Assad: Peace talks with Israel hindered by Obama inaction – Haaretz – Israel News.

By Haaretz Service

Tags: Israel news, Bashar Assad

French President Nicolas Sarkozy will deliver a message from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Syrian leader Bashar Assad during the latter’s visit to Paris on Friday, relaying Israel’s desires to renew peace negotiations immediately without preconditions.The French newspaper La Figaro on Friday quoted Assad as saying that U.S. President Barack Obama represented a weak point in the efforts to renew negotiations. “The American godfather needs to draw up a plan of action and take his own initiative, not wait for others,” said the Syrian President.   According to the pan-Arab satellite television station Al Arabiya, Netanyahu has expressed willingness to withdraw from the Golan to the borders of June 4, 1967. Netanyahu also reportedly stressed that he is interested in a meeting with Assad, without preconditions. The Prime Minister’s Bureau on Thursday denied reports that Netanyahu had relayed a message to Assad. However, political sources in Jerusalem said that Netanyahu is also examining the possibility that France will replace Turkey as a mediator between Israel and Syria. In recent days the Syrian president has made a number of declarations on peace with Israel. Earlier this week he warned that if negotiations fail this would lead to “resistance” as an alternative. Speaking at the forum of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Istanbul, Assad explained that “resistance to occupation is a national obligation,” calling it “a moral obligation and legitimate, and something to be proud of.” However, Assad also said that resistance “does not contradict his permanent wish to achieve a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the return of occupied territory.” On Wednesday, Assad said he does not propose any preconditions for negotiations with Israel. “Resistance is the reality of our policy in the past and in the future. We have no preconditions for peace, but we cannot ignore our rights,” he said. Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi reiterated in recent weeks his support for the resumption of peace talks with Syria. “We should not be disheartened by Assad,” he said during private conversations. The defense establishment has been steadily in favor of resuming talks with Syria. A source present in meetings where Ashkenazi spoke said that the chief of staff explained that “Israel has a strategic interest in disassociating Syria from the extremist axis that Iran is leading.” “Syria is not lost,” Ashkenazi declared. “Assad is western educated and is not a religious man. He can still join a moderate grouping.” The issue of talks with Syria is one of the few things on which Ashkenazi and Defense Minister Ehud Barak see eye to eye. Barak recently said in Tel Aviv that “we should not belittle the signals of peace coming from Syria.

Hamas tells Red Cross: Israel planning another war in Gaza – Haaretz – Israel News.

By Haaretz Service

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has warned that Israel is planning another offensive on the Gaza Strip, Iran’s Press TV reported on Friday. The Israel Defense Forces has not yet responded to the report.   According to Haniyeh, it is Israel and not Hamas that is intent on keeping the conflict going between the two sides. Hamas is “not looking for more violence,” Haniyeh told a group of Red Cross delegates visiting the Gaza Strip earlier this week.   The Hamas leader, who was elected to head the movement’s cabinet and took over leadership of Gaza after a bloody 2007 coup deposed Palestinian Authority in the coastal territory, told the delegates that he hoped his prediction of war would not come into fruition. Haniyeh said that should such an offensive occur, Hamas would be prepared to retaliate. “Our people will not surrender; they will fight back,” Prime Minister Haniyah’s office said, in a statement. He also said he hoped that “the world will stop Israel from killing more children,” according to the Iranian network. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi this week told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Hezbollah is in possession of missiles with a range of 300-325 kilometers. At the same meeting, Ashkenazi said that the army was carrying out numerous investigations into its soldiers’ conduct during the war in Gaza earlier this year and was willing to look into any complaint of misconduct. His comments came amid an international frenzy over a UN-commissioned report accusing both Israel and Hamas of war crimes during the January conflict. Israel has denounced the Goldstone report as one-sided and biased. “The [Goldstone] report and the claims that came out of it necessitate some sort of response,” said IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, of a UN-commissioned report that accuses both Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes during the offensive in the Gaza Strip earlier this year

Middle East News | Syria’s Assad in Paris for talks with Sarkozy.

