By NNN-KUNA
Gaza : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that the Jewish state is not escalating the situation with Syria, in reference to the large-scale military exercise Sunday, which was launched to simulate exposure to a rocket attack.
Olmert told the Israeli radio Sunday that the exercise was nothing more than a routine drill in “the context of action to draw lessons.”
He said that Syria recognizes the nature of this exercise, hoping that Damascus deals with this exercise as it should be as Israel is not interested at all in any violent confrontation with Syria.
He claimed that Israel is interested in peace negotiations with Syria, pointing out that both sides are conversant of each other’s expectations, and should appropriate conditions prevail, Israel will pursue in this direction.