Syria's official dailies on Tuesday accused Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak of declaring war on the Arab world with his campaign to set up an emergency government with hawkish right-wing leader Ariel Sharon.
"By freezing the peace process and entering negotiations with the Likud leader, the terrorist Ariel Sharon, on the formation of an emergency government, Barak is declaring war not only on the Palestinian people but the entire Arab world," said Al-Baath, the ruling party's newspaper.
"And by ordering the Israeli army to use all means to put down the Palestinian uprising, Barak is killing off any chance of pursuing negotiations on the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese tracks," it warned.
"Barak has given up on peace and chosen the war option," stressed Al-Baath, urging Arab leaders to draw up a "more realistic" approach to the Middle East peace process.
The government daily Tishrin said any government formed by Barak and Sharon would "spell the ruin of the peace process and Israel's commitment to military adventures, which will further uncover Israel's hostility to peace."
Barak is working to form an emergency national government with the hardline right in reaction to the avalanche of violence in the Palestinian territories that has cost more than 130 lives over the past four weeks.
The Israeli-Palestinian clashes flared after Sharon visited a hotly disputed religious site in Arab east Jerusalem on September 28 – DAMASCUS (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
