Syrian Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam considers that the massacres committed by Israel against the Palestinians remind the world of Nazi atrocities. He emphasizes that Israeli practices have left Palestinians with no option but to resort to martyrdom operations.
Khaddam, in a speech today while receiving a delegation from the French Military College in Damascus, stated that Israeli repression, killing, destruction, and siege, as well as the closure of roads to peace efforts, force Palestinians to choose between daily death under Israeli military force or the option of resistance, with martyrdom being one of its means.
The Syrian Vice President pointed out that all countries in the world, except the U.S. administration, are convinced that the government of Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister of Israel, is not interested in peace with the Arabs. He emphasized that unlimited U.S. support for Israel, European hesitation, and the international community’s incapacity have helped Sharon’s government continue its aggressive policies.
Khaddam added that Syrian-Israeli negotiations failed because Israel refused to withdraw from all Syrian territories it occupied in 1967 and imposed unequal conditions conflicting with Syria’s sovereignty over its territories.
On another note, Khaddam stated that the campaign led by Washington against terrorism after the events of September 11 gave the impression that it was directed against Muslims. He clarified that the sole beneficiary of that campaign was Israel. The Syrian Vice President considered American threats against Iraq as pushing the Middle East towards further instability. He explained that the U.S. allegations against Iraq regarding weapons of mass destruction are unrealistic, noting that when discussing such weapons, Iraq is mentioned while Israel, which possesses nuclear weapons, is not.