Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., October 02, 2007 , | | Israel Time: 16:33 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Print Edition
Diplomacy
Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising
Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 02:26 02/10/2007
Assad: Syria won't attend fall summit if issue of Golan not addressed
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent

Syrian President Bashar Assad told the BBC in an interview published Monday that his country would refuse to attend the regional peace summit schedule to take place in the United States next month unless all of its concerns are addressed. Assad was referring to the return of the Golan Heights, which Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day War.

"So far we didn't have the invitation and we didn't have any clarification about anything," Assad said. "If they don't talk about the Syrian occupied territory, no, there's no way for Syria to go there.

The Syrian president also told the BBC that Syria reserves the right to respond to the Israel Air Force's alleged attack last month inside its territory.

Advertisement
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem called the alleged strike "the latest act of Israeli aggression against Syria," and told the United Nations General Assembly it was "proof of Israel's desire to escalate tension."

"Some sources in the United States have spread rumors and fabricated news in order to justify this act of aggression," Moallem said. "By distorting the facts they have become Israel's accomplices."

Damascus has previously said the raid hit an empty area, causing no casualties, after air defense systems confronted the aircraft.

"The failure of the international community, including the (UN) Security Council, to condemn this act of aggression would encourage Israel to persist in this hostile pursuit, and lead to an exacerbation of tensions in the region," Moallem said.

Syria denied Sunday that military activity is taking place at the Dir al-Zur research farm, which was the target of the alleged IAF bombing raid in Syria about a month ago, according to a report last week in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

The denial came in the form of a Syrian television broadcast that showed pictures of civilian agricultural research taking place at the site under the auspices of the Arab League.

In addition, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) published a statement by the research center denying that Israel had ever bombed the site.

The Syrian disclaimers were a response to the Yedioth article, in which the paper's military analyst, Ron Ben Yishai, suggested that Dir al-Zur had been the target of the Israeli raid.

The article, which SANA termed "a mixture of imagination and a pack of lies," also included a photograph of Ben Yishai posed against the background of a sign from the research farm.

There has thus far been no Israeli or international confirmation of Yedioth's claim.

