SOURCE: Israel Insider
Israel and Syria have reached understandings on a future peace deal between the two countries following a series of secret talks between its representatives, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported Tuesday.
According to the report, Israeli and Syrian officials met secretly in Europe several times between September 2004 and July 2006, reaching a framework for a deal that would include an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, which it captured in the 1967 Mideast war.
Meanwhile, the Syrian military is expanding and revamping its outdated weapons systems, possibly in preparation for an Israeli confrontation.
In addition to the construction of two new mechanized army divisions, Syria's President Assad invested heavily in a visit to Moscow last month in a number of advanced Russian anti-aircraft missile systems, according to Debka.
Meir Dagan, chief of the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, confirmed Syria's arms ramp-up last month, saying that the dictator-led Arab nation to Israel northeast has exhibited no signs of desiring peace with Israel.
"Israel's military deterrence was damaged in the [Second Lebanon] war. Therefore, Assad's self-confidence grew. They are prepared to take more risks than in the past," Dagan said.
Despite this and Syria's overt efforts to strengthen its army while maintaining two divisions in forward positions on the Israeli border, some Arab lawmakers in Israel's Knesset continue to insist that Syria is serious about a near-term peace effort.
One such Arab MK, Jamal Zahalka, told reporters that his visit to Syria four months ago showed him that Syria is indeed serious.
Mr Zahalka has been accused of treason by some Israeli lawmakers for his unauthorized visit to a nation that does not recognize Israel and openly supports terror against Israeli civilians.
In addition to Israeli Arab politicians, extreme leftwing party leaders such as Yossi Beilin and Ron Cohen of Meretz are embracing the Haaretz report as proof of a real potential for peace with Syria. Cohen called on Prime Minister Olmert to 'act courageously' and answer the calls.
Both Syria and Israel, however, fully deny the report's claims, with one former senior Sharon adviser calling it 'baseless'.
David Baker, and official in the Prime Minister's office, remarked that "the Israeli government is unaware of any such meetings."
Former Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel's Army Radio that he first learned of the talks by reading Tuesday's paper. He said the last contact Israel had with a Syrian representative was in 2003.
Haaretz reported that Israel was represented in the talks by Alon Liel, a former top diplomat, and that former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was briefed on the meetings and that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had been informed. The Syrian representative in the talks was Ibrahim Suleiman, an American citizen, who had visited Jerusalem and delivered a message on Syrian interest in an agreement with Israel. The report said Syrian President Bashar Assad initiated the meetings, and that Turkish mediators came the first contacts between the two sides. The Turkish involvement ended in the summer of 2004, when an unknown European took over as the leading go-between.
Official peace talks between Israel and Syria broke down in 2000.
According to the report, Israel agreed to withdraw to the lines of the Sea of Galilee, but would retain control of its waters and those of the Jordan River. A park that will cover a significant portion of the Golan Heights will be set up for joint use by Israelis and Syrians. The border area will be demilitarized along a 1:4 ratio in Israel's favor.
According to the terms, Syria will also agree to end its support for Hezbollah and Hamas and will distance itself from Iran.
Not all matters were agreed upon as the timetable for the withdrawal remained open. Syria demanded the pullout be carried out over a five-year period, while Israel asked for the withdrawal to be spread out over 15 years.
Haaretz published a text of the agreed upon document, described as a "non-paper," which outlines the understandings but is not signed and lacks legal standing. It was prepared in August 2005 and has been updated during a number of meetings in Europe, the last of which took place during last summer's war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.
Israel and Syria have reached understandings on a future peace deal between the two countries following a series of secret talks between its representatives, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported Tuesday.
According to the report, Israeli and Syrian officials met secretly in Europe several times between September 2004 and July 2006, reaching a framework for a deal that would include an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, which it captured in the 1967 Mideast war.
Meanwhile, the Syrian military is expanding and revamping its outdated weapons systems, possibly in preparation for an Israeli confrontation.
In addition to the construction of two new mechanized army divisions, Syria's President Assad invested heavily in a visit to Moscow last month in a number of advanced Russian anti-aircraft missile systems, according to Debka.
Meir Dagan, chief of the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, confirmed Syria's arms ramp-up last month, saying that the dictator-led Arab nation to Israel northeast has exhibited no signs of desiring peace with Israel.
"Israel's military deterrence was damaged in the [Second Lebanon] war. Therefore, Assad's self-confidence grew. They are prepared to take more risks than in the past," Dagan said.
Despite this and Syria's overt efforts to strengthen its army while maintaining two divisions in forward positions on the Israeli border, some Arab lawmakers in Israel's Knesset continue to insist that Syria is serious about a near-term peace effort.
One such Arab MK, Jamal Zahalka, told reporters that his visit to Syria four months ago showed him that Syria is indeed serious.
Mr Zahalka has been accused of treason by some Israeli lawmakers for his unauthorized visit to a nation that does not recognize Israel and openly supports terror against Israeli civilians.
In addition to Israeli Arab politicians, extreme leftwing party leaders such as Yossi Beilin and Ron Cohen of Meretz are embracing the Haaretz report as proof of a real potential for peace with Syria. Cohen called on Prime Minister Olmert to 'act courageously' and answer the calls.
Both Syria and Israel, however, fully deny the report's claims, with one former senior Sharon adviser calling it 'baseless'.
David Baker, and official in the Prime Minister's office, remarked that "the Israeli government is unaware of any such meetings."
Former Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel's Army Radio that he first learned of the talks by reading Tuesday's paper. He said the last contact Israel had with a Syrian representative was in 2003.
Haaretz reported that Israel was represented in the talks by Alon Liel, a former top diplomat, and that former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was briefed on the meetings and that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had been informed. The Syrian representative in the talks was Ibrahim Suleiman, an American citizen, who had visited Jerusalem and delivered a message on Syrian interest in an agreement with Israel. The report said Syrian President Bashar Assad initiated the meetings, and that Turkish mediators came the first contacts between the two sides. The Turkish involvement ended in the summer of 2004, when an unknown European took over as the leading go-between.
Official peace talks between Israel and Syria broke down in 2000.
According to the report, Israel agreed to withdraw to the lines of the Sea of Galilee, but would retain control of its waters and those of the Jordan River. A park that will cover a significant portion of the Golan Heights will be set up for joint use by Israelis and Syrians. The border area will be demilitarized along a 1:4 ratio in Israel's favor.
According to the terms, Syria will also agree to end its support for Hezbollah and Hamas and will distance itself from Iran.
Not all matters were agreed upon as the timetable for the withdrawal remained open. Syria demanded the pullout be carried out over a five-year period, while Israel asked for the withdrawal to be spread out over 15 years.
Haaretz published a text of the agreed upon document, described as a "non-paper," which outlines the understandings but is not signed and lacks legal standing. It was prepared in August 2005 and has been updated during a number of meetings in Europe, the last of which took place during last summer's war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.