Assad: No Peace Without Sea Of Galilee

Syria has given Turkish mediators a document containing six points that demand a complete Israeli withdrawal from disputed territory. The document indicates the Syrians are insisting on having access to the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee in the disputed Golan Heights. Israel captured the strategic piece of Syrian territory during the 1967 Six-Day War and has held it ever since.

Prior to its capture, Syria had used the area to shell Israel.

According to reports, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government awaits Israel’s answers, which will be conferred by the Turkish mediators. A Syrian official reportedly told the Turks it would be possible to sign a peace agreement between the two countries by the middle of 2009 should Israel agree to Syria’s terms.

Senior political officials in Jerusalem said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was very interested in promoting the talks with the Syrians and is moving toward direct talks. Mr. Olmert has held a number of intensive meetings with the Turks and has phoned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan several times.

Mr. Olmert remains in constant contact with Dr. Yoram Turbowicz, whom he appointed to coordinate the talks with the Syrians. As best as can be ascertained, Mr. Olmert has voiced his willingness in principle to withdraw from the Golan Heights and return to the 1967 borders. This, however, would depend on Syria’s willingness was prepared to sever its ties with Iran and Hezbollah.

Israel formally annexed the Golan Heights in December 1981.

Syrian officials have previously said it would not relinquish its claims on the Upper Galilee region even if Israel were to return the heights to its sovereignty.

“I don’t know of any negotiations that are over before they’ve begun,” Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said in a statement issued on Tuesday night regarding the negotiations with Syria. “What is important to us is not a peace of open embassies and eating hummus in Damascus, but, rather, a cessation of the arms smuggling via Syria to Hezbollah, a severance of its ties with Iran and an end to its support for terror organizations, such as Hamas.”

Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak yesterday also spoke about the negotiations with Syria at a conference he attended in Maalot. Mr. Barak said he believes eliminating Syria from the conflict would go a long way toward weakening Hamas and Hezbollah and toward altering Iran’s overall role.

“That is a far-reaching change for the State of Israel. I am in favor of direct negotiations with the Syrians,” Mr. Barak said. “Hezbollah, Hamas, the Syrian threat and the centrifuges are real, and they require difficult, complicated, complex and dangerous decisions for Israel. In this situation, it would be best to have a person with a steady hand at the wheel.”

Israeli Professor Eyal Zisser, an expert on Syrian matters, observed in the daily Israeli newspaper Yisrael Hayom that “the Syrians don’t sincerely expect an answer. It seems that the entire purpose of the leak from Damascus is to prepare the casework in advance of Barack Obama’s assumption of office, as well as in advance of the formation of the next Israeli government.”

Prof. Zisser added “the Syrians will claim that the talks with Olmert had already reached the point of drawing a border line, and that Israel is obliged to meet that demand if it wants the negotiations resumed.”

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com