THE US: US President George Bush said that he expected Israel would have an "appropriate response" to an unprovoked Iraqi attack as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon last night.
"If Iraq attacks Israel tomorrow, I would assume the prime minister would respond because he's got a desire to defend himself," President Bush told reporters during a joint appearance with Mr Sharon in the Oval Office.
Mr Bush also sternly warned Hizbullah against attacking Israel, saying the United States would take action against the Lebanese militant group in co-operation with its close Middle East ally and other nations. "We expect there to be no attacks. This is terrorist activity," he said. "We will fight terror wherever terror exists."
Mr Bush also said he was sending a senior diplomat for the Middle East back to the region to help achieve "concrete, real, objective, measurable reforms" of the Palestinian Authority, "so that there is a peaceful future for the region". And he said he was pleased that Mr Sharon had committed to pay the Palestinian Authority tax funds Israel owes provided there is US-led monitoring to ensure that none of the monies goes to terrorism.
The United States is expected to call on Israel to ease tough sanctions imposed on the Palestinian territories so that Washington can counter criticism from Arab countries whose support it needs in the campaign against Iraq.
"It's Israel's responsibility to remember the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people, to ease some of the provisions that have been put in place that hinder the humanitarian help to the Palestinian people," White House spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer said earlier. The US was also looking for an easing of roadblocks in the West Bank and Gaza strip that have been wreaking havoc on the Palestinian economy.
In exchange for all this, Washington will agree to alert Tel Aviv 72 hours before it strikes Iraq in addition to bombing the western region of Iraq where Baghdad is suspected of hiding Scud missiles capable of striking Israel, according to Israeli press reports.
The US is also expected to pledge to give Tel Aviv access to a satellite alert system which would give the Jewish state a seven- minute warning after the launch of an Iraqi missile. Carefully avoiding a fallout with Mr Bush, Mr Sharon has been trying to cultivate Israel's image as an exemplary US ally.
Although Mr Sharon has stated that Israel has a "legitimate right to self-defence" in case of such attacks, Israeli officials do not believe such an attack is likely.
"There will not be automatic reprisals," according to an Israeli official on the condition of anonymity. "And we think, anyway, that the chances are not strong that Saddam Hussein will order missile attacks against us." Israeli media echoed this statement, adding that Israel would respond if attacked with chemical or biological weapons. "We have no intention of launching an offensive that would inflame the region nor, for example, to reoccupy the Gaza Strip," said the Israeli official.