**Israel should return Golan for peace with Syria: minister **
Israeli Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said on Monday that in return for a genuine peace with Syria, it would be legitimate for Israel to give back Golan Heights, Army Radio reported. Dichter said that he would be willing to cede the Golan Heights, which was captured from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War, adding that meant a return to the internationally recognized border. “In return for a true peace with Syria or with Lebanon, I think that what we did with Egypt and with Jordan is legitimate here as well,” Dichter was quoted as saying. In exchange for return of all of the Sinai peninsula, which was taken by Israel in the 1967 war, Egypt fully normalized relations with the Jewish state in their 1979 peace treaty. Jordan also developed full relations with Israel in a 1994 treaty that included some return of territory. If a viable party exists on the other side, then holding peace talks with Syria is legitimate, Dichter said. Despite the breakdown of the peace process with the Palestinians, Dichter said that the failures of the land-for-peace strategy should not rule out such a principle in the future. However, Dichter’s remarks were immediately slammed by rightist politicians. Knesset (parliament) member Yuval Steinitz said that “it would be folly to give up the Golan in an effort to achieve some agreement with Syria, stable or not.” “The Golan Heights is a part of the state of Israel. It bears critical importance for the security of the state, the peace of the state, its ability to drink (water) and to make the desert bloom in this difficult region,” said Steinitz. The Heights, a plateau on the border of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, was captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 Middle East War. Although Syria regained parts of the Heights during the 1973 Middle East War, large areas of the strategic plateau have remained under Israeli control.
Re: Withdraw from Syria's Golan Heights say Israeli minister
Zion's weaknesses have been exposed. They won't recover from this for a long time. If they can be beaten by Hezbullah anti-tank rockets, then just imagine the damage the Syrian short-range and medium range ballistic missiles could do.
Re: Withdraw from Syria's Golan Heights say Israeli minister
If i would have been in Israel position, I would opt for friendship with all its neibhours and then solving Palestine will be very easy for them.
at the moment they are fighting inside and outside always, no army in the world will be able to carry on life long fighting an un ending war.
Re: Withdraw from Syria's Golan Heights say Israeli minister
After it's defeat in Lebanon it makes sense for Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights as soon as possible. If they withdraw from the territory (and the Shebaa farms) it will lead to peace with two countries - Syria + Lebanon.
Re: Withdraw from Syria's Golan Heights say Israeli minister
Israel is doing what it should to, damage control. They know they have lost the war and enormous amount of political credibility not only in world but also among friends. By playing the friendship card, no matter how two-faced, they are slowly trying to make the case of a peaceful country that wants to live freely among its neighbors. Let us see whether Arab leaders are intelligent, enough to pin point Israel’s motives and get involve in this political dialogue. They defiantly have an upper hand when Israel has lost the war in Lebanon and America is in quagmire in Iraq. It is for them to take the initiative, be uniting as Arabs and take control of their destiny. If they do not, I am afraid they will remain what they been for so many years. Ignorant and fanatics….
Re: Withdraw from Syria's Golan Heights say Israeli minister
it was called by all parties after Arabs pressured UN to issue one...
look i understand how you feel
after years and years of arab defeats in the hands of the israelis, anything which doesnt resemble a complete annhiliation of arab armies is considered a victory
however, you must remember, that israel fought a gureilla war
Re: Withdraw from Syria's Golan Heights say Israeli minister
Stop worrying about my feelings and check the facts and stats on how Israel conducted this war, which murdered about 1000 innocent civilians most of them were women and children, some victory?? Let us not go over what Israel did before that 4-week long war, where they occupied a country for 18 years and had to withdraw. Where they previously killed UN members, innocent civilians in Qana and all over Lebanon, I know how it feels when the only relevant thing someone remembers is how good the female journalist looks.
Re: Withdraw from Syria's Golan Heights say Israeli minister
The deaths of 1,000 of Lebanese is a direct result of Hezbollah using lebanese civilians as human shileds for their katusha rockets.
As for the UN members. That was an accicdent even Kofi Annan acknowledged as such.
I agree!. We have showed Hezbollah a greater strenght and to what extent we could go further to eliminate terrorists. As an any israeli, my heart goes to labanese civilians and victims along the lines of israeli citizens who are being effected. Secondly, we must withdraw from occupied territories and namely Golan heights to achieve peace in the region.
Re: Withdraw from Syria's Golan Heights say Israeli minister
We should first understand what the reason Israel went to war with Lebanon. Those kidnap soldiers who were capture inside Lebanese territory. Hezbollah protects its people from Israel who occupied Lebanon for over 15 years and bombs its civilians indiscriminately and when the war was on its last hours drops 100,000 cluster bombs that will effect the South Lebanese for decades and all to eliminates this fact is…my heart goes out to them.
Speaking of Israeli strenght, how many Hezbollah members did they kill during this war?