Netanyahu cool to calls for fresh Syria talks

Hey folks Islam believes in democracy etc. so how did the madman of Tehran get into power ,the same for Hamid Karzai in Kabul ,or Hamas in Gaza ,or the butcher of Sudan or the Islamic gangsterland of Somalia ,Yemen,Ethiopia or the Taliban oipium fuelled Muslim militia or the callous brutal Al-Qaeda henchmen of South Waziristan and Swat ,maybe Jonnyboy and his naive Maureen can answer ,but don,t count on it as the truth hurts rather badly ?

Michael in the UK says the rest of the world doesn,t agree with Israel,s withdrawal from Gaza ,so which rest of the world ,the Arab/Muslim one or his own incompetent UK Labour govt.Don,t confuse the issue as Egypt is the sovereign ruler of Hamastan ,but can,t do it,s job due to the Muslim Brotherhood and it,s Hamas cohorts ,hence the erecting of a steel barrier ?

Like the rest of the Palestine spokespeople Jonny boy reckons Hamas was democratically elected whereas we know that they forcibly stole the local elections through mass intimidation and violence ,ask Fatah who had so many of their members thrown off the tall buildings and their houses blown up,typical Arab/Muslim style like Ahmadinejad ,Karzai etc.

Poor Jonnyboy still mistranslating what were accurate assessments by learned statesmen,not peasant desert dwelling illiterates.

Talking about presumptions etc. well Syria and it,s dictator couldn,t even defend their country from Hezbollah for that matter never mind the mighty IDF ,so Jonnyboy needs to have his head read by Dr.Nas.

M: "What`s causing Mr Netanyahu`s "cool" reception to peace?" When it comes to SYRIA the reason is simplicity itself: Rabin made a committment to Clinton that Israel **will** accept the 1967 line as the border with Syria in any peace treaty. That "pocket" has been acknowledged and confirmed by Peres, and then by Netanyahu, and then by Barak as they - in their turn - became Prime Minister. Now Bibi is back, and he is bound by his original acknowledge of the "pocket". That's why he is cool on direct negotiations: the Syrians will insist that he honour his committment, and he doesn't want to. And the only way that he can renege is by the simple expedient of never turning up in person.

"How hard is this for people to understand? Israel GAVE the Palestinians Gaza for nothing in return!" You see there's your problem, the rest of the world doesn't agree with you. For a start, Gaza never belonged to Israel so it couldn't GIVE it. Secondly, the Israeli government didn't wake up one morning and say, 'We love the people of Gaza so much, that we will withdraw and let them live free!' Instaed it woke up one morning and said, 'Those Pals won't give up, however hard we hit them, they just keep on resisting us in Gaza and the cost of defending a few hundred settlers there is way too high, so we're going to abandon Gaza, tell the Americans it's a generous gesture and hope the Americans fall for that and they let us keep a much bigger chunk of the West Bank instead.' Same with Lebanon, Sinai and the PA territory. Israel has a history of only abandoning land when it's exhausted by fighting or has been badly scared. It never does it out of humanitarian benevolence.

I do not know how many time the man have to say that he wants peace. Since day one he made it clear to the whole world that he is not interested in War. Israel keep insulting the whole world except the good deads in Haiti and expect people to hope for peace. Start talking to Syria with respect and urngency, stop your ungly flight into Lebanon. You have armed Sayed Hassan Nasrallah with moral victory, Military victory and increased his credibilty in Lebanon and the world and you still think the 1967 attitude may work at some poin in the future. The past is the Past and there are new generation and some of the old one like me begin to believe that Israel can be wiped out if they continue with the distructive behaivor. It is very simple. Start negotiating in good faith and the finish line is there, you just need to cross it. Shalom

you know ron, you can beat your chest as often as you like, times have changed big time, the syrians and iranians have tested their techniques and concluded that they work just fine, how? hezbollah. and ron, you have no idea at all what the syrians, iranians, turks, hezbollah, hamas, and more have install for israel if it attacks any 2 of them, hezbollah can hold it's own and has proven and will prove so.

Is it the fact Israel needs war to justify the $billions +++ of U.S. aid? Is is it the U.S. $800m stash of nasty 'goodies' stored in Israel's "store room?"

I saw from the Saudi Yemen battles, that war is a terrible horror, with all the modern rapid fire and guided munition.I can't understand anybody who embarks on that path.but all ME rulers. do that, not netanyahu I believe.The winner never gains sympathy. Maybe therefore Syria wants to lose a war.

