Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., March 21, 2008 Adar2 15, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:56 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Syrian President Bashar Assad. (AP)
Last update - 08:18 16/03/2008
Report: Syria wants 'public' peace talks with Israel
By Barak Ravid and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents and Reuters
Tags: terrorism, Israel, Hezbollah 

The Prime Minister's Bureau denied Saturday reports of a planned meeting between high-ranking Israeli and Syrian officials in Turkey some 10 days ago.

According to Channel 2 television, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's chief of staff, Yoram Turbowicz, was to meet with a senior official in Ankara in order to discuss the resumption of peace talks between the two countries.

Channel 2 reported Saturday that the meeting was set up with Turkish mediation, but canceled due to the escalation in fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Advertisement
The Prime Minister's Bureau said, however, that "the report is false. No meeting was scheduled, no meeting was supposed to take place and no meeting with a Syrian official was canceled."

Earlier Saturday, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that Syria had recently relayed a message to Israel conveying the county's interest in peace talks with Israel, but on the condition that talks be held openly and not under fire.

According to the report, Damascus passed the message on to Israel via Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The newspaper said the Syrians demand a series of conditions in that message that must be fulfilled before it will commence a peace process, the first of which is the condition that talks will not be held "under fire." The Syrians explained that by "under fire" they do not mean an armed conflict between Israel and Syria, but rather the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Another Syrian condition is that the talks be held publicly, and accompanied by Israeli gestures to assure the Syrians that they are ready to withdraw from all "occupied Arab territories," Al-Akhbar reported.

A third condition, according to the report, is that Israel hold simultaneous diplomatic talks with Lebanon and the Palestinians alongside peace talks with Syria.

However, "knowledgeable" sources told Al-Akhbar that Damascus estimates that the United States isn't interested in Israel holding talks with Syria, and will act to prevent such talks from taking place.

Sources: Israel warned Syria it could pay price for any Hezbollah attack

In contrast to the Syrian peace overtures, Israel has recently conveyed a stern message to Damascus, also via a third party, stating that it would hold Damascus accountable for any Hezbollah attacks, Israeli and European sources said on Friday.

Israel recently conveyed a warning to Syria through a third party that
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the warning stemmed largely from Israeli concerns that the Lebanon-based guerilla group Hezbollah would launch salvoes of cross-border rockets to coincide with any major Israeli offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

The sources said the message was conveyed in February through at least one European intermediary following the assassination of a top Hezbollah commander and before this month's five-day Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip in which more than 120 Palestinians, many of them civilians, were killed.

After the group's senior commander, Imad Mughniyah, was killed in a bombing in Damascus, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatened Israel with "open war".

Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah and its main backer, Iran, accused Israel of being behind the assassination, a charge Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office denied.

A European source familiar with the matter said the message conveyed to Damascus said Syria could be targeted by Israel even if Hezbollah's attack emanated from Lebanese soil.

An Israeli source with knowledge of government affairs said: "The message was passed around late February, before the last round of fighting in Gaza."

"It has become clear to us Syria has to understand there is a price for its use of proxy terrorism, especially as Damascus is itself a proxy - the long-arm of Iran," the source said.

Another senior government official with knowledge of defense affairs declined comment on whether or not a message had been sent to Damascus, but told reporters that "this is sound strategy. Syria has significantly deepened its involvement with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon since the [2006 Second Lebanon] war."

Asked about the risk of an Israeli attack on Syria in response to a Hezbollah attack, a British official said "there is always a danger that a turn of events here could prompt something on the northern border, which would be a disaster."

"The death of Mughniyah, the threatened Hezbollah retaliation, does leave a specter of a wider regional conflict," the official said, playing down the chances of opening an Israeli-Syrian peace track under the circumstances.

"There's an interest on both sides but I think it's very difficult to move forward on it," the official said, citing close ties between Syria and Iran. "It's become far more difficult the idea of an Israeli-Syrian deal."

