DAMASCUS, 23 April 2004 — The official Syrian press yesterday warned that Israel’s policy of ambiguity on its nuclear program “dangerously threatened” global security. “The policy of ambiguity followed by Israel with the agreement of the American administration is no longer applicable today because it dangerously threatens global and regional security,” government daily Tishrin wrote.

“The Israeli nuclear arsenal is extremely dangerous and this question must be internationalized.” It called on the international community to “undertake serious actions to rid the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), notably those possessed by Israel”.

“Continuing to keep silent in regards to Israel and accusing Iraq as well as other countries in the region of hiding WMD is playing with regional and global security,” it said.

It said the release from prison Wednesday of Israeli nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu presented a new opportunity to sound the alarm over Israel’s nuclear policy. The one-time technician at the Dimona nuclear plant in southern Israel was jailed in 1986 after leaking details of the plant to a British newspaper.

Vanunu has become a hero of the anti-nuclear movement and says Israel should rid itself of nuclear weapons and open up the Dimona plant to international inspection. “The whole Middle East is free of nuclear weapons. Israel does not need nuclear weapons,” he said after his release.

Ruling party newspaper Al-Baath said it was time to put an end to the “Israeli nuclear threat” which “profits from the cover of the United States”.

Israel has never admitted to having a nuclear arsenal but foreign military experts believe it holds up to 200 warheads. The United States accuses Syria of seeking to acquire WMD, though not of having nuclear ambitions.

Meanwhile, unidentified assailants yesterday tossed a small stick of dynamite in the garden of the home of anti-Syrian Christian official in the town of Deir Al-Qamar, southeast of Beirut, Lebanese police said.

The small explosion the resulted at dawn caused minor damage to the home of Dory Chamoun, who heads the Christian National Liberal Party.