Not entirely in keeping with - or possibly in explanation of - what he said only a week ago, Prime Minister Sharon is now hinting that Israel might remain passive in the face of an Iraqi attack. Sharon told The Jerusalem Post yesterday that "if Iraq attacks Israel, but does not hit population centers or cause casualties, our interest will be to not make it hard on them [the U.S.]. If, on the other hand, Israel is harmed, if we suffer casualties or if non-conventional weapons of mass destruction are used against us, then definitely Israel will take the proper actions to defend its citizens." Sharon said he hopes "that the US' mode of operation with its coalition partners will be such that a potential attack against Israel will be averted."



A few days ago, The New York Times reported that Sharon had informed the White House that if Iraq attacks the Jewish state, Israel would not sit idly by.