Syria: No negotiations took place

Following Haaretz report on unofficial document of understandings reached between Israel and Syria, senior Foreign Ministry official in Damascus says, 'Report is completely false.' Former Prime Minister Sharon's bureau chief Dov Weisglass tells Ynet report is baseless

Ronny Sofer and Reuters |Published: 01.16.07 , 11:00

Denials from all directions. A senior Syrian Foreign Ministry official on Tuesday morning denied the Haaretz report on secret talks held between Israel and Syria, which led to a document of understandings.

"No negotiations took place, the Haaretz report is completely false," the official said.

Israeli officials also denied the report. Sources at the Prime Minister's Office said that they were unfamiliar with alleged agreements between Israel and Syria on the secret channel reported.

Report

'Israel, Syria reach secret understandings'

Ronny Sofer

Haaretz reports that document of understandings for peace agreement formulated in series of unofficial meetings between representatives from Israel, Syria and Europe. According to document, Israel will withdraw from Golan Heights to lines of June 4, 1967; Syrian areas east of Golan to be demilitarized, park to be set up in order to allow Israel to retain control over use of waters of Jordan River, Lake Kinneret

Report: Israel, Syria reach secret understandings

Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's bureau chief Dov Weisglass told Ynet that "the Haaretz report is baseless. Sharon was never updated on such negotiations. Someone may have said something once, but it's on the level of gossip. There was no such thing in practice."

Dr. Alon Liel, who took part in the talks, said that "the headline might seem misleading." According to him, the report hints that an agreement was formulated, while there were only contacts.

According to the Haaretz report, representatives from Israel and Syria , who have been holding talks for about two years, reached a document of understanding for a peace agreement between the two countries.

The unofficial talks were held with the knowledge of senior official in the government of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and later in the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

'Syria agrees to end its support for Hizbullah'

According to the report, Israel agreed to withdraw from the Golan Heights to the lines of June 4, 1967. The timetable for the withdrawal remains open.

Syria demanded that the withdrawal will be carried out over a five-year period, while Israel asked to spread out the withdrawal over 15 years.

It was also agreed that militarized areas would be set up in the Golan Heights territories evacuated by the Israeli forces. Areas of lowered military presence would be set up in Israel, west of the international border, and in Syria, east of the Golan Heights. The ratio in terms of territory would be 1:4 in favor of Israel.

On the water issue, it was agreed that Israel would retain control over the use of the waters of the Jordan River and Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee). A park would be set up east of the border, which both Israelis and Syrians would be free to access and which would be run by the Syrians.

The park would be set up after the Israeli withdrawal is completed and the Syrian sovereignty is implemented, and would be open to Israelis without Syrian approval. The park would be located on a significant part of the Golan Heights.

Syria also agreed to end its support for Hizbullah and Hamas and distance itself from Iran.

'A journalistic fabrication'

Prof. Eyal Zisser, head of the Department of Middle Eastern and African History at Tel Aviv University, told Ynet that "this is no more than a journalistic fabrication. On the one side there were good Israelis who wanted to promote the issue and themselves, and on the other side there are always the same Syrians who want to advance the issue and themselves, and they held talks."

According to Zisser, "I assume this is what happened and that the governments knew about it. That's all."

He added that "there is nothing new in the fact that the two sides are interested in keeping the dialogue channels open, but are not ready for an agreement."

According to Zisser, "The Syrian side is interested in a dialogue in principle, but is not determined and is not ready to exert the required efforts. No one expects a Syrian living in the United States for many years to really be a serious representative, while Alon Liel is not an authorized representative of the State of Israel and is not the country's confidant. He is one of the people who are on the margins."

He added that "Israel in principle should always try and reach peace, but I definitely understand the prime minister who is deterred by it at the moment. The Syrians are tough clients who are unwilling to do the minimum in order to reach peace. When you have such a client, when there are difficult internal problems and when the Americans object, it is clear that one would fear negotiations."

Prof. Yitzhak Ben Israel head of the Security Studies Program at Tel Aviv University, also believes that the report on the understandings was not serious.

"There is nothing serious in what was reported. I assume that what they had there were drafts of talks, but there have always been talks between the Israeli governments and Syria which have not developed into agreements – sometimes because of the Syrians and sometimes because of the Israelis."

According to Ben Israel, "The question whether we should talk to Syria is a tactical question – what you gain and what you lose. At the moment, there is no reason for Israel to rescue Syria, which is now under pressure. There is no reason for us to make their lives easier."