Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., August 03, 2008 Av 2, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:50 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Syrian Ambassador to the U.S., Imad Moustapha (AP / Archives)
Last update - 14:00 28/07/2008
Syria envoy to U.S.: Israel has chance for peace with all Arabs
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Syria, Golan Heights, Israel 

Syria is interested in securing a peace agreement with Israel that would see a normalization of ties and end to the longstanding state of war between the two countries, Damascus' envoy to the U.S. has said.

"The negotiations are a historic opportunity for Israel to make peace, not just with Syria and Lebanon, but with the whole Arab world," Ambassador Imad Moustapha said, according to an interview broadcast on Army Radio on Monday.

Moustapha, an associate of Syrian President Bashar Assad, said that Israel must understand that such a peace can not be achieved unless it withdraws from the disputed Golan Heights, which it conquered in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Advertisement
"Israel must accept Syria's legitimate demand and understand that it will not achieve peace on the northern border as long as it is holding the Golan Heights," Moustapha was quoted as saying. "We offer the big thing ? let's sit together, make peace and finish once and for all this state of war. What could be better than that?"

Moustapha was speaking in an interview with the Pro-Israel Americans for Peace Now, a U.S.-affiliate of the Peace Now Movement.

The ambassador is not privy to the negotiations between Syria and Israel, but sources in Jerusalem said his closeness with Assad lends significance to his declarations.

In response to the statements, Peace Now Secretary General Yariv Oppenheimer called on Israel to complete negotiations with Syria while the current Knesset is still in office.

"The government of Israel has an obligation not to miss this chance for peace with Israel, and to present a full peace agreement to the public," Oppenheimer told Army Radio.