Related articles:
  • Nasrallah: Mughniyah's blood will lead to elimination of Israel
  • Hezbollah terror chief Imad Mughniyah killed in Damascus blast
  • PMO denies Israeli role in Imad Mughniyah's death
  • ANALYSIS: Question now is not whether Hezbollah will respond, but how
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Good Avraham Hunting
    An ex-security guard solves a problem that has baffled mathematicians for decades.
    A better place
    Some 2,400 African refugees have entered Israel via Egypt since January.
      1.   Israel quick to `talk` with Syria about war 22:07  |  Observer 14/03/08
      2.   Assad, the wise man, just raises his shoulders... 22:12  |  Dutch Dirk 14/03/08
      3.   Seems so simple 22:14  |  Rav Harley 14/03/08
      4.   And What Price Might Be ??? 22:29  |  Cool B 14/03/08
      5.   here is the scenario 22:44  |  leo 14/03/08
      6.   Syria would pay the price? 23:00  |  Paul Wood 14/03/08
      7.   Its about time 23:04  |  Danite 14/03/08
      8.   lips service 23:07  |  tom 14/03/08
      9.   Trying to create a casus belli,to provide cover for aggression 23:11  |  lakshmi 14/03/08
      10.   Peace? 23:11  |  Peace 14/03/08
      11.   Dutch Dirk 23:16  |  Firefighter 14/03/08
      12.   Here we go again.....Same song from Israel 23:16  |  Sami 14/03/08
      13.   Avi 23:18  |  Firefighter 14/03/08
      14.   paul wood 23:19  |  alan 14/03/08
      15.   Very dangerous game 23:20  |  Alan the real one 14/03/08
      16.   How to deal with the Pals 23:25  |  Weaver 14/03/08
      17.   Paul Wood 23:26  |  Firefighter 14/03/08
      18.   Dutch Dirk - your threats are silly 23:30  |  Jewboy 14/03/08
      19.   Sami - what happened to Syria? 23:43  |  Jewboy 14/03/08
      20.   Cool B 23:46  |  Firefighter 14/03/08
      21.   Siria and Iran 23:47  |  Pedro 14/03/08
      22.   Attack Iran - the true head of the snake 23:47  |  mike the truthsayer 14/03/08
      23.   #15 Alan of Toronto 23:57  |  Paul Wood 14/03/08
      24.   #13 you are a liar, plain and simple 00:01  |  McQueen 15/03/08
      25.   Who raises the stakes? and why? 00:05  |  John 15/03/08
      26.   Syria is safe. 00:10  |  Paulo 15/03/08
      27.   Israel has no right to accuse anybody, us-israeli plan to drag 00:13  |  mehmet 15/03/08
      28.   barak and hezbollah 00:17  |  geroge 15/03/08
      29.   Syria has offered peace, Israel will not accept 00:19  |  Harold 15/03/08
      30.   What does that probably mean? 00:23  |  TonyL 15/03/08
      31.   Re; Dutch Dirk 00:28  |  Dutch Dirk 15/03/08
      32.   The Difference is that... 00:31  |  hyperthenuss 15/03/08
      33.   IDF just itching for another war 00:33  |  peacelover 15/03/08
      34.   #7 Paul Wood - termites are eating you 00:39  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08
      35.   More idiocy 00:53  |  Mark Lincoln 15/03/08
      36.   Danite #8: shalom, Danite - 00:59  |  ivo 15/03/08
      37.   Paul Wood, Dutch Dirk 01:00  |  Think Again 15/03/08
      38.   Lost in Space 01:13  |  NJ 15/03/08
      39.   Gutless 01:14  |  Mike 15/03/08
      40.   Dutch Jerk 01:15  |  Larry 15/03/08
      41.   Dutch Dirk 01:16  |  Firefighter 15/03/08
      42.   ISRAELI THREATMONGERING AND SCARE TACTICS 01:51  |  BigBadJohn 15/03/08
      43.   Makes sense. Hezbollah has more support in Syria than Lebanon 01:57  |  Mike 15/03/08
      44.   ...think for a second... 02:07  |  JTO 15/03/08
      45.   #36 BigBadMisinformedJohn 02:11  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08
      46.   how can 6Million THREAT 1500? 02:13  |  carlos 15/03/08
      47.   I really love Israel...just to scared to live there 02:15  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08
      48.   # 15 alan 02:16  |  Axel 15/03/08
      49.   to: Mark Lincoln 02:16  |  JTO 15/03/08
      50.   * BEN JABO in my controll room in my basement in USA 02:19  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08
