Olmert: War with Syria unlikely, possible

JERUSALEM, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- No war with Syria is planned, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Cabinet Wednesday, but the country still needs to prepare.

Both countries want to avoid war, Olmert said during a special Cabinet meeting on war preparedness, but Israel has to be ready for all circumstances -- including a war that breaks out by accident, Ynetnews reported.

"We must prepare for any scenario so that Israel can be ready," the prime minister said.

Olmert also took pains to emphasize that the country's war preparations are not building up to an attack on Syria, saying "Israel is trying to avoid the wrong conclusions."

In the past year, Syria has called for peace negotiations, but also threatened violence over Israel's continued occupation of the Golan Heights.

But conflict with Syria is not the Israeli government's only security concern, Ynetnews said. One of the hypothetical scenarios discussed was a simultaneous conflict with Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas with Iranian backing.

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