Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., May 11, 2009 Iyyar 17, 5769 | | Israel Time: 12:50 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File TLV 100
Last update - 11:13 02/04/2009
Assad: By war or peace, we will liberate the Golan
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel News, Syria 

Syrian President Bashar Assad is escalating his rhetoric against Israel, vowing that "the day in which we will be liberated [on the Golan] is at hand - by peace or war."

Assad told the Qatari newspaper A-Sharq in an interview published on Thursday: "This enemy does not want peace. What is the alternative? The parallel route to the peace process is resistance. The Israeli will not come by his own will, so there is no alternative but for him to come from fear."


I
Advertisement
n his first public statements since assuming his post this week, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was cool to continued peace talks with Damascus.

"There is no cabinet resolution regarding negotiations with Syria, and we have already said that we will not agree to withdraw from the Golan Heights," Lieberman said. "Peace will only be in exchange for peace."

The Syrian leader added that future generations will veer towards resistance against occupation, namely terrorist attacks and violence, and away from peace. Time, Assad said, is working in favor of the Arabs rather than Israel.

Assad was taken aback when asked why Syria, which supports Hezbollah's military activities in southern Lebanon, refuses to open a direct front against Israel on the Golan Heights.

He replied that suicide bombers only embark on their mission when they believe in the justness of their cause, not when they are persuaded to do so.

"As for resistance on the Golan, there are objective circumstances, especially since in most of the Golan there are no civilians because all of them were expelled from there in 1967," Assad told A-Sharq.

"Resistance comes about when there is no state infrastructure that is gearing up towards liberating the land, and in our country the army and the economy are slated for liberation," Assad said.

Assad's comments follow a pattern of similar statements he has made in recent weeks. While insisting that he will be ready to hold negotiations with any government in Israel, including that of Benjamin Netanyahu, he is conditioning those talks on an Israeli statement declaring its readiness to withdraw from all of the Golan Heights. The alternative, he warned, will be violence.

Assad on Monday urged Arab leaders convened in Qatar for a regional summit to reject a 2002 Saudi peace initiative, as Israel had demonstrated that it was not a "real partner" to peace.

"The real aim of Israel's recently elected government is against peace and that the composition of the incoming cabinet is a clear, unsurprising message to us," Assad said.

"We Arabs, since we offered the Arab initiative, do not have a real partner in the peace process," he told the leaders.

Assad's speech suggested Assad still hopes for talks but was taking a tougher tone to confront what he expects to be a hard-line stance from Netanyahu's government coalition, dominated by right-wing parties.

Last month, Assad told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that Ehud Olmert agreed to withdraw from all of the Golan Heights during indirect peace talks with Damascus.

Assad said Israel and Syria were within "touching distance" of clinching a peace agreement.

Related articles:
  • Withdrawal and change in the Golan
  • Assad: Olmert agreed to give up all of the Golan
  • U.S. Senator Kerry: Assad ready to resume talks with Israel
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    'No Jews allowed'
    A hotel in Austria refuses Jewish guests even though there are vacancies
    Israel's secret plan
    Clandestine government plan to help prevent the division of Jerusalem revealed
      1.   wow, he scares us. Remind me, when was he elected? 11:02  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 02/04/09
      2.   Damascus Looks Nice 11:14  |  Israeli 02/04/09
      3.   And it won`t be just Syria... 11:22  |  Esther 02/04/09
      4.   Golan Heights 11:30  |  Albrecht Klein 02/04/09
      5.   Syria is a joke 11:41  |  Baruch Gold 02/04/09
      6.   Assad Is A Fool 11:44  |  Ron 02/04/09
      7.   Peace for peace. Land for land. War for war. 11:54  |  Vitaly 02/04/09
      8.   Moldova should replace US aid. 12:02  |  American 02/04/09
      9.   a political solution Israel looses but a 6 hour war Israel wins 12:10  |  zionist forever 02/04/09
      10.   Assad responds to Lieberman by telling the truth! 12:18  |  redbourn 02/04/09
      11.   Any Syr-Isr deal must be based on "Hatay" model, not Sinai model 13:18  |  Joel Stein 02/04/09
      12.   Peace can be creative 13:19  |  Israeltalk 02/04/09
      13.   This is the way arab "negotiate" 13:39  |  Noah 02/04/09
      14.   Arab peace process 13:43  |  Nechama 02/04/09
      15.   Arabs are no partners for peace 13:46  |  DISRAELI 02/04/09
      16.   Liberation? 13:47  |  Stephen Connor 02/04/09
      17.   Tom Lobo Meyer 13:48  |  Stephen Connor 02/04/09
      18.   This is the man who keeps pretending he wants `peace` 13:49  |  lily 02/04/09
      19.   Pres. Assad. Sorry no return of Golan. 13:56  |  Stephen. 02/04/09
      20.   Proof Golan is historic Jewish land 13:57  |  Ken Jurist 02/04/09
      21.   From all the sabre rattling 13:57  |  Lynn 02/04/09
      22.   Syria`s fascist policies against the Kurds 13:58  |  David Stoler 02/04/09
      23.   Assad be careful 14:01  |  Zev 02/04/09
      24.   Assad the wicked man. 14:02  |  John 02/04/09
      25.   Battles for the Golan Heights 14:11  |  Sceptic 02/04/09
      26.   Reason 14:41  |  Liat 02/04/09
      27.   Don`t give back the Golan ever 14:43  |  Mark Jeffery Koch 02/04/09
      28.   BE PATIENCE AND USE YOUR RESOURCE CLEVERLY 15:09  |  indrajaya 02/04/09
      29.   Tom Lobo Meyer, so well put !!! 15:24  |  Akiva P 02/04/09
      30.   Assad will never be a partner for peace 18:11  |  Shepherd 02/04/09
      31.   syria the key to isreali defeat, amin! 18:27  |  Ehud 02/04/09
      32.   By launching war against Israel, Syria lost the Golon 18:30  |  Gina 02/04/09
      33.   Does Damascus Glow in the Dark... Yet? 18:43  |  Paqid Yirmeyahu 02/04/09
      34.   Israelis do not respond well to threats 19:05  |  Zionist 02/04/09
      35.   Asad Talking Circles Again 19:08  |  Fred 02/04/09
      36.   Exactly why Israel needs the Golan 19:29  |  RfaelMoshe 02/04/09
      37.   those that ignore history.... 19:31  |  yuval 02/04/09
      38.   Indy #28 19:58  |  Marc 02/04/09
      39.   #.37. Yuval on history lesson. 20:06  |  Stephen. 02/04/09
      40.   this is typical,arabs showing how cowardly they are 21:06  |  true colors 02/04/09
      41.   3rd try... this is a true story,,, 21:09  |  Big Sur 02/04/09
      42.   Stephen,Yuval only knows the history taught to him in Arab 21:09  |  doing it again 02/04/09
      43.   Steven #39 21:20  |  yuval 02/04/09
      44.   YUVAL #43 Steven is correct we were both there 21:38  |  BIG SUR 02/04/09
      45.   Lieberman is the man! 21:40  |  4:20 02/04/09
      46.   # 39 Stephen 21:41  |  Axel 02/04/09
      47.   Hey Klein..... 21:42  |  John 02/04/09
      48.   Assad proves the obvious,he does not want peace;he wants war and 21:42  |  glenna 02/04/09
      49.   Liberating the Golan 21:57  |  Michael T 02/04/09
      50.   What does the date May 23, 1967 tell you, yuval from exile? 21:58  |  Sceptic 02/04/09
      51.   How can Israel make peace with a dictatorship??? 01:55  |  B`galil 03/04/09
      52.   6 02:06  |  zionist forever 03/04/09
      53.   Thank you Liberman. Syria: just verbal diarrhea 02:18  |  Alfred 03/04/09
      54.   #50 Sceptic 03:10  |  Johnboy 03/04/09
      55.   The Golan Heights. Moshe Dayan`s version. 2nd try. 03:16  |  Lou Medel 03/04/09
      56.   The Golan Heights. Moshe Dayan`s Version. 2nd Try. 03:25  |  Lou Medel 03/04/09
      57.   #20 Ken Jurist offers his "proof" 03:46  |  Johnboy 03/04/09
      58.   the last thing Assad wants is the 6 hour war & we need the Golan 04:09  |  zionist forever 03/04/09
      59.   Johnboy`s revisionism 05:48  |  Peter Williams 03/04/09
      60.   "By War or Peace" Assad. 06:04  |  Akram Zekaria 03/04/09
      61.   Israel is under no obligation to surrender the Golan ... 06:41  |  Morris Valentine 03/04/09
      62.   Watch Out! He`ll Snap A Bra! 06:56  |  Yosemite 03/04/09
      63.   #58 Well, I admire your optimism, zf 07:02  |  Johnboy 03/04/09
      64.   Peter Williams 07:38  |  TonyL 03/04/09
      65.   How Will They Liberate The Golan? 07:42  |  Yosemite 03/04/09
      66.   Just wondering is Syria prepared to lose Damascus? 08:30  |  Gil 03/04/09
      67.   War and Peace 08:51  |  J.D. 03/04/09
      68.   #59 Staring in astonishment at Peter Williams 09:28  |  Johnboy 03/04/09
      69.   #61 Lovely turn of phrase there, Morris 09:37  |  Johnboy 03/04/09
      70.   Johnboy you can`t rewrite history 12:32  |  Peter Williams 03/04/09
      71.   Lovely spin there, Johnboy (#69) 19:12  |  Morris Valentine 03/04/09
      72.   #56. Lou Medel ,IN TOTALAgreement with you 22:38  |  John Dor 03/04/09
      73.   Another example of illegal occupation 00:52  |  Nader 05/04/09
      74.   Golan 04:16  |  Dan 26/04/09
      75.   Just wondering is Syria prepared to lose Damascus? 12:35  |  ali kedir 11/05/09
     Haaretz Hot Topics
    Durban II conference
    Air strike in Sudan
    Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
    Israel vs. Hamas
    Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
    More Headlines
    12:21 Pope in Israel: We must fight anti-Semitism wherever it is found
    12:50 The pope's visit to Israel is an impossible balancing act
    10:01 'Obama peace plan: Muslim world must recognize Israel'
    10:30 Obama is changing the rules of Mideast pressure
    10:31 Did U.S. help Lebanon crack alleged Israeli spy rings?
    07:37 Amira Hass / Israel knows that peace just doesn't pay
    06:12 Mubarak to urge Netanyahu: Relaunch talks with Palestinians
    10:03 Study: Quality of Israeli sperm down 40% in past decade
    09:54 Anti-Israel activists urge Leonard Cohen to nix T.A. show
    21:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
    12:41 Germany: Demjanjuk to arrive as early as Tuesday
    09:42 Government, labor union said nearing deal on budget
    03:20 Poll: Arab world favors Obama, but still wary of U.S.
    23:34 Pope fever hits Facebook with new Holy Land quiz
    02:53 Netanyahu's new neighbors annoyed by disruptive security measures
    07:46 '88% of prisoners in Palestinian jails being held without trial'
    07:39 Israel to rethink rail route that cuts through Palestinian land
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
    Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
    The Meier on Rothschild Tower
    Masterpiece Residence in the Heart of Tel Aviv
    Dead Sea Skin Care
    Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
    Camp Kimama Israel 2009
    The best place for your children this summer
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
    Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
    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