Related articles
Syria: Israel is spreading false reports in order to justify war
Hillary Clinton says she supports 'apparent' IAF action in Syria
N. Korea accuses U.S. of helping Israel develop nuclear weapons
PA to call for international body to oversee deals with Israel
IAF dispatches jets in response to Syrian helicopter activity
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Lights out
Electric company cancels emergency bond issue due to credit rating reduction fears.
No free lunches
Accountant General Zelekha demands VIPs pay taxes on their free medical benefits.
  1.   So let me get this straight 04:31  |  Slibovitz 01/10/07
  2.   1984 04:48  |  Ploni 01/10/07
  3.   Why are the Syrian`s protesting if nothing happened 05:24  |  * BEN JABO 01/10/07
  4.   Well this is surprising 05:28  |  Fred 01/10/07
  5.   This is no piece of news, but hollow blabbing. 05:40  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/10/07
  6.   To Slibovits and ploni, # 1 & 2 05:49  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/10/07
  7.   a month to come up with this lie 05:50  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/10/07
  8.   next story out of syria 06:41  |  vik 01/10/07
  9.   UFO`s 06:42  |  Bill 01/10/07
  10.   The Syrian`s Silence Is Deafening - It`s Not What Israel 06:49  |  Eli 01/10/07
  11.   No military action - and no homosexuals in Iran! 07:45  |  Martha Hoelzermann 01/10/07
  12.   Stories... 08:23  |  Aaron 01/10/07
  13.   Neutron Farming 08:58  |  Joe Sittizen 01/10/07
  14.   How can you trust an Arab word???? 09:12  |  Billy Joe 01/10/07
  15.   # 3, BEN JABO 09:16  |  indrajaya 01/10/07
  16.   Took them a month to cover it up or is it the farm next door? 09:22  |  almoni 01/10/07
  17.   Stories... 10:30  |  Aaron 01/10/07
  18.   Indrajaya Israel hasn`t said anything 10:30  |  Gil 01/10/07
  19.   Indrajaya (#15) 10:32  |  Gil 01/10/07
  20.   # 19, GIL 10:47  |  indrajaya 01/10/07
  21.   ISRAELIES EXPOSED AS PATHETIC LIARS 11:41  |  DAVID BEN AMOR 01/10/07
  22.   ISRAEL SPREADING LIES AND PROPAGANDA... 12:03  |  TrippleJump 01/10/07
  23.   Indrajaya (#20) 12:06  |  Gil 01/10/07
  24.   Reminds Me of the Iraqi Information Minister 13:15  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 01/10/07
  25.   Where they farming Kosher Food? 13:43  |  Iranian FudgePacker 01/10/07
  26.   David Ben Tizi # 21 - You Don`t Have To Buy Anything 13:44  |  Phinias Whoppy 01/10/07
  27.   The Americans did it, not the Israelis. 14:31  |  High rank official 01/10/07
  28.   It wasn`t the Americans: it was the Martians 14:38  |  Toss-pot Clone 01/10/07
  29.   # 21 david 14:42  |  Lynn 01/10/07
  30.   # 22 And making Syria look foolish and wimpy!! 14:44  |  Lynn 01/10/07
  31.   Syria`s putting up a brave front. How cute! 14:58  |  Richard S 01/10/07
  32.   Since when do Arabs require a `right` to attack Israel? 15:55  |  Chick 01/10/07
  33.   # 23, GIL 16:00  |  indrajaya 01/10/07
  34.   NO to Syria 16:02  |  Brod 01/10/07
  35.   Assad Stay home it`s about the pals Dummy not you 16:19  |  Kipperraes 01/10/07
  36.   Bashar just admitted a strike on a warehouse 16:22  |  realist 01/10/07
  37.   #15 Indrajaya 16:24  |  Asian Observer 01/10/07
  38.   Gil - I am impressed by your grasp of Bahasa Melayu! 16:26  |  CK Tan 01/10/07
  39.   absolutly absurd ! 16:27  |  Brant 01/10/07
  40.   Israeli airstrike is as real as a homosexual existing in Iran 16:33  |  Chick 01/10/07
  41.   #24 16:36  |  Asian Observer 01/10/07
  42.   Assad has a point 16:39  |  peter 01/10/07
  43.   #1 slibovitz 16:40  |  q 01/10/07
  44.   To Chick (#32) 16:44  |  Earthling 01/10/07
  45.   If You`re Going To Respond, Then Do It 16:58  |  Jeff Northridge 01/10/07
  46.   Assad 17:11  |  leven5 01/10/07
  47.   nothing acheived 17:13  |  Redwan 01/10/07
  48.   The Assad wish list-Something for Nothing 17:14  |  ottomatik 01/10/07
  49.   Israel must abandon EXPANSIONIZM policy 17:15  |  Michel 01/10/07
  50.   ISRAEL: ONE HAND STEALS THE LAND, THE OTHER SHAKE FOR PEACE 17:15  |  TrippleJump 01/10/07
  51.   Exactly so, Chick #32 17:16  |  Polybios 01/10/07
  52.   asad threatens not to attend summit 17:16  |  andifnot 01/10/07
  53.   Chick#32.... YOU STILL BELIEVE IN ZIONIST MYTHS! 17:17  |  Kokonot 01/10/07
  54.   Golan 17:27  |  Shmuelshachor 01/10/07
