Syria "regrets" US acceptance of Israeli claims

Syria’s Foreign Minister has criticized the US administration’s stand with Israel over the claim that his country supplied Lebanon’s Hezbollah with weapons and Scud missiles. In a press statement published by the official Syrian news agency, Mr. Walid Al Moallem said, “We regret the US State Department’s acceptance and adoption of the Israeli allegation. We warned US officials about ignoring Israel’s motives for making such claims and the obvious fact that Israel has made them to divert attention away from the crimes it is committing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” He added that it has become clear that Israel aims to create an atmosphere conducive to an attack on Syria or Lebanon.

The US government summoned a high-ranking Syrian diplomat in Washington to ask for clarification of the issue. Mr. Al Moallem expressed his disappointment at the State Department’s move, pointing out that Damascus had already issued an official statement denying the Israeli claims.