The Israeli government did a U-turn on its policy involving negotiations with Syria, stating that Jerusalem would only agree to direct talks with Damascus instead of moderated talks through Turkish officials. Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon stated in an interview with Reuters that moderated talks were clearly failing and that only through direct negotiations could Israel and Syria come to an agreement on the Golan Heights, support for terrorism, and an overall peace agreement to end their decades-long struggle. Ayalon praised the Turkish efforts while placing blame squarely on Damascus for failing to invest in peace negotiations. The negotiations through Turkey ceased following Operation Cast Lead although Turkish officials have indicated their desire to renew the process.
Many observers of the Middle East contend that Syria represents the lynch-pin to disarmament of terror groups, preventing a nuclear Iran, and establishing a viable Israel-Palestine peace process. Syria reportedly supports multiple terror groups and maintains its alliance with Iran. By putting Syria in the “peace camp,” Iran and many terror groups would lose a significant ally in the region and therefore feel pressure to ascribe to the Obama administration’s peace and nuclear nonproliferation initiatives.
In the interview, Ayalon stated:
“If they [Syria] are really serious on peace, and not just a peace process which may serve them to extricate them from international isolation, if they are really serious, they will come and sit with us.”
Photo taken from ynetnews.com.