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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mideast News

Hezbollah missile attack

TYRE, Lebanon

Hezbollah guerrillas fired missiles at an Israeli army outpost in southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing one soldier and injuring three, the Israeli army said.

The guerrillas shot at least six missiles at the army camp, Lebanese security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Israeli army said the camp was hit by light weapons, mortar shells and anti-tank fire.

The Israelis and their allies, the South Lebanon Army, returned fire, the army said.

Beware U.S., war hero warns

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia

Arabs must remain wary of the United States and Israel, whose common policies are contrary to the interests of the other Middle East countries, a former Persian Gulf War commander was quoted Saturday as saying.

Prince Khalid bin Sultan, who jointly commanded the U.S.-led coalition in the 1991 war, told the Arabic daily Al-Hayat that “the United States and its ally, Israel, are trying to redraw the geopolitical map of our region in Israel’s favor.”

The prince also charged that U.S. policy in the gulf was designed “to keep Iran on the outside, Iraq under submission and the United States in the region.”

Khalid, now a retired general, is highly respected here as a hero of the war in which an allied coalition liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation.

Syrians see peace revive

DAMASCUS, Syria

Syria predicted Saturday that President Clinton’s re-election would revive peace talks with Israel.

In optimistic remarks, a government-run newspaper said a letter Clinton sent to Syrian President Hafez Assad was “a welcomed effort that will put the peace process back on the right course.”

Clinton promised in the letter Friday that peace in the Middle East would remain one of his administration’s priorities. He sent a similar letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.