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Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni (AP)
Last update - 07:55 25/12/2007
Foreign Ministry: Syria feels peace must wait for next U.S. president
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: Gaza, Israel, Egypt 

The Syrian administration is waiting out the Bush presidency, and only intends to enter a serious diplomatic process with Israel when the next United States administration takes over in 2009, according to the Foreign Ministry's intelligence assessment.

"Damascus is interested in an agreement with Israel, but only according to Syria's conditions and with American involvement," Nimrod Barkan, who heads the ministry's political research department, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday.

"The Syrian surface-to-surface missile threat has increased in the past year," he added. "Israel's deterrence against Syria and Hezbollah still exists and even increased during 2007, but we must watch closely for the possibility that the deterrence could weaken."
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Barkan added that the U.S. twice tried to "open a door for Syria" in 2007, but Damascus failed to meet the administration's demands regarding its continued involvement in Lebanon.

According to Barkan, Syria does not believe it can make progress in negotiations with Israel as long as Bush is in the White House, and therefore wants to wait until the end of his term, in hopes that the next administration will be willing to reengage Damascus and give the peace process its blessing.

FM: Egypt doing an 'awful' job of halting arms transfer into Gaza

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Monday that Egypt is doing an "awful" job of blocking arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip, thus hampering Israeli efforts at proceeding with the political process.

Speaking to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Livni said the activity of Egyptian forces guarding the border is "awful and problematic."

She added that makes it more difficult for moderate Palestinian forces in the Gaza Strip to gain control of their area.

Livni reiterated that Israel would not sign an agreement with the Palestinians until strong and responsible authority took control in Gaza."

During the meeting, MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud) charged that Israel had caved in to pressure from the U.S. State Department by not giving Congress videotapes that document cooperation between Egyptian soldiers and Hamas operatives. The Israel Defense Forces "have videotaped proof that the Egyptians are helping the smugglers bring arms and terrorist operatives into the Gaza Strip," he said, adding that the tapes "could help convince Congress and the Senate to freeze some aid funds to Egypt."

Livni confirmed that the defense establishment had given the Israeli embassy in Washington an "incriminating" video, and said that it had been shown to Bush Administration officials. However, she added, "the debate in Congress ended before the tape arrived," so "there was no reason to give the material to Congress, and it would have upset the Egyptians for nothing."

Ultimately, Congress decided to freeze $100 million of Egypt's $1.3 billion military aid allocation, she noted.

Meanwhile, the United States is examining the possibility of helping Egypt build a physical barrier to foil the weapons-smuggling tunnels that run from Sinai to Gaza.

The Americans plan to send a delegation of officers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and engineers from the Department of Defense to Sinai in the near future to conduct an initial feasibility study and discuss the issue with the Egyptians.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said in October that Egypt could halt the flow of weapons from the Sinai Peninsula into the Gaza Strip in a single day.

Related articles:
  • U.S. weighs plan to help Egypt block arms smuggling to Gaza
  • Egypt: IDF soldiers are aiding arms smuggling to Gaza Strip
  • Israel-PA talks to focus on East J'lem building plans
  • Olmert to Shalit family: Still no breakthrough on Gilad's release
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      1.   if Egypt were truely muslim they would open gaza gates 15:25  |  muslim 24/12/07
      2.   Really? Oh, I am sorry 15:25  |  Detached 24/12/07
      3.   Its a mossad plot to make Israel look helpless. 15:42  |  Clickfool 24/12/07
      4.   Are the IDF still smuggling weapons into Gaza? 15:50  |  POP 24/12/07
      5.   Egyptian neglect? 16:08  |  Ronnbo 24/12/07
      6.   FM: Egyptian neglect at Gaza border 16:14  |  sirius 24/12/07
      7.   5. armchair zionist Ronnbo in canada 16:23  |  dual loyalties 24/12/07
      8.   thats the whole point, #1... 16:26  |  Yamama 24/12/07
      9.   neither zippy nor zion have the right to tell egypt how to run 17:13  |  crossing 24/12/07
      10.   8. yamama ha ha must be a zionist 17:14  |  G-d? 24/12/07
      11.   WHAT ELSE POOR `DAVID MUBARAK` REGIME COULD DO? 17:16  |  JACKAL 24/12/07
      12.   Take control. 17:17  |  Vital 24/12/07
      13.   question vs. answer 17:21  |  small stick big mout 24/12/07
      14.   Egypt,Pals and other Arabs afraid of peace agreement 17:49  |  Sam 24/12/07
      15.   Dickfool 17:57  |  Clickfoolier 24/12/07
      16.   Dickfool 17:57  |  Clickfoolier 24/12/07
      17.   14. dont step on the grass sam 18:06  |  clue 24/12/07
      18.   dickfool 18:08  |  erez 24/12/07
      19.   ITS X-MASS 18:16  |  Iskander 24/12/07
      20.   "don`t step on the grass" 18:28  |  Sam 24/12/07
      21.   re #7,Dual loyalties 18:47  |  Ronnbo 24/12/07
      22.   21. as long as nothing changes armchair zionist safe in canada 19:01  |  my hero 24/12/07
      23.   #4 POP goes the weasel 19:09  |  * BEN JABO 24/12/07
      24.   Some of those Egyptian Border Guards 19:11  |  * BEN JABO 24/12/07
      25.   Let Arabs bring tanks 19:15  |  NO 6 24/12/07
      26.   24. yeah benny boy they should be do it for nothing 19:20  |  shame on them 24/12/07
      27.   #3 mossad plot 19:31  |  Nobody`s fool 24/12/07
      28.   25. all the flattened tanks in lebanon were zion`s 19:47  |  hahahah :) 24/12/07
      29.   livni and arms smuggling 19:48  |  geroge 24/12/07
      30.   29. george? you right 19:59  |  take it further 24/12/07
      31.   #23 BenJabo - IDF Smuggling weapons into gaza 20:01  |  POP 24/12/07
      32.   LOL @ the dummy ben jabo 20:03  |  POP 24/12/07
      33.   # 11 Would be nice to self destruct for good, you too... 20:31  |  Misha 24/12/07
      34.   # 31, 32 His nail is smarter than your plagued brain... 20:33  |  Misha 24/12/07
      35.   i have always been a genocidal racist barnyard animal 20:53  |  Misha 24/12/07
      36.   Will Europe, will the US finally place preasure on Egypt?! 21:05  |  Albert 24/12/07
      37.   to 10, G-D? 21:10  |  yamama 24/12/07
      38.   come and stop smuggling 22:24  |  belal 24/12/07
      39.   Translation...... 23:40  |  Larry 24/12/07
      40.   Translation.......Part 2 23:43  |  Larry 24/12/07
      41.   # 35 Is the POP`S creation... 23:54  |  Misha 24/12/07
      42.   Give Syria the Israeli special 00:28  |  Natallie Durson 25/12/07
      43.   The US made a deal that must be kept. Israel has other options 00:38  |  Jason 25/12/07
      44.   Hamas Charges $3,000 a Day for Each Smuggling-Tunnel 00:40  |  Joseph E . 25/12/07
      45.   They smuggle , Make Money and play the Blockade Blues 00:47  |  Joseph E . 25/12/07
      46.   Same as Egypt smuggling so does Syria want & con $Bs/year from US 01:08  |  Joseph E . 25/12/07
      47.   US Army Corps of Engineers??? 01:17  |  Jim 25/12/07
      48.   Ronnbo #21 01:18  |  MR 25/12/07
      49.   Wait for the US period. 02:06  |  Paulo 25/12/07
      50.   Haaretz 02:15  |  MR 25/12/07
      51.   #32 POP - you fool 02:50  |  * BEN JABO 25/12/07
      52.   Lets hope Israel has strong leadership by the time Bush leaves 03:22  |  zionist forever 25/12/07
      53.   re:28 03:46  |  zionist forever 25/12/07
      54.   Clickfool honey, u used to post your city and state. 04:23  |  aliza 25/12/07
      55.   This makes sense 04:44  |  Mark Lincoln 25/12/07
      56.   preconditions to negotiations == no negotiations 05:50  |  Pablo B 25/12/07
      57.   Egyptian brethern 06:04  |  Gregor 25/12/07
      58.   Every Jew Should Read This 11:01  |  Yosemite 25/12/07
      59.   IF REALLY SO 12:37  |  indrajaya 25/12/07
      60.   PEACE NOW!! 13:49  |  US Citizen 25/12/07
      61.   Syria is Playing with America and Iran 16:37  |  Ronnie Wolman 25/12/07
      62.   those prevaricating syrians,infuriatingly slow 17:03  |  golda faidson 25/12/07
      63.   #60 US Citizen 17:26  |  Ephraim 25/12/07
      64.   crossing # 9 zippy will butt out and well take our money with us, 17:30  |  terrornator 25/12/07
      65.   #58 Yosemite 17:33  |  Ephraim 25/12/07
      66.   Syria is correct of course 20:26  |  Tosefta 25/12/07
      67.   the US believed it could 21:33  |  Kris 25/12/07
      68.   Syria is correct of course 21:47  |  Tosefta 25/12/07
      69.   ENTIRE CONFLICT EXPLAINED IN LESS THAN 20 LINES 22:07  |  G. Marcus 25/12/07
      70.   I love Clickfool...thanks him now enjoying Israel 22:30  |  olim 25/12/07
      71.   Nat. #42 23:55  |  Neal 25/12/07
      72.   POP, Clicky and others looking for ways to excuse despotic regime 03:00  |  Marwan مروان خوري 26/12/07
      73.   Right Bashar Al Wahsh! Let`s wait until you are deposed! 04:05  |  Genuine Tosefta 26/12/07
      74.   INRARAT has awaken from fall hibernation 04:07  |  Genuine Tosefta 26/12/07
      75.   Syria is correct of course (again) 05:55  |  Tosefta 26/12/07
      76.   US shouldn`t approve of Israel`s bombing... not the acts of peace 06:35  |  POP 26/12/07
      77.   George Bush and the Middle East 06:56  |  US CITIZEN 26/12/07
      78.   What hypcrisy from the FM, poor Israel 08:15  |  Dutch 26/12/07
      79.   I don`t blame Syria 08:24  |  Dutch 26/12/07
      80.   # 79 Dutch. Ms. Nancy Pelosi..!! 12:07  |  Stephen. 26/12/07
      81.   #32-