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Israel Pledges "All Help Possible" To U.S.
JERUSALEM, Oct 8 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has pledged his country will provide "all help possible" to the United States following the U.S.-led strikes against Afghanistan, aimed at Osama bin Laden, news agencies reported Monday.
"The United States have launched their offensive tonight against the bases of Osama bin Laden's terrorist organization in Afghanistan following the horrible terror attacks on September 11th in the United States," Sharon's office said in a statement late Sunday, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"Israel helps, and will provide its help, but is not taking part in the war," it said, without specifying what kind of help it was providing.
"Over the past three days, U.S. Secretary of State [Colin] Powell has kept Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon informed of the preparations for the U.S. attack and of the measures which have been taken to that effect," it added.
The U.S. stated during its attempts to gain Arab and Muslim support for the U.S.-led war, that there is no role for Israel in the "coalition against terrorism", but that it would "provide intelligence".
Bush had telephoned Sharon earlier in the afternoon to warn him that the attacks were imminent, the prime minister's office added.
In their conversation, Bush "stressed that the attack was part of a wide-ranging operation against terrorism." Sharon wished "lots of luck to the president, the American people and the forces deployed on the ground."
The statement said all necessary measures had been taken to ensure the Israeli population's security, without however elaborating on them.
Sharon met well into the night with Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer, and the chiefs of various branches of the military and security services to discuss the attacks, public radio said.
There was no official comment on what was discussed, although the radio said it had been decided that "for the time being there would be no change in military positioning" across the country.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, meanwhile, said Bush had made "a very courageous decision" in launching the strikes on Afghanistan.
"There is no doubt that the United States will win [in Afghanistan], because they have not only a technological advantage, but also moral, and I believe that the combination of the two will win," Peres told public radio.
Peres also gave an interview with CNN in which he pledged Israel's full cooperation with Washington in the campaign to fight terror.
"We're in the same camp. We should do whatever we can and whatever we should be asked to in order to help to win this battle," he said in the interview with Larry King Live.
The Israeli comments came as bin Laden warned that Americans would not be safe as long as "[non-Muslim] armies" occupy Islamic holy lands, and singled out the yearlong Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"I swear by God that America and those who live in America won't dream of having security before we have it in Palestine and all [non-Muslim] armies depart from the land of Mohammad [SAW]," bin Laden vowed in a recorded message broadcast on Sunday by Qatar's Al-Jazeera satellite television network.
Israeli cabinet minister Tzippi Livni, echoing comments Israeli officials have voiced since the September 11th attack, said, "There is no threat on Israel and this is a war that Israel is not participating in."
"I would not recommend reconstructing the situation of 1991 because that's not what's happening," she said at the news briefing.
There were no signs on the ground of any special security in Israel in the hours following the start of the offensive in Afghanistan. Israel Radio, however, said Sharon planned to meet top military brass late on Sunday.
Security at Israeli embassies had already been stepped up since last month's attacks in the United States.
Sharon decided Sunday that Israel would keep a "low profile" while the United States war on terrorism in Afghanistan is in progress, reported the Israeli daily
Ha'aretz Monday.
Sharon has also decided to suspend Israel's recent diplomatic offensive to have Palestinian organizations and Hezbollah added to the enemies list in the American-led war against terror.
Israeli officials forecast that while U.S. military activity remained confined to Afghanistan, the probability of Israel being attacked was low.
"When Sharon learned the American attack was in the works, he decided to go public with criticism of Americans last Thursday and created a diplomatic incident with the American government, top Israeli sources indicate," reported
Ha'aretz.
Sharon sought to thwart a U.S. bid to supplement the attack against Afghanistan with an announcement of a new peace initiative in the Middle East favoring the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The Jerusalem Post quoted Israeli government officials as saying that Israel is in no danger and that there is no threat to its security following U.S. led attacks on Afghanistan.
"It is important to stress that Israel has taken all the [preventive] actions necessary. Israel is not currently in danger, and there is no threat on Israel. This is a war Israel is not an [active] participant in."
Livni said that since the U.S. attack was on Afghanistan, and not Iraq, "it is not a war that Israel is involved in."
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