The BBC show "Panorama" - which revived two-decade old accusations against Ariel Sharon for the Sabra and Shatilla massacre in 1982 - prompted Syria's Tishrin newspaper to develop the theme further. Following are some excerpts from the Syrian field trial of Sharon:
"Preparations for the bloodbath had been made well in advance. Time magazine noted that on receiving Sharon's instructions Israeli generals at noon on Sept. 16 ordered the 'Lebanese forces' to start action. With 'considerable satisfaction' Drori telephoned Sharon in Tel Aviv : 'Our friends are moving into the camps . I coordinated their entrance with top men.' Sharon replied : 'Congratulations... the friends' operation is authorized.' A few hours later the Israel cabinet met in session with Begin in the chair . Eitan told the ministers that the phalangists were 'sharpening their knives.' The cabinet was satisfied and proceeded to approve a massacre that was already underway."
"As for [Menachem] Begin, he protested that he had nothing to do with the slaughter and that the whole affair was an unfortunate mistake rather than a carefully planned Zionist action .This 'mistake' represented yet another step of Israel's policy of genocide against the Palestinian people and one of a serious of Israeli crimes against humanity. These crimes are unforgettable and unforgivable and those who committed them must be brought before an international court as criminals against humanity."
"The massacre of civilians in Deir Yasin, Sabra and Shatilla are comparable with the Nazi crimes . Nemesis caught up with the Nazi murders . But the Zionist leaders of Israel continue to head that country's government . This is not surprising. The emphasis on terror, far from contradicting Zionist ideology, in fact, derives from its racist aggressive essence."
"Preparations for the bloodbath had been made well in advance. Time magazine noted that on receiving Sharon's instructions Israeli generals at noon on Sept. 16 ordered the 'Lebanese forces' to start action. With 'considerable satisfaction' Drori telephoned Sharon in Tel Aviv : 'Our friends are moving into the camps . I coordinated their entrance with top men.' Sharon replied : 'Congratulations... the friends' operation is authorized.' A few hours later the Israel cabinet met in session with Begin in the chair . Eitan told the ministers that the phalangists were 'sharpening their knives.' The cabinet was satisfied and proceeded to approve a massacre that was already underway."
"As for [Menachem] Begin, he protested that he had nothing to do with the slaughter and that the whole affair was an unfortunate mistake rather than a carefully planned Zionist action .This 'mistake' represented yet another step of Israel's policy of genocide against the Palestinian people and one of a serious of Israeli crimes against humanity. These crimes are unforgettable and unforgivable and those who committed them must be brought before an international court as criminals against humanity."
"The massacre of civilians in Deir Yasin, Sabra and Shatilla are comparable with the Nazi crimes . Nemesis caught up with the Nazi murders . But the Zionist leaders of Israel continue to head that country's government . This is not surprising. The emphasis on terror, far from contradicting Zionist ideology, in fact, derives from its racist aggressive essence."