Israel has rejected peace talks with Syria.

Syria has been offering talks on full recognition for the past seven years - and hasn't even got a response.

That was until recently. Israel announced it would 'test' Bashar, and call his bluff by offering peace talks.

But Olmert set the bar so high that it knew Syria would say no - and that would paint Syria as the obstruction to peace in the region. Israel demanded that if the Occupied Golan Heights were returned to Syria, Syria would have to 'rent' the Golan Heights back to Israel.

So when Syria didn't immediately say no, some in Israel - and Washington - started to get a bit jittery. Olmert has now retracted his offer, saying simply that the time "isn't right".

Interesting to see where Ehud Olmert made the announcement. During talks with President Bush at the White House.

Labels: Israel, Israeli Occupied Syrian Golan Heights, Peace talks, US

Syria is rejecting rumours of behind-the-scenes peace talks with Israel. Syria's Ambassador to the UN says there are no secret talks, and Syria isn't ashamed of negotiating with Israel.

It has called for Israel to return to the negotiating table and talk publicly. Syria clearly fears more broken promises from Olmert.

Syria has been calling for peace talks for the past seven years - they were ignored. Now Israel suddenly comes up with the idea of peace talks and it is portrayed as a 'test' of Syria's commitment to peace.

Well, here's the real test. Come out and talk publicly, oh Olmert the peacemaker, instead of living in the shadows that you have inhabited for so long.

Labels: Israel, Israeli Occupied Syrian Golan Heights, Peace talks

After seven years of asking, Israel finally agreed to launch peace talks with Syria. Israel made the offer to Damascus, and Syria's deputy Foreign Minister Ahmed Arnous has unsurprisingly said yes:

"Syria is prepared to renew talks based upon the land for peace principle, without preconditions, to bring about stability and security in the region ... President Assad is perfectly straightforward regarding Syria's aspirations to renew negotiations based on the rubrics of the Madrid Conference."

Labels: Israeli Occupied Syrian Golan Heights, Peace talks

...is the deceptive headline.

Yes, Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he is willing to give Syria sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights IF Syria 'leases' the territory back to Israel for 25 years.

So, Israel is saying, we are prepared to keep your land, but admit that it is yours.

40 years of waiting - for that.

Israel says it has launched secret talks (so secret Israel has already made them public). And today, Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz says Syria has failed to respond to its generous offer.

Israel is setting Syria up to be the 'obstruction' to peace in the region.

Syria - don't forget - has been offering unconditional peace talks for the past seven years, but with no response.

Labels: Israeli Occupied Syrian Golan Heights, Peace talks

A raft of reassuring statements are coming out of Israel.

As the tension between the US and Syria continues to lessen - Condoleeza Rice and Walid Mouallem met in Egypt last week - it seems Israel is realising that it also needs to be less hostile.

The head of Israel's National Security Council Ilan Mizrahi (does he have Iranian roots?) told the parliament that "Syria's call for a renewal of the peace process is genuine".

Unpopular, embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - who can surely only survive a matter of weeks in the job - said he is committed to studying the Syrian option. Last year, when his defence minister and foreign minister openly called for talks with Syria, after the attacks on Lebanon, Olmert flatly rejected it.

Syria has been offering peace talks for 7 years - it seems now that Israel is under pressure, it is finally willing to listen.

Israel also reassured Syria it is not planning to attack: their ambassador to Washington Sallai Meridor said they have no "offensive intentions".

Labels: Israel, Peace talks

An Israeli Minister says his country is ready to start negotiating with Syria.

Syria has repeatedly offered talks with Israel over the past seven years, but Israel has ignored every call.

When US Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Damascus and announced that Israel and Syria were ready to start peace talks, she was rebuked by Israel. Now, it seems, things have changed.

Israel's Minister for Immigration and Absorption Ze’ev Boim said that Israel is ready to start talks, and it seems he has dropped Israel's preconditions that Syria end support for what it calls terrorism (Hamas and Hizbollah). Instead, Boim only says that it would be useful if Syria didn't support Hizbollah: "In order to ensure a positive outcome of the talks with Israel, President Bashar al-Assad should stop arming Hezbollah, close HAMAS and Islamic Jihad headquarters in Damascus".

