UN condemns Israeli air raid on Syria

The UN Security Council has denounced Israel for launching an air raid against Syria – in response to a suicide bomb attack in Haifa on Saturday in which 19 people died.

The council has urged a "just and comprehensive peace" during a meeting which heard from more than two dozen participants. The council was convened at the request of Syria's Ambassador to the UN, Fayssal Mekdad, who asked the council to discuss the "violations of Syrian and Lebanese airspace committed by the Israeli air force".

The Syrians described the attack a "flagrant violation of the principles of international law" marking "a new and dangerous escalation".

The Syrian ambassador claimed that the missile attack targeted the village of Ain Al Sahib – a civilian site situated inside Syrian territory.

However, the Israelis have said that they targeted a "terrorist training camp" used by Islamic Jihad.

Israel's UN representative, Dan Gillerman, described the attack in Haifa as the latest of more than 40 terrorist atrocities committed by Islamic Jihad in the past few years.

He further accused Syria of "encouraging, harbouring, training, funding and supporting a variety of notorious terrorist organizations", including Islamic Jihad.

Syria, he said, had itself directed acts of terrorism, with coordination and briefings by phone and Internet, and by summoning activists to Damascus for briefings.

The Israeli strike is the first on Syrian territory for 20 years – previous punitive air strikes were sent against Syrian army positions in southern Lebanon.

The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that he "strongly deplored" the Israeli air strike on Syrian territory, warning that it could inflame violence in the troubled region.

Twenty-fours previously, Mr Annan had also "strongly condemned" the Haifa atrocity.

(gmcg)