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--------------------- http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/273538.html
U.S. orders diplomats out of Israel, Kuwait, Syria
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Military Correspondent, Haaretz Service and Agencies
The U.S. State Department said on Sunday it had ordered nonessential U.S. diplomats and embassy dependents out of Kuwait, Israel and Syria and urged U.S. citizens to leave because of the threat of war with Iraq.
The steps, which mirrored U.S. precautions before the 1991 Gulf War, were announced after U.S. President George W. Bush said there was only one more day to find a diplomatic end to the Iraq crisis before Washington moves to a war footing.....
IDF to decide Monday evening whether to issue civil defense orders. The defense establishment will decide Monday evening whether to issue civil defense instructions to the public in advance of the expected American attack on Iraq.
The defense establishment will be responding to U.S. President George Bush's announcement Sunday that Monday would be the last day for diplomatic efforts to peacefully disarm Saddam Hussein. America and Britain are expected to issue a statement on their next moves after their 24-hour ultimatum expires, and the defense establishment will make its decisions based on the content of this statement.
The situation assessment prepared by the defense establishment Sunday night includes two alternative scenarios: In one, the U.S. succeeds in mustering a "moral majority" in the UN Security Council for its decision to attack Iraq, even though any such resolution would presumably be vetoed. In such a case, the U.S. is expected to spend another few days finalizing its preparations and begin the attack next week.
In the second scenario, the U.S. fails to muster UN Security Council support for its position. In such a case, Israel believes that the U.S. will attack almost immediately, perhaps as soon as Wednesday or Thursday.
There is also a third alternative, though this is considered much less likely: France and Germany could persuade the U.S. to extend its ultimatum.
Given this uncertainty, the defense establishment decided that there is no reason for Israel to take immediate action.
Defense sources said Sunday that they see no need to issue civil defense instructions immediately, because "the media is operating efficiently. People are aware of the situation and many continue to come to the gas mask distribution centers and to purchase materials for sealing rooms. In any case, the more time passes, the more people obtain the necessary equipment. Therefore, the level of panic is less this time."...
Sharon: U.S. making 'major effort' to prevent attack on Israel Despite there being only a small chance that Baghdad will target Israel in response to any assault on Iraq, great steps have been taken, both by Israel and by the United States, to protect the country from attack, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Sunday.
"Israel will know how to protect itself. We are not alone on this front, the Americans... are making a major effort to prevent the possibility of an attack on Israel, but if Israel is hit, we will know how to defend ourselves," Sharon said during a tour of the separation fence with his ministers.
"There is not a country in the Western world... that has made the efforts we have," he said.
"I think that there is a strong possibility that [Israel] will not be hit," the prime minister said, adding that Israel was not involved and had no intention of becoming involved in the Iraq crisis.
"We have taken every necessary step should the situation does not turn out as expected and there is an attempt to hit Israel."
IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon said last week that spy satellites had not picked up any sign of Scud missiles in western Iraq - the only area in the country from which Scuds can reach Israel - and that the probability of a missile strike appeared slim.
In 1991, Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel, causing heavy damage but few casualties. At the time, the United States pressed Israel not to retaliate, fearing that could pull apart the coalition it set up to fight Baghdad, which included many Arab states hostile to Israel.
But Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Saturday that Israel would retaliate for any attack on its territory.
"In the event that Israel will be attacked, it will retaliate. There are also plans ready for such an incident," Mofaz said. When asked if that meant a possible offensive beyond firing Arrow anti-missile missiles at the Scuds, Mofaz said, "This includes offensive acts. Unequivocally yes." He did not elaborate.
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