Page "Foreign relations of Syria" Paragraph 18

Tensions between Israel and Syria increased as the Intifada dragged on, primarily as a result of Syria's refusal to stop giving sanctuary to Palestinian militant groups conducting operations against Israel.

In October 2003, following a suicide bombing carried out by a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Haifa that killed 20 Israeli citizens, Israeli Defense Forces attacked a suspected Palestinian militant training camp 15 kilometers north of Damascus.

This was the first such Israeli attack deep inside Syrian territory since the 1973 war.

As this report went to press, Syria announced it would respond diplomatically, and asked the UN Security Council to condemn the Israeli action.