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Last update - 12:14 17/10/2008
Report: Bush offered to press Israel to quit Golan if Syria cuts Iran ties
By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: bashar assad, george w. bush 

U.S. President George W. Bush has apparently offered his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Assad, to press Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights if Damascus promises to cut its relations with Iran, the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Jareida reported on Friday.

According to the report, Bush made the offer in a handwritten letter transferred to Assad by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

A Palestinian source close to Abbas told the newspaper that the U.S. had presented the offer in a meeting with Syrian officials day earlier.
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If Assad agrees to the American proposal, he will carry out his end of the deal in the coming weeks, said the report.

Bush is keen on implementing the deal before the upcoming U.S. elections, said the newspaper, in order to significantly advance the peace process before the end of his term.

The Palestinian source said that Abbas and his entourage were unaware of the content of Bush's letter, as it was meant to remain covert and away from diplomatic eyes, according to the report.

Even the American envoy in Damascus was not privy to this information, said the newspaper.

Despite this, the Palestinian source said that Abbas' latest visit to Damascus was intended for the principle purpose of passing on this letter, said the newspaper. While on the visit, he scheduled no meetings with Palestinian officials or other diplomats in the area.

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      1.   Who the hell is this guy ?? 12:32  |  Ed 17/10/08
      2.   The USA - our ally... 12:35  |  Jean Van Daem 17/10/08
      3.   our so-called friends 12:37  |  Eddie 17/10/08
      4.   Bush wants a legacy? 12:53  |  Roo 17/10/08
      5.   Bush and his promises 13:02  |  Jackie 17/10/08
      6.   The problem with a Golan withdrawal 13:04  |  Natallie Durson 17/10/08
      7.   Desperation showing 13:04  |  The Equalizer 17/10/08
      8.   amen 13:05  |  Marco 17/10/08
      9.   What the US should do 13:11  |  Rabbi Izzy Lahm 17/10/08
      10.   We Syrians are gonna take back EVERYTHING 13:12  |  Sayid 17/10/08
      11.   I have stated many times 13:13  |  Chris Linthwaite 17/10/08
      12.   Is Bush that foolish? 13:22  |  lady from USA 17/10/08
      13.   ADD THIS TO THE LIST ...... 13:26  |  Ian 17/10/08
      14.   Any peace deal Israel makes should include the parties only 13:28  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/10/08
      15.   The response..... 13:37  |  Said 17/10/08
      16.   Israel Worships Bush 13:45  |  Marcel 17/10/08
      17.   lol 13:47  |  bl(o)ke 17/10/08
      18.   Why doesn`t he return Alaska if the Russians pull out of Georgia 13:52  |  Ben Menachem 17/10/08
      19.   Mr.Abbas, the new US envoy. 13:53  |  Stephen. 17/10/08
      20.   #1 Ed... perhaps AIPAC could pressure Obama... 13:57  |  Dutch Dirk 17/10/08
      21.   A GREAT MOVE 14:01  |  indrajaya 17/10/08
      22.   The next step is: The pullout of stupid republicans from power 14:06  |  Aounist 17/10/08
      23.   Israel is NOT your colony! 14:07  |  Realist 17/10/08
      24.   HE STILL DON`T GET IT 14:08  |  indrajaya 17/10/08
      25.   Bush to cede USA at Olmerts request 14:24  |  Ronald 17/10/08
