Yisrael Beitenu MK supports talks with Syria

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has seen nothing but scathing criticism lobbed at him from Opposition parties ever since the renewed negotiations with Syria were revealed.

But while Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu asserted Olmert "has no mandate to negotiate on Israel's behalf," MK Israel Hasson of Yisrael Beitenu broke the Right's ranks on Monday, stepping forward to strengthen the prime minister.

"I support negotiations with Syria," he said, "anyone who can see ahead understands that an agreement with Syria, without discussing the price right now, is clearly in Israel's interest. Anyone who dismisses the need for negotiations is mistaken."

Hasson went further, objecting to claims that Olmert's leadership has been crippled. "It is wrong to call him a weak leader, in my opinion. At least from Syria's angle. I think the Syrians see Olmert as a very strong leader who won't blink, they see before them a leader who did not hesitate to go to war. They see a leader who, during negotiations, went forth and destroyed their facility in Deir al-Zur. They attribute the assassination of Imad Mugniyeh to him, also in the middle of talks.

"So they are sitting in front of a man and say to themselves, 'he isn't going to blink, we can't play games with him,' If they thought he was weak they just would have called it off."

As for ceding the Golan Heights as part of a final peace agreement, Hasson suggested a solution in which Israel would lease the land from Damascus.

"There are other ways to deal with the Golan, which Israel can realize without harming the accords and without risking national security. I support the negotiations, but, having said that – until the country isn't at peace for two or three generations, it should not take needless risks like withdrawing from the Golan."