It is not clear whether his statement was a slip of the tongue, or whether he actually represents Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's views. Last year, Israel's Defence Minister and Foreign Minister publicly called for talks with Syria - Olmert said no.

Labels: Israel, Israeli Occupied Syrian Golan Heights, Peace talks

Nancy Pelosi, the third most powerful US politician is in Damascus.

"We were very pleased with the reassurances we received from
the (Syrian) president that he was ready to resume the peace
process. He was ready to engage in negotiations (for) peace with
Israel," she said.

But she's already been rebuked by Israel for telling Syria Israel was ready for talks.

"(Our) meeting with the (Syrian) president enabled us to communicate a message from prime minister Olmert that Israel was ready to engage in peace talks as well," she said.

The Israel government is angry that she said that whole sentence without mentioning the compulsory words "terror" and "support". These words are issued on cards to every US politician who has to speak to the media.

Labels: Israel, Peace talks, US

Just two weeks before a crucial meeting between Syria and the US in Baghdad, Iraq's Ambassador to the UN says Syria is doing everything it can to protect the border with Iraq.

It has been a frequent American accusation that Syria isn't doing enough.

But Hamid Al Bayati praised Syria for stopping attackers crossing the border. He says other countries now need to do their bit to help: "[Syria] expected at the beginning for the Americans to give such [surveillance equipment including night vision cameras]. They said that the Americans didn't give them such equipment, so they can't guard the borders," he said.

America accuses Syria, while Iraq praises Syria but says America needs to pull its weight. Sound familiar?

Refugees in Syria - UN praises Syria for taking one million Iraqi refugees...but asks America to pull its weight.

Hariri inquiry - UN praises Syria's "full co-operation"...but says 10 countries have blocked the inquiry (thought to include America).

Peace with Israel - Israel says it wants to talk to Syria, Syria says it wants to talk to Israel...but America blocks peace talks.

Labels: Hariri inquiry, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Peace talks, UN, US

"including Iran and Syria..."

"...backed by Iran and Syria"

"hoping to split Iran from Syria..."

"...dialogue with Iran and Syria"

Again and again and again, we almost never hear the word 'Syria' in a news sentence without that other part of the rhyming couplet: Iran.

I am beginning to think this is a new country. A bit like Trinidad and Tobago, maybe?

But no, Syria is an independent state, with independent motivations and independent needs. It is not an 'and'.

It is true that Syria and Iran share a lot of goals - mainly foreign policy (Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine, the Golan Heights). But they also disagree in other areas - the role of religion and the state, for example (Syria is secular - in practise, not just name ... Iran is theocratic - in practise, not just name).

So why isn't Syria mentioned in a sentence on its own? Maybe it's a good thing - the only substantive* thing the US seems to have on Syria is that it is Iran's friend.

*The only substantive accusation? Doesn't the US blame Syria for:

(a) letting militants cross into Iraq (not according to US military commanders in Iraq, who have said that Syria has done a good job of sealing the border - it is now a political complaint, not a military one)

(b) killing former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri (the UN investigators have repeatedly said there is no conclusive evidence, despite initial accusations - furthermore, they have praised Syria's "full co-operation" with the inquiry, and complained that 20 other countries...thought to include the US...have not co-operated)

(c) sending weapons to Hizbollah (the Lebanese Defence Minister said this month that not a single weapon has come across the border from Syria)

(d) supporting Hamas and Islamic Jihad (Syria has repetedly offered peace talks with Israel - Israel has been tempted to dip its toes in the water, but Washington has ordered them to ignore Syria).

Labels: Hizbollah, Iran, Lebanon, Peace talks, US

"The United States demanded that Israel desist from even exploratory contacts with Syria," Haaretz reports.

"In meetings with Israeli officials recently, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was forceful in expressing Washington's view on the matter."

Israel wants peace, Syria wants peace, the United States wants chaos. What right does the belligerant Bush regime have to order Israel not to talk to Syria?

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has rejected talks, Israel's Defence Minister Amir Peretz and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni both want negotiations. Their time in government must surely be limited - no wonder Olmertists are portraying Peretz as short-sighted:



The greatest danger to the world is not Iran or North Korea, but the United States, according to the majority of the world's population.

Labels: Israel, Peace talks, US

Oooh, hello to the Americans dropping by from 'that' US newspaper article.

