Syria 'Would Break Links With Iran' If America Steps in to Help it

[Maimonides]

http://www.aina.org/news/20080705143641.htm

Jerusalem -- Syria is ready to break off its close links with Iran if America gives it financial and military backing, a former Israeli diplomat involved in unofficial peace talks has revealed to The Sunday Telegraph.

According to the official, who has been engaged in low-key "second track" discussions with Syrian representatives for many months, Syria's President Bashar Assad is increasingly open to a deal which would greatly weaken Iranian influence in the region.

Alon Liel, a former director of Israel's foreign ministry, said the prospect of a peace agreement with Syria was growing, though it might require a new American president before a deal could be agreed. Syria's support for radical groups including Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hizbollah, both also backed by Iran, has played a large part in fomenting trouble in the Middle East.

For any peace agreement to be struck between Israel and Syria, it would first be necessary to agree on the future of the Golan Heights - the lofty piece of territory claimed by Syria but occupied by Israel, which supplies much of that country's drinking water.

"They are asking not only for the Golan Heights but a change in Washington that will break the Syrian isolation internationally," said Mr Liel. "But I also think they will not do it unless they are assured they have an alternative to Iran."

Israel and Syria resumed indirect negotiations in March, mediated by Turkey, and two days of meetings this week have ended with promises to reconvene at the end of the month. The Turkish foreign minister, Ali Babacan, said the meetings mark an "initial stage" in resumed diplomacy.

Now, all eyes will turn to next weekend's conference of Mediterranean nations in France, where for the first time the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, and the foreign minister Tzipi Livni will sit alongside their Syrian counterparts, President Assad and his foreign minister, Walid al-Muallim.

It has been speculated that Mr Olmert and Mr Assad may shake hands, an act of simple courtesy which would speak volumes about warming relations between the two, although Syrian officials have warned that Mr Assad is not yet ready to do so.

"I don't think it matters. What is more important is that these discussions are going on," said a spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry, Arye Mekel.

Mr Olmert called last week for the two sides to begin direct, face-to-face talks "very soon".

"With the Syrians, we are talking seriously and in my estimation very soon the negotiations will have to be direct. They will not be able to continue in the mode in which they are currently being held," Mr Olmert said.

The Syrian foreign minister, Mr al-Muallim, said such a meeting would be "premature" but has not ruled it out.

Mr Liel said "months" of negotiation still lie ahead to overcome the gaps between the two sides. But there is believed to have been progress on the Golan Heights, as well as on claims to fresh water in the region.

Israel has been reluctant to withdraw from the Golan because of its strategic position above Syria, while many Israelis have been so taken with its wild beauty that they have built wineries and boutique hotels. The Golan front has also been quiet for years, providing little incentive to resolve the conflict.

"The Golan Heights is considered our Tuscany. Israelis fell in love with the Golan - and it's a very easy conflict for us. That's why it's so difficult to convince Israel to withdraw," Mr Liel said.

Syria, which demands the return of all of Golan, has promised to allow Israelis to continue to enter the western part without visas, though the future of Israeli businesses and towns there is uncertain.

More seriously, the Golan provides more than half of Israel's drinking water and in this year of drought, the biblical Sea of Galilee -- known in Israel as Lake Kinneret -- is already at dangerously low levels, making Israel reluctant to give it up.

But Turkey is already said to have promised to supply more water to Syria, and possibly to the rest of the region, by drawing on the Euphrates, Tigris or Seyhan rivers. Syria has also demanded the building of a desalination plant in exchange for letting Israel continue to draw drinking water from the Golan.

By Carolynne Wheeler
www.telegraph.co.uk

This is pure insanity Israel is willing to trade its position of strength by having the Golan Heights for a position of weakness by surrendering it.

And if Barack Hussein Obama becomes President you can be sure the U.S. will give military support to Syria!!!

[MassuhDGoodName]

See?...The Arabs have many bad qualities, but they are most patient!

They set their mind on a goal (exterminating Jews) and as long as they are willing to wait while trying one method after another, they think they will succeed.

The Erev Rav Kapos in Israel's oligarchy are wanting so badly for the Europeans to view them as equal, that they'll compromise every single last Jewish man, woman, and child, in exchange for a worthless piece of paper, and one media photo op.

Arab States now realize that their key to success in annihilating all Jews in the Middle East lies today in Washington, D.C.

The American Government is going to do the dirty work for them, simply by agreeing to any plan that works towards forcing Israel to commit suicide and at the same time allows Washington to proclaim that it won over our long-time enemies such as Syria and Iran.

The military industrialists will grow ever richer by replacing the Russians as the Syrians' primary source for advanced high-tech weaponry and training, and all Assad Pencil Dick has to do to win over Washington, is to submit to one photo session shaking Olmert's (or Netanyahu's) hand.

Olmert will withdraw from all Golan, perpetrating pograms against all Jews outside of a narrow strip of land including Tel Aviv, Holon, and the western areas of Jerusalem.

He wants to walk the stage in Oslo to receive the Nobel Prize for Kike Kapo.

Here is MassuhD's prediction for America's next move against Israel--The move started by Obama to "Rid the world of ALL nuclear weapons" will be promoted in the media until a deluded populace DEMANDS it be implemented.

What will follow immediately thereafter will be the absurd claim that "It all starts and ends with Israel removing its nuclear arsenal!"...It will be proclaimed 24hrs./day through all media that the Arabs must first have the terror of Zionist nuclear threats removed, and then the other states of the Middle East will follow suit...

Unless a Kahanist Government removes the current state of Advanced Kapoism from Jerusalem, the Israelis will most gladly submit to an almost total disarmament "under the supervision of the International Community"!