Anyone here think Egypt would have got back the Sinai if it hadn't launched the 1973 war and badly scared Israel before Israel's eventual victory with the aid of a massive US airlift? Anyone think Israel is going to give back the Golan unless it's badly scared again? I'd love to say Yes to that, but it's hard to be optimistic with Bibi and his coalition of extremists and opportunists in power.

Bibi's main priority is remaining prime minister, his second priority is retaining as much land and as many settlements as possible, his sixty-seventh, or maybe sixty-eighth priority is peace with Syria and the Pals.

Incredible! Every morning we awaken to a new declaration by Bibi how Syria is the kingpin to peace in the Middle East etc... yet now he says he's "cool" about the whole issue ... did something happen overnight?!...

It is about the intent. The more telling question you don't ask is how many Israelis would have been butchered by Hamas or Hezbollah if they had far greater military power than Israel. The answer is obvious. All who can't swim. Israel, The Jewish State, actually has the capability to completely annihilate those who wish to annihilate her yet never has. The reality is that Israel is by far the most benevolent power in the region.

inevitably always so wrong.

Thank you Marc Leb for volunteering to hold a kassam firecracker in your hand to demonstrate that you are in the right. Where do you want us to ship your remains to? It is absolutely sickening how the allegedly "pro-Palestinian" lobby snidely justifies Palestinian war crimes. Too bad, Marc. The Palestinians do not have the right to fire rockets at civilians. Just like they don't have the right to blow up passenger buses and restaurants. The Palestinians murdered hundreds of Israelis. The rockets are only one of their weapons. By justifying their use of war crimes, you yourself are complicit.

....Between Israels words and Israels deeds. Barak is not willing to return the Golan. No Israeli politician is willing to do this. Some may find it politically advantageous to say they favor this as part of peace with Syria, but it is all for show. For the moment, Israels government is trading their "interest" in peace for concessions from America. This is nothing new.

Nice comment number 4. I can count on all my toes and fingers how many israelis have died in the last 8 years. How many Palestinian CIVILIANS have died for Israel's security in the last 40 years?

How hard is this for people to understand? Israel GAVE the Palestinians Gaza for nothing in return! In the hope they would have some peace. Instead, they fire rockets at Israel. Israel would also give the Palestinians the West Bank if they would have just responded positively to such major Israeli gestures. The reason the Palestinians live "in a cage" is that they repeatedly launch attacks on Israel whenever they can! Do you think the Israelis spent millions on a giant wall for no good reason? And what would the arabs do to the Jews if the weapons and resources were reversed? Not half as nice as what the Israelis are doing with the arabs!

Seems a bit extreme for Syria to threaten this when there hasn't beeen any talks for years. Can't help but wonder what they are planning.

So Spain wants to be a mediator with Turkey? In summation then, on behalf of Israel Spain will mediate with Turkey who will mediate with Syria on behalf of Israel. Who dreams this up? Jon Stewart?

Like Ron and Brod I also a commanded national military and ruled a country, but I am confused as to why they would call only Barak naive and not also Ashkenazi and most of the General Staff? Surely what's good for Barak is good for the commanders of the Israeli military? Call them all fools for wanting peace and assessing the situation on, well, let's face it, the IDF had to have made this situational assessments by reading tea leafs and throwing bones to see the future. No, obviously the IDF won't use common sense when assessing the situation with Syria, since common sense, as indicated elsewhere here, clearly shows that Syria doesn't want peace ... and just to prove the point, if the IDF had used proper methods of evaluation, they never would have appointed Askenazi as Chief of Staff or any of the other General Staff who support this notion. If the above is stupid enough for you, then perhaps ask why Barak and the IDF commanders think this rather than just dismissing it out of habit.

bibi is not the right man to achieve peace. No balls. No glory

"Whatever country could you be as humble as Israel as rockets zoom towards your familys and homes?" It always pays to remind yourself where those rockets are being fired FROM, and the circumstances that those people who fire them find themselves in. I'm being assaulted by people I've locked in a cage! How Noble And Stoic Am I?!?!? How Beastial Are They?!?! Err, dude, you've locked them in a cage; you can't really expect them to throw flowers at your feet....

