Netanyahu and withdrawal from the Golan
Syria-Israel, Politics, 3/5/1999

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that he is not ready to pay the price demanded by Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. Netanyahu said there are very "expensive and dear positions" on the Syrian front including "Jabal al-Sheikh, positions stand against occupying Israel." Therefore, he said, "I am not ready to pay a price against having peace with Syria."

In statements he made on Tuesday night, Netanyahu added, "President Hafez al-Assad asks for everything, but without showing any readiness to give anything. I am ready to negotiate with President al-Assad, and I will do so."

Netanyahu added that the initiative made by chairman of the Israeli Labor Party, Ehud Barak, concerning Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon just one year after he assumed power in Israel (as prime minister) constitutes a danger to Israel, because all the Syrians, the Lebanese and the Hizbullah will have nothing to do after Barak's initiative and will not have to hold negotiations or security agreements with Israel.

Netanyahu added: "I will withdraw from south Lebanon, but only when I will be sure a reasonable portion of security for the people of north Israel has reached a situation when the Katyusha can not be fired in the Gulf of Haifa."

For his part, chairman of the religious Shas movement, Arieh Daree, said a government to be formed after the Knesset elections will hold negotiations with Syria and will pay a painful price in order to achieve peace with this country. He added there will be no formula such as peace for the sake of peace.

Previous Stories:
  Netanyahu and peace with Syria   (2/11/1999)
  Syrian ambassador in Washington denies statement broadcast by Israeli radio   (2/5/1999)
  Secret committee surveys properties of Israelis in the Golan   (1/12/1999)

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