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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at a security cabinet meeting. (Archives)
Last update - 14:41 06/03/2008
Olmert: Talks with Syria worth serious consideration
By Yossi Verter and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Egypt, Syria, Israel, Gaza

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert believes negotiations with Syria should be seriously considered "if this would bring an end to its involvement in terrorism and extricate it from the axis of evil." Speaking at a briefing on the situation in the South to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday, Olmert said that the Syrian leadership is aware of his position.

Israel is also planning to initiate a broad diplomatic effort in order to reach an agreement with Egypt on regulating the security situation along the Gaza-Sinai border, and countering arms smuggling into the Strip. The political-security cabinet instructed the foreign and defense ministries to step up contacts with Egypt on this issue.

A committee member attending the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting earlier this week said that the prime minister's comment was "not just words."
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A senior political source well versed in relations between Israel and Syria, described Olmert's statement as "another step forward," even though Olmert has in the past signaled to Damascus through the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Four months ago, on the eve of the Annapolis conference, Olmert told committee members that he believes "the participation of Syria in the conference could, under certain conditions, bring about a resumption of the negotiations, and this is valuable from Israel's point of view."

He added that "no responsible person in Israel would think that negotiations with Syria does not have many advantages for Israel."

Syria sent a delegation to Annapolis, headed by deputy foreign minister Faisal Mekdad.

Merely two months earlier, in September 2007, tensions between Jerusalem and Damascus rose dramatically following Israel's strike in the eastern part of Syria, which foreign press reports claimed was an attack against Syrian nuclear installations.

About three months prior to the attack Olmert called for direct negotiations with Syria, and declared that Israel is interested in peace with Damascus. The statements were made at the completion of a security-political meeting on the situation on the northern border, and ostensibly due to Syrian rearmament and concerns that miscalculations would lead to a confrontation.

Political sources noted on Wednesday that Defense Minister Ehud Barak also believes that Israel should make an effort to achieve progress on the Syrian track, but not necessarily at the expense of the Palestinian track.

Several months ago, speaking at the Saban Forum, Barak said that there may be another outbreak of fighting between Israel and Syria and then "we would have to look into the eyes of the soldiers and tell them that we have made every effort to reach agreement."

At the end of last week, Haaretz reported that Syrian President Bashar Assad had said recently that he would be willing to meet Prime Minister Olmert in Moscow and discuss a peace agreement.

Assad conditioned the meeting on Israel restoring the proposal made by prime minister Yitzhak Rabin to the Americans in 1994, that Israel would withdraw to the 1967 lines in the Golan Heights, in return for peace.

