The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has passed a secret message to Syria offering to return the Golan Heights as part of a broad peace deal, a well-connected Israeli newspaper reported today. There was no confirmation of the claim and Syrian diplomats were reported as saying their government had received no such overture. Meir Sheetrit, an Israeli cabinet minister, said that any future agreement with Syria would involve Israel handing over sovereignty of the Golan back to Damascus, but retaining the territory under a lease of at least 25 years.In return, Israel wants Syria to end its support for Iran, Hizbullah and armed Palestinian groups. A number of Palestinian groups have leaders based in Damascus, including notably Khaled Meshal, head of the Hamas political bureau.
| Anyone believe that Assad would honor a deal to break away from Iran and Hezbollah? Anyone? Bueller? |
Mr Olmert then sent a secret message to the Syrians through German and Turkish officials, the newspaper said. "I would like to hear from you whether, in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, Syria would be willing to fulfill its part: To gradually dissolve its alliances with Iran, Hizbullah and the Palestinian terror organizations, and to stop financing and encouraging terror," the paper quoted Mr Olmert as saying.
The report follows a series of high-profile articles in the Israeli press citing Israeli military and intelligence sources as saying Syria was building up its military on the border and may be preparing for an attack.
| Syria makes preparations for an attack, and Olmert offers them the Golan. He's hopeless. |