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In the past few days, several incidents, including an attack by Palestinians on Israel and a response by the Jewish state, and a rocket strike from Egypt on resort facilities in Israel and Jordan, have happened.  But the most dangerous of the incidents was the August 3rd exchange of fire between Lebanon and Israel.

The incidents did not lead to feared escalation but experts speak about the lurking ghost of war in the Middle East. The Oriental expert, Vyacheslav Matuzov sees a connection between the incidents and the latest statements from Washington. He spoke in an interview for VOR.

“Politicians, the US defense secretary, Robert Gates, CIA Chief, Leon Panetta and many other high and low officials are beating the drum of war  against Iran. The seemingly unconnected events- incidents in the Middle East and statements by the shakers and movers in Washington are designed for the same aim- artificial stoking up of tensions, which resemble war preparations,” said Matuzov. 

“The US and the EU can still impose more stringent sanctions on Iran after their additional tougher anti-Tehran ones,” Matuzov says. “Watchers believe that it is not only the US which is whipping up tensions in the region.”

Recently, Jossi Peled, an Israeli minister said that a war with Lebanon was inevitable and his statement finds expression each week. But not everybody in Israel cherishes the resumption of the fighting which ended in 2006. Israel Shamir, a well known writer has this to say about war:

“War hangs in the air; there is a strong feeling of a resumption of fighting in the Middle East, especially in Israel. The newspaper “Haaretz” has carried an article in which it speaks of war as a done deal, only asking the question when?”

News Agencies report that Israeli military commanders are deploying units and equipment on the Northern border where an armed incident occurred the previous day. Besides, Lebanese Supreme Defense Council has assured the population and the armed forces that Israel’s treacherous attack will be repulsed irrespective of the cost.

Military commanders on both sides of the line in the Middle East often now talk about a readiness for war – evidence that the situation in the region is both fragile and volatile.