The officials Syrian state news agency SANA reports talks between Israel and Damascus are ongoing. The dialogue has not been direct however but via a third party.

The Syrian leader’s remarks are in line with statements attributed to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert by Yediot Achronot last week, stating Israel is seeking dialogue with Syria.

Israel in 2000 made an effort to reach an agreement with Syria, but even an offer by then Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin to handover the Golan Heights liberated in the June 1967 Six Day War was not sufficient. Talks broke off. Since that time, Syria has signaled a willingness to resume talks from time-to-time, insisting the return of the Golan must be a starting point. Israel has stated that talks may resume but without any preconditions.

Olmert has stated that Syria must signal a willingness to get serious about peace talks which would demand Damascus withdraw its support for Hizbullah in southern Lebanon.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)