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Last update - 07:13 28/12/2006 PM: Opposition to Syria talks not the result of U.S. pressure By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday reiterated his opposition to holding talks with Syria, adding that his opposition did not come at the behest of the United States. In a meeting with Israeli ambassadors to Europe in his Jerusalem office, Olmert said that Syria's continued support of extremist elements and ties to Iran prove that its offers of peace talks with Israel are meaningless. He said Israel is interested in peace with Syria but sees no substance to its offer, according to a statement from his office. Advertisement "The actions of the Syrian regime, including its support for Hezbollah and its promotion of instability in Lebanon, its sheltering of the leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad and its close ties with the president of Iran, who calls for the destruction of Israel, show us, unfortunately, that there is nothing behind its declarations" in favor of peace talks, read the statement. In recent weeks, Syrian President Bashar Assad has offered to restart peace talks with Israel. The offers came in different forms, including news interviews. Olmert noted that the international community is insisting that the Palestinian government must renounce terrorism and fight it as a condition for opening negotiations. "There is no reason why Israel should abandon these principles concerning Syria, which is up to its neck in supporting terrorism," Olmert said, according to the statement. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Tuesday that before any change in policy regarding negotiations with Syria could be considered, Israel would have to ask itself whether the talks culd lead to any sort of peace agreement. "We must ask ourselves if the significance of Syria's signals is that [Syrian] President Bashar Assad wants just negotiations with Israel or if he also wants to reach peace at the end of the process," Livni told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. "We must know what we are going to get at the end of the process." A senior Foreign Ministry official earlier in the day backed the view expressed last week by Mossad director Meir Dagan that Syria is serious about renewing negotiations. "Syria is ready for negotiations and there are sources in the Arab states who believe that Syria will ally itself to the Western bloc headed by the United States and Britain," said Nimrod Barkan, the director of the Foreign Ministry Center for Policy Research. A senior security source told Haaretz that, "There is no doubt that there is a movement within Syria that is interested in talks with us. The only way to gauge their level of seriousness is to talk to them." In peace talks that broke down in 2000, Israel offered return of all of the captured Golan Heights, a strategic plateau Israel took from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War, but the negotiations foundered on Syrian demands for a foothold on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and conditions for peace it would give Israel 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.   Olmert`s approach to peace talks 22:13  |  Sam 27/12/06   2.   How does Israel show that it it is serious about talks? 22:26  |  Petteri 27/12/06   3.   admittedly 22:29  |  christoph 27/12/06   4.   NARROW MINDED Ehud... 22:48  |  MIKE KATZ 27/12/06   5.   The carriage and the horses; Bush and Olmert 22:56  |  Tosefta 27/12/06   6.   syria 23:04  |  kevin 27/12/06   7.   Israeli Leaders want war not peace 23:10  |  Bob Miles 27/12/06   8.   Baker/Rabin Vs. Olmert/Bush 23:17  |  Bill 27/12/06   9.   ,Olmert and Livni may not be frank , 23:17  |  Joseph E . 27/12/06   10.   NEWSFLASH FOR OLMERT: 23:20  |  Natallie Durson 27/12/06   11.   "We must know what we are going to get at the end of the process. 23:39  |  Axel 27/12/06   12.   What happened that changed your mind? 23:52  |  Robin 27/12/06   13.   