Sharon: Negotiations with Damascus means the return back of the Golan
Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/20/2004

A member in the Israeli Knesset said that the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, warned members of the Israeli Knesset yesterday that making talks with Damascus means by the ultimate end the return back of the Syrian occupied Golan heights, which is occupied since 1967, to Syria.

The source which asked to be anonymous said that Sharon stressed before the foreign affairs and defense committee in the Knesset that "Israel has to know that negotiations with Syria will lead Israel by the end to give up the Golan Heights."

Parliamentarians in the Likud Party, which is led by Sharon said in statements to the Israeli radio, that Sharon rules out thereby nearby resumption of talks with Damascus.

However, The Israeli TV channel II quoted Sharon as saying that Israel will not return back the Golan heights to Syria even for a complete peace with her.

His statements came days after the Israeli President, Moshe Katsaf, to the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, to visit Israel and start direct peace negotiations. Then Katsaf said that President al-Assad should prove his seriousness towards what he had recently proposed concerning peace with Israel.

Earlier an Israeli ministerial committee decided to increase the number of the agricultural settlements on the Golan by 50%, in a step considered by observers as an Israeli cling to the heights. The committee ratified the accelerations of a plan to build 900 houses in the settlement. A matter which will lead to increasing the number of settlers from 10.500 to 15,000 settlers.

However, the strategic Golan heights extends on an area of 1200 square Km. It includes a huge reservoir of mineral waters and was inhabited by thousands of Israelis in 18 settlements following its occupation by the Israeli forces in 1967. N.

Previous Stories:
  Katsaf invites al-Assad for negotiations in secret or in open, without conditions   (1/14/2004)
  Syrian official statement on peace with Israel   (1/13/2004)
  Israel threatens Syria of more raids   (1/8/2004)

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