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Last update - 22:18 27/04/2008 Netanyahu: PM promised Golan to Syria before talks ever began By Haaretz Service Tags: Golan Heights  Opposition leader and Chairman of the Likud Party Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday criticized the reported ongoing diplomacy between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syrian President Bashar Assad via Turkey. According to Netanyahu, the prime minister promised to hand over the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War, before formal talks ever began. "I am surprised at the prime minister who amateurishly and irresponsibly handed over the entire Golan Heights before the negotiations began," Netanyahu said at a ceremony closing the Mimuna festival, a Moroccan Passover tradition. Advertisement In his first response to recent reports regarding possible progress in peace talks between Israel and Syria, Netanyahu said that Israel mustn't withdraw from the Golan Heights. "We will get out, and it will be Iran who will ultimately take our place there. There is no diplomatic logic in this [move], and this is not how you build peace," Netanyahu said. Omert's bureau responded to the accusations in kind, hurling the accusations back at Netanyahu, saying "to refresh Mr. Netanyahu's memory, it was he who sent then Syrian President Hafez Assad, an American businessman to relinquish the Golan Heights in Israel's name, before any negotiations had begun." The prime minister's bureau widened its denunciation of Netanyahu to include the Palestinian issue, saying "Mr. Netanyahu also gave up the [West Bank] city of Hebron, and offered [Yasser] Arafat, whom he called 'friend', large parts of Judea and Samaria at the Wye Conference. Netanyahu is not the man who can teach Israel's government what responsibility and good judgment are." Olmert's bureau added that the prime minister "will continue to make efforts to achieve peace with our neighbors, and he will do this in a responsible and thought out way while taking every possible step to ensure Israel's security." Earlier Sunday, Qatari newspaper Al-Watan reported that Assad told Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Syria was demanding a commitment in writing from Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights in exchange for peace. The paper based its report on Syrian sources, who claimed to be in possession of the "Rabin Pledge," referring to understandings reached between Israel and Syria in the 1990s, before the 1995 assassination of then-prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. Assad told the newspaper on Sunday that the time has not yet come for peace because "the Israeli side has still not given its guarantee." Related articles: Golan leaders to Turkey: Push Syria talks without sacrificing Golan Syria said demanding Israeli guarantee on Golan pullout Netanyahu: Abbas-Olmert peace deal will be invalid Report: Netanyahu says 9/11 terror attacks good for Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   Security first Foreign Minister Livni tells the PA to ensure terrorists don't exploit Israel's gestures. Terrorist pride Lebanon-based guerillas Hezbollah say they're proud to appear on the U.S. terrorist list.   1.   Sorry Olmert It Is You Thats An Amateur And A Failure 19:48  |  Dish It Out 27/04/08   2.   Likud:lose this guy quick 20:14  |  Hal 27/04/08   3.   NO to the Leftists 21:26  |  Brod 27/04/08   4.   not in our hands (pun intended 21:59  |  Yehuda 27/04/08   5.   Ah, Bibi is dreaming of what could have been... 22:32  |  Esther 27/04/08   6.   Re Brod #3... "It is part of Ancient Israel ..." 22:38  |  Esther 27/04/08   7.   Yehuda #4 22:46  |  Brod 27/04/08   8.   The Lord gave the Golan 2 Moses&Israel before Syria existed 22:54  |  sam 27/04/08   9.   Words, Words, Words...... 23:15  |  Dolly 27/04/08   10.   come on natanyahu lets be honest 23:16  |  harzion 27/04/08   11.   It is a `NO` forOlmert all the way...... 23:28  |  Natasha 27/04/08   12.   Brod is right on the money 23:38  |  Eli 27/04/08   13.   talk talk talk Arabs have strong talk muscles RIGHT ??? 23:51  |  M. S. 27/04/08   14.   Olmert the DIsaster 23:53  |  George Kaplan 27/04/08   15.   Better check first with Moses... 00:55  |  Blogowitz 28/04/08   16.   Netanyahu will also be castrated in front of Iran weapon programs 00:56  |  Aounist 28/04/08   17.   Giving Away Isreal 00:57  |  Ms. D 28/04/08   18.   Tell Syria to Wait 00:58  |  Robert 28/04/08   19.   ACTION! 01:02  |  hannah 28/04/08   20.   Bibi the impotent 01:06  |  Pat MaGroin 28/04/08   21.   Re#10 - harzion 01:15  |  Pat MaGroin 28/04/08   22.   Netanyahu 02:13  |  Jack Paulden 28/04/08   23.   Thrash both Bibi and Olmert as PM`s. 02:20  |  Fortuna Benmayor 28/04/08   24.   pat barak is far cleverer then bibi 02:23  |  harzion 28/04/08   25.   Peaceful golan 03:13  |  x Sleepless nights, 28/04/08   26.   to harzion, all previous PMs of israel after golda 03:35  |  vladimir 28/04/08   27.   Netanyahu, "Arafat`s Friend", will of course crow. 04:37  |  Fortuna Benmayor 28/04/08   28.   And *your* marvelous negotiating skills, Bibi? 04:59  |  Johnboy 28/04/08   29.   Olmert, Netanyahu, and the Golan dilemma 20:11  |  FRANCESCO 28/04/08   30.   Golan? wait a minute! 21:52  |  Edoardo Recanati 03/05/08

Read & React Livni: PA must ensure terrorists don`t exploit our W. Bank moves Responses: 310 IDF releases clip clearing itself of blame for Gaza family deaths Responses: 251 U.S. envoy cuts short Hebron trip after clash with settlers Responses: 194 Justice Ministry: Contrary to reports, no discussion of Olmert's position Responses: 137 Gaza sewage pumped into the sea over past three months Responses: 131 Rosner's Domain Carter is helping Hamas achieve their strategic goal Asali: on nationalist fantasies, religious zealotry, of Israelis/Palestinians Should Israel remain Jewish? (WTR) Super headache for superdelegates Talking about war with Iran is not necessarily bad More Headlines 00:19 Rice to pressure Israel on West Bank roadblocks 22:56 Justice Ministry: Contrary to reports, no discussion of Olmert's position 22:37 Bodies of Bolivia accident victims to arrive in Israel 14:21 Major powers offer Iran fresh incentives to halt nuke program 18:24 Kuwaiti paper: Hamas willing to show flexibility over Shalit 11:39 The Palestinian Rothschilds 17:36 Lebanese Druze leader: Expel Iranian ambassador from Beirut 23:29 2 children, 1 senior citizen die in separate fires across Israel 10:18 Egypt's Islamic opposition slams gov't over gas deal with Israel 12:02 Palestinian forces en route to Jenin for large-scale security op Previous Editions Select Day 02 may 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr 25 apr 24 apr 23 apr 22 apr 21 apr 20 apr

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