The only question is the IDF line-of-withdrawal: 1) Syria wants the IDF to withdraw to the line of June 1967. 2) Israel wants the IDF to withdraw to the line of the Anglo-French Boundary Commission of 1922. The difference ranges between 10m and 100m, but which side gets its way determines the future Israel/Syrian border. That's all the holdup is i.e. all the rest (observation post on Mt Hermon, demilitarized zones, riparian rights, etc.) were agreed to during the Clinton years. But that's where the holdup is i.e. Rabin handed Clinton a committment that Israel will agree to (1) and not (2), and that "pocket" was acknowledged by Bibi during his first stint as PM. So Bibi doesn't want negotiations, because if he does walk into that room then he's bound by his acknowledgement of the "pocket" to accept (1). And he doesn't want to accept (1).

Why do you need to 'convince' Israelis for peace talks? Is this the new "kinder gentler" leadership style? Netanyahu is busy playing more delay games. Ask him to resign. Then do what needs to be done to provide adequate land for the Palestinians. Are all Israeli leaders girl scouts?

It is time for Israel to make a genuine peace with Syria because without Syria would never be a peace in the Middle East. All what Israel wants from Syria is its water. I do not think Syria will deprive Israel of water. A deal could be struck. Syria never ever has a double face. Syria is always consistent of what it wants for a genuine peace. It is Israel, who is dealing and wheeling to avoid making peace with Syria because it believes that Syria could not win a war without Egypt and Jordan. Syria does not have to win a war with Israel; it only has to keep Israel on edge which will only please the extremists on both sides of the isle. Syria proves Israel wrong, unless Israel loves war and occupations. Bashar Assad has the right to do everything and anything under the sun to regain Syria?s land. It is absurd that Israel accepts Syria to denounce Hezbollah and Hamas before making peace with her. It is like asking Israel to demolish its IDF. After all only Netanyahu could make such a peace. I hope so.

Some of the people posting here act as if the Golan is Israels and that acquisition of land through warfare is legitimate. This is crazy talk. The occupied Golan has to go back to Syria just as Tel Aviv would have to go back to Israel if it was occupied by another country. If you propose any other idea, then you are supporting the destruction of Israel as you legitimise attacks and occupation of your country. The Golan has no Tactical/Strategic military value given Israels missiles and war planes. Anyone using it to attack could be annihilated within a few hours. It is a source of water but that is no reason to hold it illegally. Give it up and search for peace. Hold it and you ensure war. Just as if Tel Aviv was occupied. By the way, I am not going to be affected. I live in NZ and in some ways enjoy the wars in the ME as a weird form of entertainment. I would much prefer to see an outbreak of peace for Israel which would seriously restrict international terrorist

There is a lot of Arabs and jews, and all others who watch your every move, you know the two greatest commandments.

could you be as humble as Israel as rockets zoom towards your familys and homes?

So of course he wants to stay in power and will do anything necessary to prevent peace. Peace means Bibi is at the end of his career. War means he has a future. What would you do in his position?

has anybody thought that if the syrians 'really' want peace they would just give up the Golan? i'd like to see the day that the syrians say 'we will make peace with israel, and peace is worth so much to us, that we are willing to part with the golan heights'. the golan is the water source for israel and overlooks the entire eastern galilee, and in syrian hands will always be a source of tension between the two countries for those reasons.

that Barak was so naieve! "... the benefits of an Israeli-Syrian deal are therefore worth the price of giving up the Golan Heights. Barak is the leading public exponent of this view; he also believes that the chances Israel and Syria could reach a peace deal are fairly high."

R: "Assad knows the way to a return of the Golan is by way of Sadat." Sadat made his way to Tel Aviv via the Yom Kippur War, Ron. There will be very many Israeli mothers who would faint at the very thought of you advocating that same path for Assad.

Ehud Barak: "immediately after such a war, we'll sit down to negotiate and discuss exactly the same things we've been discussing with the Syrians for 15 years already." That *does* presuppose that the war *doesn't* end up with the IDF running helter-skelter in the general direction of Haifa, does it not? Care to consider the possibility that when the smoke does clear the only thing you might be getting from Syria is the IDF's arse, and that handed back to Barak on a silver platter with a nice note that reads "Does this belong to you?".

Only the Leftists could fall for Syria peace crap. They think that peace could be attained by horse trading. Peace with Syria is meaningless. Their 'peace' is a trap for Israel. Barak should leave such matters as regional relations with the Foreign Ministry. He should be focusing in preparing the nation against Iran's nuke threat.

Assad knows the way to a return of the Golan is by way of Sadat. Instead it's the usual hollow threats. The US does not want any Syria gestures from Israel at this time either. Not until there is a realignment vis a vis Iran and hezbollah.