      51.   Hezbollah has 30,000 rockets How many does Syria have? 02:40  |  Harold 15/03/08
      52.   I have had the same job at Burger King for 25 yrs 02:59  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08
      53.   paul wood 03:05  |  alan 15/03/08
      54.   Wordly wisdom 03:26  |  Paul 15/03/08
      55.   hyperthenuss 03:29  |  paul 15/03/08
      56.   SYRIA HAS RUSSIAN PROTECTION 03:54  |  BigBadJohn 15/03/08
      57.   the price must be too high 04:03  |  issam ghallab 15/03/08
      58.   Smart Idea 04:09  |  Khalil 15/03/08
      59.   @22, bravo pedro. where are you from? 04:27  |  vladimir 15/03/08
      60.   THE THREAT WAS RELAYED VIA TURKEY 04:33  |  BigBadJohn 15/03/08
      61.   Is "it" back on? 04:36  |  Mark Lincoln 15/03/08
      62.   #57 BigBadJohn 04:45  |  Think Again 15/03/08
      63.   Minus the Golan - Syria uses South Lebanon 04:49  |  Shafrir Yisraeli 15/03/08
      64.   Israel Warns? What a joke! 05:11  |  Atoo 15/03/08
      65.   Appropriate 05:25  |  Ron 15/03/08
      66.   # 13 Sami....Syria needs to get out of Lebanon 05:33  |  Lynn 15/03/08
      67.   Syria is not stupid 05:51  |  US CITIZEN 15/03/08
      68.   # 61 Big Dumb John...They buzzed a carrier near Japan 05:56  |  Lynn 15/03/08
      69.   Too scared of Hizbullah 06:02  |  Steve the Pals. 15/03/08
      70.   ivo hello 06:11  |  Danite 15/03/08
      71.   #67 LYNN: IF I`M NOT MISTAKEN 06:13  |  BigBadJohn 15/03/08
      72.   #65;Atoo, the dreamer I hope you don`t believe 06:16  |  Doc Holliday 15/03/08
      73.   #70--Steve the Stupid 06:33  |  US CITIZEN 15/03/08
      74.   before and after July 2006!! 06:42  |  Alex 15/03/08
      75.   #20 Jewboy 06:52  |  Alex 15/03/08
      76.   # 43 BigBadJohn 06:58  |  Alex 15/03/08
      77.   McQueen..go back to Histroy 101 06:58  |  Ghassan 15/03/08
      78.   Hezbollah`s remark that they are `prepared for war` 07:33  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/03/08
      79.   To Paul Wood 08:02  |  Oleg 15/03/08
      80.   #73 Wrong again 08:13  |  Atoo 15/03/08
      81.   Paul Wood 08:20  |  sasha baron cohen 15/03/08
      82.   AL MAWT ILA AL ARAB!!! 08:22  |  yonatan katan 15/03/08
      83.   Iran and its ally Syria. 08:58  |  Jean Van Daem 15/03/08
      84.   Response to Sami #13 09:22  |  Shimon 15/03/08
      85.   #32 dutch dirk - who started the wars 10:38  |  Adrian de Klerk 15/03/08
      86.   big badjohn 61 11:23  |  wiseUP 15/03/08
      87.   All Israel got is threats 11:41  |  Lobo08 15/03/08
      88.   #75 Alex before and after 11:44  |  Axel 15/03/08
      89.   #78 Atoo 11:48  |  Axel 15/03/08
      90.   #75 Alex 11:59  |  Think Again 15/03/08
      91.   Time for Syria to be generous with Israel. 12:03  |  Jean Van Daem 15/03/08
      92.   # 27 Paulo LOL Funny 12:59  |  petra 15/03/08
      93.   Mugunieh will be the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of the Middle Eas 13:02  |  Alan 15/03/08
      94.   # 28 Mehmet not a strategist are you? 13:05  |  petra 15/03/08
      95.   Israhel threatens syria: syria threatens peace!! 13:42  |  now what? 15/03/08
      96.   adrian de cluck? palestine was invaded 13:55  |  pay attention fool 15/03/08
      97.   Assad and his disgraceful tactics 14:08  |  Waster 15/03/08
      98.   Rav Harley 14:12  |  Jackie 15/03/08
      99.   # 6, Leo 14:14  |  Leopard 15/03/08
      100.   tom in buffalo # 9 14:18  |  Linda 15/03/08
      101.   Peace 14:19  |  Peaceful 15/03/08
      102.   Shallow 14:28  |  Shallownia 15/03/08
      103.   Israel Gets Smart - At Last! 14:41  |  Bill Foonman 15/03/08
      104.   Waiting is Costly 14:49  |  Jew from Canada 15/03/08
      105.   The Art of Deception and Iran`s Nukes 15:05  |  Brod 15/03/08
      106.   Response to #105 15:07  |  Thomas 15/03/08
      107.   #96 hahaha? 15:14  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/03/08