First, have a look at the status of women in Syria.

Feel free to look around. And when you're done here, if your craving for the real feelings of Syrians isn't satisfied, you must visit:

Syria Planet, it re-posts what every known Syrian blog is saying.

And have a look at Syria Comment for some of the most informed words on this beautiful country.

Don't forget - Syria wants PEACE. Syria has repeatedly asked for peace talks WITHOUT CONDITIONS with Israel and America. Why haven't we got an answer? Letters on a postcard please (or in the comments section if you can't afford a postcard).

And what about that thorny issue of democracy:

Labels: America, Israel, Peace talks, Syrian blogosphere, Video

More from ABC News's Diane Sawyer, this time on Bashar's wife Asma. A quote:
"The couple famously lives in a modest home with three children that they drive to school themselves. They still protect family dinners and even bike through villages. She has already begun programs to excite Syria's children about business and challenge them to compete in a global world."

Before we get started, this is a must see - oh my god, her accent is SO English. (The video content is different to the article below).

Syria's First Lady Wants New Conversation With West
ABC News, New York

Feb. 6, 2007 — Her husband, the president of Syria, is crazy about her. Asma Akhras Al-Assad is the first lady of Syria.

Her Syrian title is "al akilatu al rais" — simply translated to "the president's wife." But make no mistake, this beautiful, athletic woman is a force for her country's future.

"Good Morning America" anchor Diane Sawyer first saw her at one of her charity projects called Basma, which means "smile" in Arabic. The charity supports a cancer center.

She sent word she was not ready to give on-camera interviews, but greeted the crew warmly and in her perfect British English ventured a statement about the cause.

"A real example of the way that Syrians from all walks of life have come together and taken responsibility and making a real difference in their communities," Assad said.

Later, Sawyer met her at one of her private offices overlooking Damascus at sunset, where the pair sat for two hours, talking about Assad's country in the new century and her life.

She grew up very much part of two worlds. Born in Britain, she is the daughter of a Syrian cardiologist and speaks perfect Arabic, French and Spanish.

After college she says she loved working on Wall Street in New York and in Paris and London as a banker with J.P. Morgan. She was contemplating an MBA at Harvard.

In 2000, she decided to marry a family acquaintance — a tall quiet man who happened to be Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

After the private wedding, she spent three months out of view, traveling quietly, sometimes anonymously in jeans and a T-shirt, to meet the people of her country, take note of hopes and needs, sit among the farmers to ask about their crops and devise plans for microloans she passionately tries to promote today.

Her official introduction to the world came when she and her husband returned to England to meet the queen.

The couple famously lives in a modest home with three children that they drive to school themselves. They still protect family dinners and even bike through villages. She has already begun programs to excite Syria's children about business and challenge them to compete in a global world.

"She's an amazing woman. Ever since she got here she got deep into things in every single sector," said Thala Khair, founder of a Syrian private school. "As much as she's working for women's rights, she's working on children's rights and culture."

The cancer center where we first met her is breaking ground in Syria — the private and public sector working together. The children show her pictures they drew in therapy — drawings with names like "magic."

So while the world debates the intentions of her husband on the world's stage, the two of them remain symbols of a new generation in the Middle East. The former doctor and the former banker were schooled in England, are steeped in Syria and, she might say, are asking the West for a new conversation about a new day.

Labels: Asma Al-Assad, Bashar Al-Assad, Peace talks, Social issues, Video

They want to interfere in other countries' business and damage chances for peace in the Middle East.

Sound familiar?

But it's not Syria. It's America.

According to Alon Liel (former head of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the Syrian government - America is blocking a peace deal between Syria and Israel.

Syria AND Israel want peace. America doesn't want them to do a deal.

America has got its hands deep in other pies in the region too.

Of course we've got the occupation of Iraq, and the colony of Israel.

In the past few days we've heard Sa'ad Al-Hariri (Lebanon's spiritual leader) blame Iran for Lebanon's tension. We've heard Egypt blame Iran for the murder of a diplomat in Iraq in 2003. And today we've had Mahmoud Abbas blaming Iran for formenting civil war in Palestine.

Co-incidence? Or do puppets all speak the words of their puppet master?

Labels: America, Israel, Peace talks