      26.   I kind of doubt the story 14:25  |  Ron 17/10/08
      27.   Bush and his family+oil,what is Israel,pufff. 14:27  |  Jacob 17/10/08
      28.   Bush`s Ranch 14:33  |  real vision 17/10/08
      29.   It says `press Israel to withdraw` and not `order`. 14:35  |  redmike 17/10/08
      30.   Bush offers Alaska If USSR unties Syria from Iran 14:36  |  sam 17/10/08
      31.   The truth 14:43  |  Leo 17/10/08
      32.   Compromise is good deal for both sides. 14:43  |  Abu Halil bin yusuf 17/10/08
      33.   principal principal saving the english language 14:54  |  victor hardman 17/10/08
      34.   Agree with # 1 response 14:55  |  Will Lindsay 17/10/08
      35.   Israel to quit Golan if Syria 14:59  |  Ralph 17/10/08
      36.   Sayid - Take back everything? 15:00  |  Walter 17/10/08
      37.   The Ties that bind 15:05  |  Walter 17/10/08
      38.   Like Clinton before him,he... 15:10  |  David Nigel Braham 17/10/08
      39.   Ed and co.: It`s not Israel`s, so chill 15:15  |  Infidel Castro 17/10/08
      40.   really? I think that should be an Israeli decision 15:29  |  Big Sur 17/10/08
      41.   Assad Needs the Conflict 15:31  |  Ron 17/10/08
      42.   Just a basesless rumor 15:38  |  leo 17/10/08
      43.   Just as his Dad who tried to appease Saddam 15:31  |  Absolute Sweden 17/10/08
      44.   Talk about hypocrisy and grasping for straws! 1 15:43  |  David Turner 17/10/08
      45.   #24 No Indy(Iranian Poster Girl) you do not get it 15:43  |  Big Sur 17/10/08
      46.   Talk about hypocrisy and grasping for straws! 2 15:43  |  David Turner 17/10/08
      47.   Realist # 23 israel is not a colony? 15:48  |  American in NY 17/10/08
      48.   Bush, why not offer Alaska to Syria instead? 15:51  |  Richard S 17/10/08
      49.   HE STILL DON`T GET IT #24 16:08  |  Axel 17/10/08
      50.   This story has zero credibility 16:12  |  McQueen 17/10/08
      51.   to #23 16:14  |  Jamie 17/10/08
      52.   To American in NY 16:19  |  Oleg 17/10/08
      53.   Foot In Mouth Disease Re# 6 16:32  |  Yosemite 17/10/08
      54.   SAY "PLEASE" BUSH, BECAUSE SYRIA DOESN`T YOU 16:55  |  indrajaya 17/10/08
      55.   American in NY, what about $ morals in your country? 17:05  |  Israeli citizen 17/10/08
      56.   Bush still dreams of the HANDSHAKE in the Rose Garden 17:06  |  Dagma 17/10/08
      57.   #6 DUHrson: Have You Ever Been To The Golan Except Through ... 17:25  |  Lavi 17/10/08
      58.   People fail to see the strategical value of this proposal? 17:25  |  Marco 17/10/08
      59.   NO to Bush`s Crap 17:26  |  Brod 17/10/08
      60.   Making this proposal is strategical masterclass by Bush admin. 17:32  |  Marco 17/10/08
      61.   Blatant Bribery from Desperado Bush 17:58  |  Barbara 17/10/08
      62.   #1 Who the Hell is this guy? 18:07  |  Cromagnon 17/10/08
      63.   Bush who? 18:08  |  american 17/10/08
      64.   Better late than never.......... 18:29  |  Dagma 17/10/08
      65.   MAKES SENSE TO ME 18:48  |  newsreader 17/10/08
      66.   land 18:52  |  sal 17/10/08
      67.   Israel must choose: either peace or the land 18:46  |  the Devil`s Advocate 17/10/08
      68.   #23 but they are paying for it..... 18:55  |  baracouda 17/10/08
      69.   Devil #45 19:17  |  Brod 17/10/08
      70.   US paying ? 19:30  |  Charles 17/10/08
      71.   Bush should go quietly 19:32  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/10/08
      72.   Is Bush still dreaming of shaking the hand of Assad 19:56  |  Dagma [second time] 17/10/08
      73.   Strategical masterclass 19:59  |  Marco 17/10/08
      74.   To Sayid 20:08  |  Proud Jew 17/10/08
      75.   Bush 20:08  |  Pam Bruce 17/10/08
      76.   To Said 20:14  |  Proud Jew 17/10/08
      77.   Infidel Castro 20:19  |  Proud Jew 17/10/08
      78.   Surprise 20:36  |  Jerrold Cohen 17/10/08
      79.   You parasites 20:42  |  American 17/10/08
      80.   You Parasites 20:44  |  American 17/10/08
      81.   Still Crazy After All These Years 20:56  |  Mark Lincoln 17/10/08
      82.   JOE THE PLUMBER 21:26  |  Dave the carpenter 17/10/08
      83.   I am an American 21:32  |  Steve 17/10/08
      84.   Realist - Israel is not a colony 22:01  |  christa 17/10/08
      85.   Bush 22:10  |  Brod 17/10/08
      86.   Is This Plausible? 22:44  |  Jeff Northridge 17/10/08
      87.   #1, Exactly right ! 22:51  |  Gary 17/10/08
      88.   is the zinoviev letter of 2008? 22:52  |  victor hardman 17/10/08
      89.   #10, Not Quite ! 22:55  |  Gary 17/10/08
      90.   #18, Alaska was purchased ! 22:56  |  Gary 17/10/08
      91.   G-D`s Judgement for dividing promised Land ? 23:02  |  Bill 17/10/08
      92.   6 DUHrson: Have You Ever Been To The Golan Except Through ... 23:07  |  Lavi 17/10/08
      93.   short sighted silliness 23:10  |  R`fael Moshe 17/10/08
      94.   Jeff Northridge 23:39  |  TonyL 17/10/08
      95.   Of Roo and regime change (#4) 23:43  |  Morris Valentine 17/10/08
      96.   Dave the carpenter 23:56  |  Mark Lincoln 17/10/08
      97.   Careful MV #63 23:57  |  Roo 17/10/08
      98.   To Roo (#66) 00:28  |  Morris Valentine 18/10/08
      99.   3 ring circus 00:32  |  Baz Mann 18/10/08
      100.   In Other Words.... 00:48  |  Gray 18/10/08
      101.   #69 gray in a coma posts un resolutions enforced 01:09  |  victor hardman 18/10/08
      102.   Morris Valentine and Roo 01:35  |  Persian Kitty 18/10/08
      103.   Morris Valentine 01:43  |  Persian Kitty 18/10/08
      104.   MV-Syria would be beginning only 01:46  |  Roo 18/10/08
      105.   I am an American 03:11  |  JR 18/10/08
      106.   Israel must choose: either peace or the land 03:16  |  JR 18/10/08
      107.   To PK, on the mullah`s relationship with the US 03:52  |  Morris Valentine 18/10/08
      108.   OK Brod, the US will pull the cash then... 03:55  |  BBSNews 18/10/08
      109.   To Roo (#101): Do the Israelis give a fiqh? 04:08  |  Morris Valentine 18/10/08
      110.   I am an American and Lone Star Texan 05:15  |  Steven 18/10/08
      111.   to 1 06:29  |  D 18/10/08
      112.   #111, D, who are you? 07:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/10/08
      113.   THE ONLY DIPLOMACY HE UNDERSTAND 07:59  |  indrajaya 18/10/08
      114.   Having boogeymen for neighbours 08:36  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 18/10/08
      115.   #108, bbs, no you will not 09:31  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/10/08
      116.   #114 Margie 09:44  |  Jim 18/10/08
      117.   Morris Valentine 10:03  |  Connie 18/10/08
      118.   Jim I remember your `sympathy` 10:59  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 18/10/08
      119.   #108 BBS News 12:50  |  Not Quite 18/10/08
      120.   Bill 13:27  |  lady from USA 18/10/08
      121.   not quite, right on arms exporting to Israel... 16:36  |  BBSNews 18/10/08
      122.   To Connie (#117): At least they`re low in calories 16:50  |  Morris Valentine 18/10/08
      123.   To Margie (#114) 16:52  |  Morris Valentine 18/10/08
      124.   #119. Not Quite. 17:14  |  Stephen. 18/10/08
      125.   #32 One-sided compromise is NOT good 17:45  |  DesMnsDave 18/10/08
      126.   Syria Stuck In Fantasy Land 17:46  |  Baruch Gold 18/10/08
      127.   #80 Perhaps the parasites in NY should give back Manhattan? 17:48  |  DesMnsDave 18/10/08
      128.   BSNews - Pulls Israel`s cash 18:24  |  SDHD 18/10/08
      129.   Margie from SA Has forked tongue 18:54  |  Labhras 18/10/08
      130.   Jim; #116 Sympathy`s wearing thin.... 19:35  |  Gray 18/10/08
      131.   Let Us Not Forget 19:57  |  Yosemite 18/10/08
      132.   Or Israel Can Keep the Golans if... 19:58  |  Monitor 18/10/08
      133.   Steve; #83 That`s gonna leave a stain... 20:02  |  Gray 18/10/08
      134.   bush almert and who else? 20:11  |  gershom 18/10/08
      135.   84 21:00  |  Northern 18/10/08
      136.   Bush is a fool 21:10  |  Colin Wright 18/10/08
      137.   To Sayid # 10 - Syrians will take back everything 21:11  |  Dagma 18/10/08
      138.   to Jean Van Daem #2 21:13  |  Colin Wright 18/10/08
      139.   re #23 `Israel is NOT your Colony` 21:22  |  Colin Wright 18/10/08
      140.   Cippora; "anti semites like you..." again 21:24  |  Gray 18/10/08
      141.   Cippora; "anti semites like you..." again 21:24  |  Gray 18/10/08
      142.   Trade South of the Litani, Sinai, Gaza, West and East Bank... 21:37  |  Baruch Gold 18/10/08
      143.   #85 Brod 23:22  |  Boycott 18/10/08
      144.   90 23:29  |  Ben Menachem 18/10/08
      145.   How about Olmert pressing the U.S. to quit Texas or Florida 23:41  |  tit 4 tat 18/10/08
      146.   Nu. 68 23:55  |  catch 23 18/10/08
      147.   111 00:00  |  planet earth 19/10/08
      148.   108 00:03  |  mighty buck 19/10/08
      149.   60 00:14  |  M. Hadrin 19/10/08
      150.   Re;American in NY 01:24  |  CHANGE YOUR NAME - Haaretz Moderator 19/10/08
      151.   #127 Gray 01:42  |  Jim 19/10/08
      152.   #137, Gray, antisemites like you 01:42  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/10/08
      153.   #138, Gray, you are an antisemite who loves Iran 01:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/10/08
      154.   #142 tit 4 tat 02:10  |  Jim 19/10/08
      155.   #1, ED, he has a right, you financed him 02:19  |  VIPER 19/10/08
      156.   Clearification #140 & #141 02:25  |  Gray 19/10/08
      157.   anonymous wingnut on Florida and Texas... 02:26  |  BBSNews 19/10/08
      158.   Israel/Syria peace 03:39  |  Ben 19/10/08
      159.   #153 Cipora Julianna Cohn 03:51  |  Jim 19/10/08
      160.   BSNews and UNGA 181 04:11  |  SDHD 19/10/08
      161.   the missing link 05:03  |  Capt Ahab 19/10/08
      162.   the saddest thing 05:11  |  Capt Ahab 19/10/08
      163.   #159, Jim, wrong 05:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/10/08
      164.   Jim; That Annoying "Anti Semite" Echo... 06:14  |  Gray 19/10/08
      165.   #163 Cippora 06:25  |  Gray 19/10/08
      166.   Jim no American risked his neck to help Israel survive 08:20  |  x-ray 19/10/08
      167.   Cipora, Jim is right about your fetish for antisemitism... 08:33  |  BBSNews 19/10/08
      168.   Israel must quit the Golan 09:44  |  Jan (UNMO 1966-1967) 19/10/08
      169.   # 1 to ed re" "this guy" 10:48  |  eric 19/10/08
      170.   # 3 to eddie in london re: allies 11:18  |  eric 19/10/08
      171.   #160 Hmmm, an interesting claim, SDHD 14:33  |  Johnboy 19/10/08
      172.   To BSSNews (#167): Hat`s off to you 18:26  |  Morris Valentine 19/10/08
      173.   #1.Ed. BUSH is the guy that provide BILLIONS to you. 01:29  |  US Citizen 06/11/08
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