanwhile, Smith Alhadar from the Jakarta-based Indonesian Societies for the Middle East Studies wrote that the Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Gaza were to divert the world`ss attention on the fact that Hamas has implicitly recognized Israel.

Hamas in negotiation with Fatah faction in Palestine recently agreed to recognize Israeli implicitly by accepting and respecting all agreements that Fatah has made so far with Israel.

But, Israel did not want to lose her excuse to destroy Hamas, therefore the Jewish state expanded her attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, and probably Syria, in order to divert the world`s attention, Alhadar said.

With the US support to Israeli attacks, it would be very difficult for the UN Security Council to stop the serious conflicts in the Middle East, he added.

Indonesia has pointed to the United Nations to be responsible for peace and security in the world, and therefore urged the U.N. Security Council to put an end to Israeli brutal attacks against Lebanon.

"We renew our call on the U.N. Security Council which is responsible for restoring international peace and security, to take concrete measures to stop Israeli air and sea strikes," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda said here before attending a cabinet meeting at the presidential office here on Monday (17/7).

Indonesia condemned Israel`s relentless military attacks which caused serious damage and fatalities, especially those of innocent civilians.

"If the Israeli attacks are meant as a retaliation, they have become out of hand and unprofessional. Therefore, we urge Israel to end its military attacks," the minister said.

Yudhoyono himself on the sidelines of a visit to Bireuen in Aceh last Friday urged Israel to stop its military attacks on Palestine so as to avoid making more victims and causing more material damage.

"Indonesia officially asks Israel to stop its military aggression immediately," Yudhoyono told newsmen.

Speaking at an impromptu press conference, Yudhoyono called on the United Nations and international community to take concrete measures together to prevent the conflict in the Middle East from escalating. (*)

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