Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin declared Wednesday that Israel will take all necessary precautions against a potential attack by Syria next fall, possibly close to the 13th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
Rabin, addressing the annual meeting of the Jewish Agency Assembly here, was responding to a report in the highly authoritative British weekly, Jane’s Military, that Syria is planning to attack Israel next October 14. It is the day after Yom Kippur and the date on which Yitzhak Shamir will take over as Prime Minister from Shimon Peres under the unity coalition government’s rotation of power agreement.
Rabin said Israel would not contribute to any deterioration of the situation with Syria but would follow its defense policy which is based not solely on deterrence but on its ability to deliver a decisive blow to its enemies.
Senior military sources here said they had no idea where Jane’s information originated. But they stressed that the potential for war with Syria exists and that every change of season is usually accompanied by developments which increase tension.
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