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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Monday it would exert its maximum force if it had to go to war with Syria.
"Syria knows that we limited ourselves in our operations in Lebanon, and it knows that in an operation against Syria, against Damascus, Israel won't limit itself," Israel Radio cited Olmert as saying.
Israel has long accused Syria of supporting the armed faction of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. Syria also supports Hamas who rule the Palestinian Authority and have previously said they are committed to Israel’s destruction.
After Israel’s five-week assault on Lebanon, Syrian President Bashar Assad gave a hard-line speech praising Hezbollah and warning that future Arab generations might take forceful actions should peace talks continue to fail.
Olmert, in a speech to his parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee, also voiced his opposition to beginning negotiations with Syria, meeting participants said.
"This is not the time to talk to the Syrians," a member who had attended the meeting quoted Olmert as saying.
"He said he would not negotiate with Syria at this time because Syria is the enemy," the committee member said.
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