As America's war against Iraq winds down, US President George W. Bush, joined by senior members of his staff and Israeli leaders as well, have accused Syria of possessing chemical weapons and supporting terrorism.
Washington and Jerusalem have issued a number of demands from Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad in recent days, including full cooperation with the destruction of Saddam Hussein's regime, the turnover of wanted Iraqi officials, and an Israeli demand to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure that thrives in Syria.
"We believe there are chemical weapons in Syria," Mr. Bush said. "We expect cooperation, and I'm hopeful that we will receive cooperation."
Attention has been turning steadily toward Damascus ever since last month, when US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld accused Syria of sending military equipment including night-vision goggles to Iraq. Rumsfeld said Sunday, "The Syrian Government is making a lot of bad mistakes, a lot of bad judgment calls, in my view, and they're associating with the wrong people."
US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in a press conference today, warned Syria that, "In light of this new environment they should review their actions and their behavior, not only with respect to who gets haven in Syria and weapons of mass destruction, but especially the support of terrorist activity."
Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk a-Shara responded that if the United States decides to attack Syria, Israel will also be harmed as a result. Shara also rejected claims that Syria was providing shelter to senior Iraqi leaders, and said that the Americans "know well that these accusations have no basis."
Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, visiting Turkey, told reporters, "Syria is not only letting terrorist organizations operate in the country, ... but is also encouraging those organizations to act all the time."
Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz issued Israel's own set of demands. "Syria must lift the threat of Hizballah attacks against Israel and expel the leaders of terrorist organizations from Damascus," Mofaz said Monday.
Shimon Peres, one of the architects of the Oslo Accords, currently in the United States, said Washington would no longer tolerate "two faced policies" regarding terrorism. "A nation can either fight terror or aid terror. They will not allow a nation to pretend it is fighting terror, while it actually aids it."
Monday night, Hizballah once again fired artillery shells into Israel. They landed in the northern town Kiryat Shmona and did not cause injuries.
Israel has suffered greatly at the hands of Syrian-backed Hizballah terrorism, including the capture and ongoing captivity of three IDF soldiers (Yehuda Katz, Tzvi Feldman and Zachary Baumel - a US citizen) since June 11th, 1982. Dan Brelis, a reporter for Time Magazine reported at the time that three Israeli soldiers were publicly paraded in a procession of captured tanks through the streets of Damascus. His report was confirmed by Correspondents from AP, La Stampa and the Syrian media.
Asked whether Syria could face military action if it does not turn over Iraqi leaders, Bush said: "They just need to cooperate."
Washington and Jerusalem have issued a number of demands from Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad in recent days, including full cooperation with the destruction of Saddam Hussein's regime, the turnover of wanted Iraqi officials, and an Israeli demand to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure that thrives in Syria.
"We believe there are chemical weapons in Syria," Mr. Bush said. "We expect cooperation, and I'm hopeful that we will receive cooperation."
Attention has been turning steadily toward Damascus ever since last month, when US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld accused Syria of sending military equipment including night-vision goggles to Iraq. Rumsfeld said Sunday, "The Syrian Government is making a lot of bad mistakes, a lot of bad judgment calls, in my view, and they're associating with the wrong people."
US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in a press conference today, warned Syria that, "In light of this new environment they should review their actions and their behavior, not only with respect to who gets haven in Syria and weapons of mass destruction, but especially the support of terrorist activity."
Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk a-Shara responded that if the United States decides to attack Syria, Israel will also be harmed as a result. Shara also rejected claims that Syria was providing shelter to senior Iraqi leaders, and said that the Americans "know well that these accusations have no basis."
Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, visiting Turkey, told reporters, "Syria is not only letting terrorist organizations operate in the country, ... but is also encouraging those organizations to act all the time."
Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz issued Israel's own set of demands. "Syria must lift the threat of Hizballah attacks against Israel and expel the leaders of terrorist organizations from Damascus," Mofaz said Monday.
Shimon Peres, one of the architects of the Oslo Accords, currently in the United States, said Washington would no longer tolerate "two faced policies" regarding terrorism. "A nation can either fight terror or aid terror. They will not allow a nation to pretend it is fighting terror, while it actually aids it."
Monday night, Hizballah once again fired artillery shells into Israel. They landed in the northern town Kiryat Shmona and did not cause injuries.
Israel has suffered greatly at the hands of Syrian-backed Hizballah terrorism, including the capture and ongoing captivity of three IDF soldiers (Yehuda Katz, Tzvi Feldman and Zachary Baumel - a US citizen) since June 11th, 1982. Dan Brelis, a reporter for Time Magazine reported at the time that three Israeli soldiers were publicly paraded in a procession of captured tanks through the streets of Damascus. His report was confirmed by Correspondents from AP, La Stampa and the Syrian media.
Asked whether Syria could face military action if it does not turn over Iraqi leaders, Bush said: "They just need to cooperate."