  55.   Syria and Golan 17:31  |  Roland Nilsson 01/10/07
  56.   Assad shouldn`t go, nor should the Saudis 17:43  |  Tosefta 01/10/07
  57.   The Pals are On Israeli land. 17:51  |  Realist 01/10/07
  58.   am i missing something? 18:10  |  citizen zero 01/10/07
  59.   Golan is Israel for ever 18:12  |  Rafa 01/10/07
  60.   #53 kokonot - What you call `Myths` is History 18:23  |  Chick 01/10/07
  61.   Michel # 49 What Expansionism Policy? 18:25  |  Jeff Northridge 01/10/07
  62.   TrippleJump A Movie Just for You 18:25  |  Gil 01/10/07
  63.   The bombing target may have been a particular item 18:39  |  Tosefta 01/10/07
  64.   #15 indrajaya 18:44  |  * BEN JABO 01/10/07
  65.   58 rafa 18:57  |  alan 01/10/07
  66.   To Gil 61 18:59  |  Realist 01/10/07
  67.   Please, stay home 19:04  |  Tulip 01/10/07
  68.   Michel # 49 19:10  |  ChanahS 01/10/07
  69.   to #27 19:14  |  ARI 01/10/07
  70.   kokonut # 53 19:16  |  ChanahS 01/10/07
  71.   To Officer Nilsson on #55 19:23  |  Shmuelshachor 01/10/07
  72.   tripple jump...the palestinians thought they owned 19:33  |  maria 01/10/07
  73.   Of course Assad should not go 19:39  |  Polybios 01/10/07
  74.   That helps 19:41  |  Mark Lincoln 01/10/07
  75.   To 65 Alan 19:44  |  Realist 01/10/07
  76.   Assad`s Uselessness 19:50  |  Rabbi Izzy Lahm 01/10/07
  77.   Assad`s Sour Grapes 19:52  |  Jeff Northridge 01/10/07
  78.   Stupid Arabs 19:54  |  Chaim Gorenstein 01/10/07
  79.   maybe the true story 20:08  |  ama 01/10/07
  80.   Tosefta as `Carnac the Magnificent" 20:16  |  Jacob Blues 01/10/07
  81.   #63 - Tosefta 20:20  |  JES 01/10/07
  82.   I am so surprised Tosefta 20:38  |  Jasmine Murphy 01/10/07
  83.   triple jump, more like triple idiot!!! 20:41  |  DR 01/10/07
  84.   Will Assad be speaking at Columbia University 20:49  |  Murray of Montreal 01/10/07
  85.   Syria wants peace as much as much as 20:50  |  Murray of Montreal 01/10/07
  86.   stay home, and plant more gardens 20:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/10/07
  87.   to no 55 Syria and Golan 20:59  |  Tina 01/10/07
  88.   Israel should skip summit unless Kurdish independence from Syria 21:00  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/10/07
  89.   Pres. Assad is totally right. 21:01  |  Moez 01/10/07
  90.   to rafah no 59 21:02  |  Tina 01/10/07
  91.   #1.Slipovitz,Don`t work out complex Equations 21:04  |  Gordon 01/10/07
  92.   Ghastly Impostor, Arab Hater Pseudo Intellectual #56,63 21:04  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/10/07
  93.   Thanks (JES #74) 21:08  |  Tosefta 01/10/07
  94.   #14,Billy Joe of no country, Arabs are no liars 21:13  |  Arabian Knight 01/10/07
  95.   to 75 ama 21:15  |  Realist 01/10/07
  96.   Sorry about that bombing. Israel got incorrect info 21:24  |  CHick 01/10/07
  97.   Assad is totally wrong 21:27  |  Realist 01/10/07
  98.   The way a scholar might think (Yes-man Jasmine #78) 21:34  |  Tosefta 01/10/07
  99.   #98, Tosefta 22:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/10/07
  100.   Moez # 89 22:25  |  ChanahS 01/10/07
  101.   Why no media effort? 22:50  |  US Observer 01/10/07
  102.   #7 Cipora Julianna Kohn 22:56  |  maoriboy 01/10/07
  103.   Brilliant Jeff #77 22:56  |  Tosefta 01/10/07
  104.   Gil and dishonesty 23:02  |  Truths 01/10/07
  105.   Phinias whoppy and boycott 23:04  |  Truth 01/10/07
  106.   They provoked it! 23:28  |  Paul 01/10/07
  107.   Myth 23:31  |  Paul 01/10/07
  108.   Golan belongs to Manasseh 23:32  |  Paul 01/10/07
  109.   Neutron 23:35  |  Paul 01/10/07
  110.   Brilliant Jeff #77 23:46  |  Tosefta 01/10/07
  111.   Ghastly Impostor and Arab Hater Pseudo-Intellectual #98 23:51  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/10/07
  112.   #99, Israel has said nothing 23:53  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/10/07
  113.   assad and his demands 00:02  |  Jeff Treesh 02/10/07
  114.   so who cares? 00:05  |  Nemesis 02/10/07
  115.   After total denial for 3 weeks Al-Wahsh(changed name to Al Assad) 00:06  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/10/07
  116.   Tosefta You Sure don?t Look Up to Your Name (#98) 00:09  |  Gil 02/10/07
  117.   Syria is freaking out 00:14  |  Miler 02/10/07
  118.   CK Tan - see you again too (#38) 00:15  |  Gil 02/10/07
  119.   Syria and the Golan 00:20  |  Siem 02/10/07
