Israelis divided over fallout from Syrian attack.

Israelis divided over fallout from Syrian attack.

Slight plurality think Assad will hit Israel if US intervenes militarily, despite official assessment that odds of retaliation are low

Israelis wait to collect gas mask boxes at a distribution center
 in Tel Aviv on August 28, 2013. (photo credit: Gili Yaari/Flash90)

01 Sep 2013 :: Israelis are mostly split on whether they think Syria will try to hit Israel in the aftermath of a possible US-led attack, a poll partially released Sunday found.

The survey, conducted for the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University as part of the monthly Peace Index, also found that most Israeli Jews think Washington’s position in the region will be strengthened by such a move.

According to the poll, 46 percent of Jewish Israelis think Assad will carry out his threat to hit Israel, while 42% think he will not.

Among Arab Israelis, 40% believe Assad will attack Israel, and 47% believe he will not.

Israeli officials have said there is only a small probability Israel will take on rocket attacks as a result of US action, as Syria and Iran have threatened. However, masses of Israelis swarmed gas mask distribution centers last week over fears of a possible attack, and the IDF slightly raised its alertness level.

On Saturday, US President Barack Obama announced that he would seek Congressional approval for military action against Syria, an apparent about-face after Washington seemed poised to hit Damascus in retaliation for a chemical attack that the US says killed over 1,400 people on August 21.(Courtesy:Times of Israel)

Syria crisis: Obama asks Congress to back military action.

Syria crisis: Obama asks Congress to back military action.

US President Barack Obama has formally asked Congress to authorise military action against Syria over alleged chemical weapons attacks.

He said any operation would be limited, ruling out a ground invasion. Congress is to reconvene on 9 September.

This comes after Washington claimed it had evidence that 1,429 people were killed in chemical attacks by the Syrian army on 21 August.

The Syrian government gave no immediate reaction to Mr Obama's announcement.

Damascus had earlier condemned the US allegations and blamed the rebels for the attacks.(Courtesy:BBC News)

Syria Militant Vows Revenge for Alleged Gas Attack.

Syria Militant Vows Revenge for Alleged Gas Attack.

In this photo taken on a government organized media tour,

Syrian army soldiers are seen deployed in the Jobar

neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013.

Syrian state media accused rebels of using chemical arms on

Saturday against government troops trying to storm a contested

neighborhood of Damascus, claiming a major army offensive

in recent days had forced the opposition fighters to resort to

such weapons "as their last card." State TV broadcast images

of plastic jugs, gas masks, vials of an unspecified medication,

explosives and other items that it said were seized from rebel

hideouts. It did not, however, show any video of soldiers

reportedly affected by toxic gas in the fighting in the Jobar

neighborhood of Damascus. (AP Photo)

AMMAN | Jordan | 26 Aug 2013 ::  The leader of an al-Qaida linked militia fighting to overthrow the Syrian government has vowed to take revenge for what he says was Damascus’ use of chemical weapons that killed hundreds of people.

Jabhat al-Nusra leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani’s comments came in an audio recording posted Sunday on a militant website that usually carries al-Qaida and similar groups’ statements. It also appeared on the group’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.

The authenticity of the claim could not be immediately verified.

Al-Golani said he plans to target Shiite Muslim villages. President Bashar Assad’s regime is dominated by the Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

Last Wednesday’s alleged chemical attack in a suburb of Damascus prompted U.S. naval forces to move closer to Syria as President Barack Obama considers a military response.(Courtesy:Epoch Time)

White House: Obama orders ‘all appropriate steps’ over al-Qaeda threat.

White House: Obama orders ‘all appropriate steps’ over al-Qaeda threat.

A White House official said Obama “will continue to
be updated” on the threat. (File photo: Reuters)

Al Arabia | 03 Aug 2013 :: “All appropriate steps” shall be taken to protect Americans in response to a threat of an al-Qaeda attack, ordered President Barack Obama, in a statement reported late on Friday.

A White House official said the president “will continue to be updated on a regular basis” on the threat and related developments

“The president is being updated on a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

The United States had issued a worldwide alert on Friday warning of plans by al-Qaeda to launch an attack in the Middle East or North Africa in August.

It said attacks were possible “particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, and possibly occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula.”

“The State Department’s newly-released travel alert makes clear that al-Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond,” the official said.(Courtesy:Al Arabia)