The syrians have to make it look look like they fought to get back the golan. same optics as with their friends in gaza. the hostilities from that area are due only to the fact that it was handed to them on a silver platter thereby denying them the 'honour' of having had to fight and to be killed for it. therefore, they are in the process of making it look as if the israelis lost the area because of the hamas macho bravado.

Did Assad suggest any preconditions to negotiations?

Syria will do anything iran asks it to do and its obvious this is not a genuine offer and is purely a tactic to divert the attention away from Irans ,nuclear ambitions, Hezbollahs re-arming and the Hariri inquest., all whih Syria is implicated in. The arabs see a weak israeli government willing to comprimise with terrorists, and are acting accordingly so. Olmert and all the leftie fools need to go......NOW

Assad, in a mean spirited attack, told visiting Pope John Paul II that Muslims and Christians should join together against the Jews, “who try to kill the principles of all religions with the same mentality which they betrayed Jesus Christ and the same way they tried to betray the Prophet Mohammed.” The Pope stood there silent. The Vatican did not even denounce these hateful words later. European nations said nothing. Now this reviler wants to talk peace? Why should we give our precious land to an enemy aggressor? Syria hates Israel. Syria took part in several aggressive wars against the Jewish state from the Golan Heights. They fired down on farmers from the Golan for many years. Syria and Iran give aid to Hezbollah. What do we have to do with Syria?

an agreement or treaty between warring or antagonistic nations, groups, etc., to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism: the Peace of Ryswick. a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, esp. in personal relations: Try to live in peace with your neighbors. (dictionary.com) - isnt this what peace is? according to syria peace is land. peace is not land and thats why assad is not serious about peace. land is something to be discussed after peace, after harmony is established. you dont give up the most strategic border of your country and then hope the other side upholds their side of the bargain - thats bribery. once we can have a true peace with syria and respect each other, then we can give back the golan because we are now friends. you dont give back land because you are otherwise being threatened with war.

..and immediately. We do NOT accept that the Syrians and Israelis decide our fate. We should contact Israel and start negotiations NOW

Syria: you either give us the Golan or we'll attack you. Israel: Ok, Ok, don't attack us please. How much you want? All the Golan? Here take it. But don't hurt me, please.

Assad and israel are just lying themselves for public and international opinion. Both sides want to trick the other with 'peace' gestures while they amass their stocks of weapons and armies. In a few years, we will probably have a major war in the region. So much for peace. #7 Akram: Speak for yourself. WE dont want peace especially one that is based on a lie. Our fate is not tied to syria.

As you call it "our precious land" which is totally wrong ,Golan was Syrian and it will be back to Syria , I am so sure about that , for me and many other Syrians also wee don't hate Israel because it is Israel , we hate the way that your dump poiticians act, War has never been the answer ,and if we aid Hizbullah and Hamas , then all the word aid Israel , think twice and you feel that the answer is Peace in the Middle East ,and peace without Syria is impossible in the ME

Iran , that is a joke , no one in Syria likes Iran , Syrian culture is totally different that Iraninan one , but as long as the Israelis are beeing fooled with the US dumb policy , Syria will go closer with Iran ,

i am petrified for israel and the jewish people. it seems like the world is spiralling towards complete chaos. the rhetoric and doublespeak surrounding this whole syria issue is very thick and murky. (does anyone know what arab media is saying about all of this?) we have: iran starting the countdown to israel's destruction...massing of syrian forces at the golan...iran and egypt renewing diplomatic ties...i mean honestly, how could peace even be on the table? everyone here is correct, it is obvious. syria has always been the biggest problem in the middle east, and it is crystal clear that returning to golan to them will not cause them to:break ties with iran...cause iran to chill out...dismantle hezbollah... honestly, how scary is all of this!?!?! olmert is actoally gona talk to syria about peace. everyone in this talkback is right...the talks will give the arabs the last minute effort they need to prepare for the war. the talks will keep weak leadership in office just long enough until the war plans are finalized. olmert and co. must be deposed. a vote of non-confidence? is that possible in israel? arent people frightened over there?!?! to b continued...

It's jewish land and will always remain in Israel. It will never be given to Syria, you can forget about it.

I am a member of "Christians United For Israel" and the "International Fellowship of Christians and Jews". There is a chapter in the Bible called “Zechariah 12”. I can't help but think of what Zechariah 12 says with all that is going on. With Iran, China, and Russia providing weapons support for the Syrian military build up on the Israeli border I find it very difficult to deny the similarities between what is happening today and what it says in Zechariah 12. It is just something for you to think about and my way of offering some hope to all Jews and Christians. If you wish to read Zechariah 12, you can go here or just look it up: http://www.ebible.com/bible/KJV/Zechariah%2012 Shalom, Robert Thompson

Olmert is such a pathetic dhimmi.

peace talks, syria is trying to divert attention from one and only thing at this moment, the Hariri investigation........

Any offer of land for peace by Israel is seen as a sign of weakness by the Arab world. No such offer should ever be put on the table by Israel..

1The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. 2Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. 4In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. 5And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God. 6In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. 7The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 8In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. 9And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 14All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.