      108.   105. well what are you waiting for jew in canada? 15:17  |  lead the charge 15/03/08
      109.   98. little waster and her conspiracy of peace 15:22  |  to smart huh? 15/03/08
      110.   108.to apartheid margie in occupied palestine 15:43  |  you invaded 15/03/08
      111.   to #109 15:51  |  Jew from Canada 15/03/08
      112.   What idiot wrote the deceptive headline: same Syrian precondition 15:59  |  McQueen 15/03/08
      113.   #105 Jew from Canada 16:06  |  Think Again 15/03/08
      114.   I Dunno 16:09  |  Yosemite 15/03/08
      115.   #72 Big DumbJohn.....Hezbollah runs nothing 16:11  |  Lynn 15/03/08
      116.   112. sorry Jew from Canada! shalom 16:11  |  peace to you 15/03/08
      117.   #57 BigBadJohn - Russian protection? 16:13  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08
      118.   # 97 to the fool......as if anyone 16:14  |  Lynn 15/03/08
      119.   #76 Alex - you have an unusual way of writing English 16:17  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08
      120.   to #109 16:31  |  Catholic Israeli 15/03/08
      121.   to #110 16:35  |  HUAHAHAAA!!! 15/03/08
      122.   i am hiding in my basement in New Mexio! 17:17  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08
      123.   120. gee `haha` everyone else got it 17:19  |  cept you 15/03/08
      124.   To 105 Jew from Canada 17:20  |  Sami 15/03/08
      125.   117. Lynn not to bright on good in history 17:21  |  lynn good for nothin 15/03/08
      126.   Catholic Israeli? weren`t you same chosen clown claimed muslim? 17:25  |  zion always lies 15/03/08
      127.   Again Assad is just wasting everyones time 17:26  |  Dish It Out 15/03/08
      128.   # 57 BBJohn......All that may be true 18:21  |  Lynn 15/03/08
      129.   #28 Mehmet shame on you!! 18:24  |  Deniz 15/03/08
      130.   Very smart move by Assad 18:26  |  Harold 15/03/08
      131.   Assad`s balancing act 18:34  |  Voice of Reason 15/03/08
      132.   #72 BigBadJohn "IF I`M NOT MISTAKEN" 19:19  |  Axel 15/03/08
      133.   #120 * BEN JABO 19:26  |  Axel 15/03/08
      134.   Golan was part of Palestine till 1922 19:44  |  semsem 15/03/08
      135.   ...Palestinians under fire Assad ..?, control Hamas before !!! 19:46  |  Elie 15/03/08
      136.   sorry, pencil neck, beggars are not choosers 19:58  |  frenz 15/03/08
      137.   #126 Lynn is smarter then you 19:58  |  Joy 15/03/08
      138.   RICE AND GATES RUSH TO RUSSIA 19:59  |  BigBadJohn 15/03/08
      139.   # 130 Harold....no one cares what Syria wants 20:05  |  Lynn 15/03/08
      140.   #70 Steve the Pals...what tripe 20:13  |  Lynn 15/03/08
      141.   Hariri trials about to begin Assad is desperate 20:15  |  Janet 15/03/08
      142.   #137 JANET: SYRIA CLAIMS 20:32  |  BigBadJohn 15/03/08
      143.   Syrian peace ? 20:40  |  Elie 15/03/08
      144.   Summit in Damascus will put pressure on US and Israel 20:50  |  Harold 15/03/08
      145.   Peace overtures?!!!!!!!!!!!!! 21:08  |  Afflalou 15/03/08
      146.   Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. (3.1.32) 21:30  |  David P 15/03/08
      147.   Assad is scared Israel wants war. 21:37  |  Tony 15/03/08
      148.   Lebanon`s Constitution Needs to be Revised 21:59  |  Reader 15/03/08
      149.   Syria talks 22:40  |  Dick 15/03/08
      150.   What does it mean-"talks held openly and not under fire"????? 23:21  |  Jo 15/03/08
      151.   #143 BigBadGullibleJohn 00:01  |  * BEN JABO 16/03/08
      152.   in english olmert is saying 00:09  |  zionist forever 16/03/08
      153.   olmert is lying 00:25  |  marcel 16/03/08
      154.   #151 BEN JOKO : GO MAKE PEACE WITH SYRIA 02:07  |  BigBadJohn 16/03/08
      155.   Assad has made Syria the `good guy` 03:36  |  Harold 16/03/08
      156.   I`ve Got An Odd Feeling 05:05  |  Yosemite 16/03/08
      157.   Assad does not want peace. 06:20  |  US CITIZEN 16/03/08
      158.   Mediterranean Chicken Soup and Kugel for Everyone 06:36  |  Zev 16/03/08