The carriage and the horses; Bush and Olmert 23:54  |  Tosefta 27/12/06   14.   The Double Standard 23:57  |  Angry Heeb 27/12/06   15.   To Haaretz re: Bob Miles 00:08  |  Sam 28/12/06   16.   #1 Sam, I agree with my fellow Canadian re: negotiations 00:11  |  Smadar 28/12/06   17.   To Bob Miles, stupid boy 00:29  |  mel 28/12/06   18.   they are already into it this just 01:19  |  shia 4 ever 28/12/06   19.   Bob Miles from Dachau not Dallas 01:23  |  Gregor 28/12/06   20.   Make Peace 01:42  |  Hanna 28/12/06   21.   No US opposition? That leaves us with ISRAEL OPPOSING PEACE! 01:58  |  Mutant 28/12/06   22.   Olmert & Syria 02:00  |  Jonathan 28/12/06   23.   That`s funny 02:00  |  Tim 28/12/06   24.   #7 - Smadar: no it doesn`t make sense 02:10  |  Moti 28/12/06   25.   syria 02:38  |  tom 28/12/06   26.   F the US 02:48  |  Akiva Patysh, Tzioni 28/12/06   27.   Bullpuckey 03:20  |  Sheli 28/12/06   28.   #2 04:05  |  Josh 28/12/06   29.   Re: Violence during negotiations 04:33  |  Sam 28/12/06   30.   #7, Smadar, not quite 04:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/12/06   31.   #20, sheli 04:50  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/12/06   32.   REGARDLESS OF US POLICY, ISRAEL DOSEN`T NEED "PEACE" WITH SYRIA 05:46  |  Like it is 28/12/06   33.   Associated Press are the only once who need the talks with Syria 05:51  |  Dr. Baccus 28/12/06   34.   #7 Axel, #8 Robin, #14 shia 4 ever and #17 Mutant - thanks for 05:59  |  Smadar 28/12/06   35.   #26 Cipora re: pre-independence Israel 06:11  |  Smadar 28/12/06   36.   broke down in 2000? Yossi Sarid is crazy 06:29  |  Eric Yonuken 28/12/06   37.   Don`t belive Foreign Ministry official, just like Baker he is 06:34  |  do`s and don`t 28/12/06   38.   Olmert is on another planet ,before Syria he needs 06:47  |  Sal 28/12/06   39.   to #34 since when truth is comical 07:15  |  shia 4 ever 28/12/06   40.   When Olmert speaks read the opposite... 07:18  |  dave 28/12/06   41.   #35, Smadar 07:36  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/12/06   42.   #39 shia 4 ever, No offense, but your style of posting is amusing 08:16  |  Smadar 28/12/06   43.   peace? 20:11  |  Wil 28/12/06   44.   #13 - The carriage and the horses; Bush and Olmert 21:46  |  PlanoStu 21/03/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: Macho U.S. Jews, pantywaist Israel Responses: 105 Jewish group seeks to purge YouTube of anti-Semitic videos Responses: 157 PM says worried Russian weapons will reach Hezbollah Responses: 89 Israel, Germany plan int'l summit to stop Iran nuke program Responses: 77 13-year-old boy wounded in terror attack near Hebron Responses: 76 Editorial: J'lem yeshiva massacre must not lead to boycott of Israeli Arabs Responses: 78 Rosner's Domain U.S. govt. to appeal ruling on classified material in AIPAC trial I've known my rabbi for more than 20 years... (WTR) Poll: Mideast summit in Moscow, a good idea? There's no need for American pressure on Israel Jewish connections in the NCAA (WTR) More Headlines 01:06 Israel, Russia finalize deal on supply of armored vehicles to PA 02:04 Haniyeh to expand gov't in bid to strengthen Hamas hold on Gaza 02:52 Tunnel collapses near Egypt-Gaza border, injuring five 00:22 IAF grounds all F-16I jets over carcinogenic material in cockpit 01:35 U.S. govt. to appeal ruling on classified material in AIPAC trial 02:45 Ch. 2 airs satellite footage after High Court rejects Ch. 10 appeal 01:25 Christian pilgrims flock to Jerusalem's Old City for Good Friday 02:16 Taxi driver found shot to death in Ashdod 23:15 Three Qassam rockets strike Israel amid signs of cease-fire with Hamas 02:50 German Jewish leader raps pope over prayer for conversion of Jews 18:53 T.A. court extends remand of parents suspected of seriously abusing baby 16:34 Investing in Fayyad Previous Editions Select Day 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar 13 mar 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar

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