Syria on Monday denied Israeli and US accusations that it supports âterrorismâ, stressing its commitment to a full and lasting peace with the neighbouring Jewish state. âSyria does not sponsor or back terrorism, but it does side with the Lebanese resistance seeking to liberate Lebanese territory from Israeli occupation,â the official daily Tishrin quoted Information Minister Ahmad al-Hassan as saying.
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He pointed the finger at Israel for hampering the chances of peace.âItâs Israel which (rejected) a series of peace deals with the Palestinians, including the roadkill roadmap,â he said, referring to the US-backed initiative bogged down in stalemate.
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âSyria is ready to restart the peace process (with Israel) based on the principle of full peace in exchange for land,â said Hassan. âSyria is committed to a just and complete peace based on Israelâs withdrawal from all land occupied in 1967 and the granting to Palestinians of their legitimate rights,â he added. During previous talks with former Syrian president Hafez al-Assad, Basharâs father, then Israeli premier Ehud Barak agreed to an almost total withdrawal from the Golan Heights, save for a narrow strip of land bordering the eastern bank of the Sea of Galilee. But Damascus rejected the proposal, wanting the return of all of the strategic plateau Israel occupied in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed in 1981. |