Related articles:
  • With whom will Syria make peace?
  • Iran decries contacts between Syria and 'illegitimate' Israel
  • Report: Israel, Syria to hold direct negotiations after next round of talks
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    History in the making
    N.Y. governor pays historic visit to Orthodox synagogue for Sabbath services.
    Under the rubble
    Five Palestinians suffocate to death after Egypt blows up tunnel.
      1.   Not while Olmert is still around .... 08:33  |  Dolly 28/07/08
      2.   What he means is give us the Golan Heights or else 08:39  |  Norm 28/07/08
      3.   Gosh, this peace stuff is coming out of the woodwork.. 09:02  |  BBSNews 28/07/08
      4.   Whatever 09:16  |  Yosemite 28/07/08
      5.   PEACE is good for all,but since when has Syria been a key to Arab 09:45  |  PETER SM 28/07/08
      6.   Stop your historic paranoia! 09:54  |  ClearCut 28/07/08
      7.   Why was there a War in 1967? 09:57  |  Gary Cooperberg 28/07/08
      8.   Assad is winning! While 2yrs ago he was facing extinction! 10:12  |  sinalco 28/07/08
      9.   Everybody wants something 10:13  |  Natallie Durson 28/07/08
      10.   And we promise not to attack you in the future 10:32  |  Michael 28/07/08
      11.   Peace with all Arabs through Syria? 10:38  |  Awake 28/07/08
      12.   MUSTHAVER PART OF ISRAEL CALLED GOLAN 10:40  |  victor hardman 28/07/08
      13.   Common sense in a sea of insanity deserves the Nobel Prize 10:41  |  Ivar 28/07/08
      14.   This is a distraction to cover Iran`s plans 11:15  |  Al 28/07/08
      15.   They only want the Golan back 11:24  |  Hastaroth 28/07/08
      16.   AS`AD WILL ONLY TALK TO ISRAEL AFTER BUSH IS GONE 12:27  |  indrajaya 28/07/08
      17.   Will Syria offer citizenship for Golani jews? 12:43  |  Civil rights for all 28/07/08
      18.   3 BBS,why the premature capitulation? israel must withdraw from 13:15  |  lakshmi 28/07/08
      19.   PR is cheap and has no resale value 13:18  |  Ilan 28/07/08
      20.   Agents of Iran 13:49  |  Ronnie Wolman 28/07/08
      21.   FULL RECORDING OF THE INTERVIEW 13:56  |  dror 28/07/08
      22.   SYRIA CAN ONLY TALK FOR SYRIA,CANN`T IT? 14:02  |  Ian 28/07/08
      23.   #17 Civil rights for all 14:03  |  EDBTZ 28/07/08
      24.   Peace with Syria 14:03  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 28/07/08
      25.   lakshmi-BBC-Durson-ClearCut 14:28  |  Israeli 28/07/08
      26.   Make it clear to Syria 14:31  |  rich 28/07/08
      27.   Peace Now is not a pro Israel Group 14:38  |  PJ 28/07/08
      28.   25 israeli,are you actually saying that you endorse israel 14:40  |  lakshmi 28/07/08
      29.   #6 ClearCut - Must I explain to you again? 14:46  |  * BEN JABO 28/07/08
      30.   BSnews - BSnow, BStomorrow, BSforever 14:59  |  * BEN JABO 28/07/08
      31.   Yeah everyone wants something Nathalie including you 15:02  |  Michael 28/07/08
      32.   you are crazy! 15:23  |  amy 28/07/08
      33.   I Love Arab Peace Provisions 15:26  |  Tex 28/07/08
      34.   BS Journalist: Not the Brightest Bulb 15:28  |  Tex 28/07/08
      35.   Fallacious argument 15:33  |  Brod 28/07/08
      36.   BS Journalist: A Holdout In Thinking 15:35  |  Tex 28/07/08
      37.   BEN JABO, thank you.. 15:54  |  ClearCut 28/07/08
      38.   #37 ClearCut - you`re welcome 16:13  |  * BEN JABO 28/07/08
      39.   #25 Israeli - Be aware 16:17  |  * BEN JABO 28/07/08
      40.   humorous 16:53  |  alex 28/07/08
      41.   everybody wants something 16:59  |  arik 28/07/08
      42.   Israeli, it`s quite clear, no peace without the Golan 17:17  |  BBSNews 28/07/08
      43.   No Tex, give back their property... 17:23  |  BBSNews 28/07/08
      44.   The people of Israel are against giving away the Golan. 17:24  |  Jean Van Daem 28/07/08
      45.   Ceding Golan = starving and dying of thirst 18:34  |  Alex 28/07/08
      46.   EXISTENCE OF iSRAEL 18:37  |  amy 28/07/08
      47.   nonsense, yul brenner 18:43  |  frenz 28/07/08
      48.   Golan 19:09  |  Lauren Helfand 28/07/08
      49.   There is already peace with Syria 19:24  |  B (The other one) 28/07/08
      50.   BSnews - Dim bulb is talking 20:04  |  * BEN JABO 28/07/08
      51.   You`re kind of slow, BBSNews 20:29  |  Awake 28/07/08
      52.   Oh yeah, The Khartoum Resolution of `67 20:31  |  Awake 28/07/08
      53.   42 BBS to Israeli,you might want to look up 21:00  |  lakshmi 28/07/08
      54.   To PJ#27 21:13  |  Otto Rand 28/07/08
      55.   Baloney 21:34  |  marat 28/07/08
      56.   Assad`s Aspirations 21:38  |  SB 28/07/08
      57.   #36, Tex...any proof? 21:43  |  Silvienne 28/07/08
      58.   Haaretz` censors 21:45  |  ivo 28/07/08
      59.   the king and i 22:35  |  frenz 28/07/08
      60.   Israel can be at peace with arabs...if she lets herself be 22:43  |  Avram 28/07/08
      61.   Match actions to foreign press interviews 00:06  |  Nathaniel 29/07/08
      62.   no thanks 02:13  |  alan 29/07/08
      63.   There was no reason to censor me I was being polite 02:20  |  Israeli 29/07/08
      64.   ANY ISR-SYRIAN DEAL MUST BE BASED ON HATAY - NOT SINAI - MODEL 03:07  |  G Marcus 29/07/08
      65.   #2, NORM, or else what? 03:17  |  VIPER 29/07/08
      66.   14 members of Arab League boycoted last Damascus Summit 03:46  |  Joseph.E 29/07/08
      67.   #49, B, allow me to educate you and the zionists 10:50  |  VIPER 29/07/08
      68.   #51,AWAKE MUST BE ASLEEP, speaking of trustworthy 10:53  |  VIPER 29/07/08
      69.   #67 viper says the minnow attacked the whales 11:00  |  victor hardman 29/07/08
      70.   #9 Natalie Durson 12:23  |  H