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      1.   Assad wants the Golan not peace & Olmert has no right to sell it 03:14  |  zionist forever 06/03/08
      2.   Syria will not abandon tried & tested allies for a treacherous 03:34  |  lakshmi 06/03/08
      3.   olmert and concessions 04:00  |  marcel 06/03/08
      4.   Why Not? 04:52  |  Mark Lincoln 06/03/08
      5.   Israel: A true member of the `Axis-of-Evil` 04:59  |  POP 06/03/08
      6.   Stop thinking about talking and start talking 05:01  |  Observer 06/03/08
      7.   Lakshmi - have you for a minute paid attention? 05:03  |  Mark Lincoln 06/03/08
      8.   Syria is not a nut case like Iran,Hezbollah,Hamas and supporters 05:12  |  Sam 06/03/08
      9.   Syria, don`t waste your time 05:21  |  Harold 06/03/08
      10.   EVEN SADDAM TOLD ASAD NOT TO SIDE WITH IRAN 05:36  |  David P 06/03/08
      11.   Insane Olmert should be moved to mental ward 05:40  |  Sal 06/03/08
      12.   Olmert understands things very sloooowly (and he ain`t there yet) 05:57  |  Tosefta 06/03/08
      13.   please help me 06:46  |  john 06/03/08
      14.   OLMERT SHOULD BE TRIED FOR TREASON 07:02  |  THE WARRIOR 06/03/08
      15.   Golans doesn`t belong to Israel in the first place 07:10  |  Joe 06/03/08
      16.   BULLYING ON SYRIA HAS FAILED 07:22  |  indrajaya 06/03/08
      17.   Zionist Forever # 1 _ Hogwash 07:56  |  Eli 06/03/08
      18.   First give away your arm then hope 08:10  |  Lemmings Hotline 06/03/08
      19.   Stopping terror is Syria`s obligation under UN. 08:58  |  Fortuna Benmayor 06/03/08
      20.   The Obsession of Risk Taking 09:02  |  Yitzhak Sokoloff 06/03/08
      21.   Time for Syria to be generous with Israel. 09:04  |  Jean Van Daem 06/03/08
      22.   Make Golan a Isreal/Syria "peace land" 09:21  |  Sammy 06/03/08
      23.   lakshmi #2 Her "tried & tested allies of Syria" 09:22  |  S 06/03/08
      24.   #2; lakshmi your just so positve what a pleasure to read 09:40  |  Doc Holliday 06/03/08
      25.   #5, Fortuna Benmayor, absolutely right 09:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 06/03/08
      26.   Anything re OLMERT is not worth a penny.... 09:54  |  Onlooker 06/03/08
      27.   #9, S 10:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 06/03/08
      28.   You will not be allowed to talk to Syria 10:01  |  MiddleStanian 06/03/08
      29.   Olmert will do anything but confront the settlers 10:10  |  Michael 06/03/08
      30.   To ALL Hardcore Zionists... 10:17  |  James 06/03/08
      31.   #1 Zionist Forever 10:39  |  Rozz 06/03/08
      32.   Olmert is a sick and dangerous man and should be kicked out of 10:40  |  X-moderate 06/03/08
      33.   WOW, maybe my post #8 isn`t a fairy tale 11:04  |  Sammy 06/03/08
      34.   how about this: 11:04  |  Omar 06/03/08
      35.   Talks, NOT Successful Talks 11:05  |  Mark of Lewiston 06/03/08
      36.   Thanks Cipora, you are right. 11:05  |  S 06/03/08
      37.   LEAVE GOLAN ... THEN MAY BE SYRIA MIGHT TALK TO WAR CRIMINALS 11:15  |  TripleJump 06/03/08
      38.   Concessions? Yes! 11:17  |  sammy 06/03/08
      39.   BYE, BYE, ISRAEL 11:19  |  indrajaya 06/03/08
      40.   What Worth Serious Considerations Is To Kick Out Olmert & Gangs 11:27  |  Joseph . E 06/03/08
      41.   #15 - James, New York 11:50  |  Rozz 06/03/08
      42.   Olmert will do anything ........ 11:51  |  Natasha 06/03/08
      43.   HE HAS LOST THE PLOT!!!!!! 11:56  |  Ben 06/03/08
      44.   To M ichael # 14 - Be more specific! 12:01  |  Dolly 06/03/08
      45.   tO # 17 X-moderate - Olmert. 12:15  |  arrabella 06/03/08
      46.   Is Olmert a genuine Jew? 12:18  |  Rozz 06/03/08
      47.   Just a question! 12:27  |  Rozz 06/03/08
      48.   Assad family are suckers 12:42  |  arab DRUZE muslim 06/03/08
      49.   To # 1 zionist forever history professor - 1 12:43  |  Steve the Pals. 06/03/08
      50.   Why not, Mark Lincoln? 12:58  |  Rozz 06/03/08
      51.   IT IS TIME ....... 13:01  |  DAVID 06/03/08
      52.   To Moderators - Where are all other Posts, only 17? 13:06  |  Dolly 06/03/08
      53.   to # 17 X-moderate - I wonder what 13:19  |  Steve the Pals. 06/03/08
      54.   I wish I were a Phsychiatrist... 13:23  |  Rozz 06/03/08
      55.   To#1 13:29  |  pal 06/03/08
      56.   James - New York 13:44  |  Rozz 06/03/08
      57.   Israel is not serious about Peace 13:46  |  pal 06/03/08
      58.   Golan back to Syria 13:52  |  Creative 06/03/08
      59.   Pal #23.. Syria wanting peace 14:19  |  Rozz 06/03/08
      60.   This means Olmert is Syrian agent 14:52  |  FOX 06/03/08
      61.   # 16 Indy....now the Egyptians and Saudis 15:02  |  Lynn 06/03/08
      62.   Is This Pearl Harbor Tactics? 15:02  |  AnakAdeen 06/03/08
      63.   # 8 Sam of Canada 15:04  |  Lynn 06/03/08
      64.   isr is wrong. there`s not much to talk about 16:07  |  bozhidar balkas 06/03/08
      65.   58 16:12  |  zionist forever 06/03/08
      66.   Right on #14 16:14  |  izak 06/03/08
      67.   Make Hay While The Sun Shines 16:20  |  Cool B 06/03/08
      68.   Invite Me Please 16:33  |  mori 06/03/08
      69.   He is trying to bribe Syria off from her alliance with Iran 16:33  |  AliciaYasmeen 06/03/08
      70.   POP speaks again lol Axis of evil 16:37  |  Robert/Mtl 06/03/08