  120.   #108 Cipora Julianna Kohn 00:37  |  Boycott 02/10/07
  121.   Speaking vs. Thinking (Cipora J Cone #99) 00:44  |  Tosefta 02/10/07
  122.   Helplessness! 00:54  |  Paul 02/10/07
  123.   Italian 00:58  |  paul 02/10/07
  124.   It matches a Russian landscape 01:01  |  Paul 02/10/07
  125.   #120, boycott 01:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/10/07
  126.   Syria/Assad, Stay Home 01:08  |  Ron 02/10/07
  127.   #*Ben Jabo. Why did Bush rely on information provided by Hadley? 01:29  |  Maureen Ann 02/10/07
  128.   Siem and Zionist attitudes 01:47  |  Truth 02/10/07
  129.   Ghastly Impostor and Pseudo-Intellectual Turned Arab Hater #121 02:00  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/10/07
  130.   Israel doesn`t need Peace with Syria,with Egypt it is bismal 02:12  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/10/07
  131.   We are ahead in the game 02:47  |  Arab Boycott 02/10/07
  132.   Truth--boycot 03:15  |  Mark T 02/10/07
  133.   Tosefta # 110 What Do You Care? 03:24  |  Jeff Northridge 02/10/07
  134.   Before you decline 03:30  |  Baz Mann 02/10/07
  135.   Moron Bum you still do not agree to independent Aboriginistine 03:38  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/10/07
  136.   Tosefta 03:39  |  Lynn 02/10/07
  137.   #125 Cipora Julianna Kohn 03:50  |  maoriboy 02/10/07
  138.   #101 US Observer 04:31  |  Lynn 02/10/07
  139.   #127 maureen ann and the progress from driven off 04:39  |  victor hardman 02/10/07
  140.   Moron Bum you still do not agree to independent Aboriginistine 04:58  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/10/07
  141.   To # 69 ARI 05:46  |  High rank official 02/10/07
  142.   #93 - Tosefta 06:53  |  JES 02/10/07
  143.   Who needs "Jews killed christ Assad" 07:11  |  Anthony 02/10/07
  144.   Moron Bum you still do not agree to independent Aboriginistine 07:38  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/10/07
  145.   Moron Bum you still do not agree to independent Aboriginistine 09:01  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/10/07
  146.   #127 Maureen Ann 16:31  |  * BEN JABO 02/10/07
 Today Online
Shmuel Rosner: U.S. Jews are in great danger. Here's proof
Responses: 56
Daniel Ben Simon: The new breed of settler fanaticism
Responses: 31
Amira Hass: Jews who decline to protest Israel's apartheid
Responses: 63
Israeli official: Death of Gaza boy Mohammed Al Dura was staged
Responses: 203
Israel vexed over Egypt letting 80 Hamas men enter Gaza Strip
Responses: 63
Ultra-Orthodox school bars girl over 'mother's immodesty'
Responses: 58
Rosner's Domain
* Guest: Democratic candidates are "ok" on Israel, but not great
* Poll: what will be the most difficult Israeli/Palestinian issue to overcome?
* WTR: A Nanny for the Senate?
* American Jews are in great danger. Here's the proof


More Headlines
15:40 IDF lifts censorship on air strike against Syria target
15:18 Israel releases 29 prisoners to Gaza Strip after brief delay
12:23 Israel vexed over Egypt letting 80 Hamas men into Gaza Strip
14:35 Report: Russia sent Syria experts to upgrade air defense
14:33 Senator Lieberman's wife, Hadassah, pays brief visit to Israel
12:49 Ultra-Orthodox school bars girl over her 'mother's immodesty'
11:26 Owner of vehicle involved in fatal Kfar Tavor crash arrested
09:23 Security forces preparing to halt march to ruins of Homesh
11:46 Prosecution indicts 2 suspects for stabbing death of Nazareth man
06:16 Green group opposes TASE exhibit's globalization message
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Invest in Macedonia
New Business Heaven in Europe
Long-term Israel programs
MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants.
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
JOIN FREE AT JDATE.COM
The most popular online Jewish dating community in the world! Explore the possibilities! Click Here!
Dead Sea Salt
Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off!
Israeli History Documentaries.
Own a piece of Israel?s treasured past.
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt.
Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel
Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !
Home| TV| Print Edition| Diplomacy| Opinion| Arts & Leisure| Sports| Jewish World| Underground| Site rules|
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved