Iraq will attack Israel if it takes part in any U.S. strike against President Saddam Hussein's government, an Iraqi minister said in remarks published Friday.
``Israel will suffer a profound and an unforgettable strike if it interferes in the (U.S.-led) war (against Iraq),'' Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammed Mahdi Saleh told the United Arab Emirates newspaper Al-Khaleej.
Israel has warned it will retaliate if Iraq attacks it. During the 1991 Gulf War, Israel refrained from retaliation after 39 Iraqi Scud missiles landed in the Jewish state. Its government decided to hold back to help the United States maintain Arab support for the coalition fighting the Iraqi forces that had invaded Kuwait.
Israel's army chief, Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon, said this week that the United States wanted Israel to stay out of any military operation against Iraq.
``America would be very happy if we are not involved in this attack, at least at this stage,'' he said. ``Let them do the job alone.''
Jeez, that's something to ponder, isn't it?