      159.   BigBadJohn#154 07:42  |  Bobby 16/03/08
      160.   #148, Reader, why don`t you offer your services 08:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/03/08
      161.   #159 BOBBY : THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS 08:59  |  BigBadJohn 16/03/08
      162.   #150, "talks held openly and not under fire" 09:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/03/08
      163.   #161--Big Dumb John 12:03  |  Bobby the Jew 16/03/08
      164.   You invaded: have you got a name and a country 12:43  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 16/03/08
      165.   #125 same person who won`t give a name? 12:46  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 16/03/08
      166.   I have never seen a leader stay in power but by force who lies . 13:25  |  r 16/03/08
      167.   Peace with Syria ? a cheap joke. 13:36  |  Jean Van Daem 16/03/08
      168.   SYRIA rejected publicly adresssing the Knesset in front of world 13:57  |  PETER SM 16/03/08
      169.   ITS that fool with taqiya tool "-Ullah" hoping endless aliases 14:13  |  PETER SM 16/03/08
      170.   BIG BAD JOHN even the UN said Hesballa used civillian areas 14:20  |  PETER SM 16/03/08
      171.   Big Bad John #161 20:01  |  Bobby 16/03/08
      172.   #171 BOBBIE GIRL FROM VANCOUVER 01:50  |  BigBadJohn 17/03/08
      173.   #162 Cipora can`t connect the dots. 03:09  |  Johnboy 17/03/08
      174.   #161 & 172 BigBadMisinformedJohn 03:54  |  * BEN JABO 17/03/08
      175.   Israel has no teeth 20:23  |  Jim 20/03/08
      176.   The word Syria 02:27  |  Paul 21/03/08
     Today Online
    Yesha rabbi: Jewish law forbids renting houses to Arabs
    Responses: 240
    Palestinian Americans warned of security profiling at B-G Airport
    Responses: 196
    Bin Laden tape: Iron and fire needed to liberate Palestine
    Responses: 104
    Egypt agrees to take over as Gaza power supplier
    Responses: 109
    Abe Foxman: Anti-Semitism is not just a Jewish problem
    Responses: 48
    Rosner's Domain
    There's no need for American pressure on Israel
    Obama and the psychological complexities of American Jewry (WTR)
    Poll: Mideast summit in Moscow, a good idea?
    Was Shakespeare a Jewish Woman? (WTR)
    Rosner's Mailbox: Women in the pulpit? been there, done that


    More Headlines
    01:11 14-year-old boy hurt in terror attack near Hebron
    23:55 PM says worried Russian arms will reach Hezbollah
    22:19 Bin Laden tape: Iron and fire needed to liberate Palestine
    21:27 Jewish group seeks to purge YouTube of anti-Semitic videos
    02:20 PA to launch welfare network in hopes of countering Hamas
    21:27 Israeli ex-security guard solves 38-year-old math problem
    00:52 In surprise move, Fischer to increase foreign currency reserves
    18:59 Fatah delegates to leave Yemen without Hamas deal
    18:20 Health Ministry to vaccinate health workers against measles
    17:00 Some 2,400 African refugees have entered Israel this year
    18:38 Abbas' sons sue Channel 1 for reporting they own cellphone company
    19:40 Ariel teen seriously wounded by explosion in his house
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film
    The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer
    READY FOR PURIM?
    BUT - Who Will Guard The Hamentasch?
    Free the Palestinians from:
    Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy
    Long-term Israel programs
    MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants.
    NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel
    Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates
    7589 rockets fired so far
    HELP US TO HELP THEM
    FREE JEWISH HISTORY COURSE
    Berel Wein's best selling lectures. 5000 Years in Five hours /CD/MP3
    Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach
    Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved