CAIRO, Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul- Gheit urged Israel to stop its "hostile" remarks about a possible war in the Middle East."Egypt opposes Israel's escalating tone of hostility against any Arab country and its threats of war," Abul-Gheit said in response to a recent spat between Israel and Syria, in which both countries threatened to declare war.
He also warned that irresponsible remarks might spoil the ongoing peacemaking efforts.
"The Israeli remarks came as several regional and international powers, topped by Egypt, work towards reviving hopes for just and comprehensive peace in the region," he added.
A round of verbal battle between Syria and Israel started when Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak was quoted by Jerusalem daily Ha'aretz as speaking to senior military officers on Monday that " in the absence of an arrangement with Syria, we are liable to enter a belligerent clash with it that could reach the point of an all- out regional war."
In response to Barak's warning, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said on Wednesday that "Israel should not test Syria's determination, Israel knows that war will move to the Israeli cities."
With a threatening tone, Lieberman earlier Thursday warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad not to provoke Israel. "If you declare war on Israel, you and your family will lose your reign," he said during a speech at Israel's renowned Bar-Ilan University.
Peace talks between Israel and Syria, technically still at war, have bogged down since Israel's massive offensive against the Gaza Strip more than a year ago, after the two Middle East countries held four rounds of Turkey-mediated negotiations in 2008.
Little progress was achieved during the indirect talks as gaping gaps remained over the Golan Heights, the core issue impeding the Israeli-Syrian peace process.