Meeting likely to focus on Israeli-Syrian peace talks

Syria’s Assad in Paris for talks with Sarkozy

Assad’s visit comes at the heels of Netanyahu’s talks with Sarkozy

PARIS (Al Arabiya, AFP)

Syrian President Bashar al-Asad hailed a “climate of trust” with France ahead of a visit Friday for talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on prospects for Israeli-Syrian talks.

“A year and a half after the resumption of good relations between France and Syria, we have first of all built a climate of trust and we can, now, elaborate a clearer vision for the future,” he told the paper.

Assad’s visit comes at the heels of talks between Sarkozy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu asked Sarkozy to pass a letter to Syria calling for the resumption of peace negotiations between the two countries, Al Arabiya TV reported citing a French source.

Relations between France and Syria have been warming since Assad paid a landmark visit to Paris last year for Bastille Day celebrations and Sarkozy visited Damascus two months later in Sept. 2008.

But the Syrian leader said that “we haven’t yet reached a revival of trust between Syria and the United States,” and called on Obama to do more for the stalled Middle East peace process.

“What President Obama said about peace was a good thing. We agree with him on the principles, but… what is the plan of action? The (peace process) sponsor must come up with a plan of action,” he said.

Assad also repeated his position that Damascus must review a partnership agreement with the European Union, which had been due to be signed in October, calling on the bloc to have “more political independence.”

“The Europeans have turned completely towards the United States, to Syria’s detriment. A partner must be a friend and we haven’t noticed that from Europe these last years,” he said.

Damascus and the EU first drew up the draft partnership pact in 2004 but it was never signed by European countries, amid concerns by some nations of rights abuse in Syria.

DEBKAfile – Extraordinary US-Israel-Egyptian-Jordanian intelligence summit held in early November.

November 12, 2009, 11:34 PM (GMT+02:00)

Mossad chief Meir Dagan

The crisis over Iran’s nuclear program and possible outbreak of a regional war occasioned an extraordinary secret conclave of the intelligence chiefs of four nations in Amman in the first week of November, DEBKAfile‘s military and intelligence sources disclose. Hosted by the chief of Jordan’s General Intelligence Service, Gen. Muhammad Raqed, it was attended by senior officials of the American CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency, Israel’s Mossad chief, Meir Dagan and military intelligence head Brig. Amos Yadlin and Egypt’s intelligence minister, Gen. Omar Suleiman. As soon as the meeting ended, Suleiman set out for Riyadh to brief the head of Saudi general intelligence Prince Moqrin bin Abdul Aziz.

Our sources add that the unpublicized get-together took place just a few days before Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and US president Barack Obama conversed at the White House Monday, Nov. 9. They therefore had its conclusions before them when they talked. Two days later, Netanyahu passed input from the intelligence summit to French president Nicolas Sarkozy when he stopped over in Paris.

It was the first time Israel had taken part in a secret meeting of Middle East intelligence chiefs whose purpose was to coordinate their steps.

DEBKAfile – Iran was the only subject on the Obama-Netanyahu, Gates-Barak agendas.

November 12, 2009, 11:15 AM (GMT+02:00)

Prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu arrives at White House

Prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama focused on the single subject of Iran when they met in Washington Monday, Nov. 9 – as did Netanyahu and French president Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 11. Iran also occupied the meeting between defense minster Ehud Barak and US defense secretary Robert Gates Monday. DEBKAfile‘s Washington sources disclose that briefings to the media and joint communiqués were disallowed for the sake of blacking out the content of the conversations Israeli leaders held in Washington and Paris.

Leaked reports that the Palestinian issue and Mahmoud Abbas’ future were discussed in Washington and peace talks with Syria in Paris were window-dressing, as were the power games widely reported as leading up to the Netanyahu’s reception at the White House.

The conversation in Sarkozy’s private apartment at the Elysee was a continuation of Netanyahu’s talks with Obama two days earlier and marked their coalescence around the next steps on Iran.

Back home, the defense minister stressed the importance of “not discounting the peace signals coming of late from Syria” and said that “many barriers fell” at the Netanyahu-Obama meeting “recreating a good foundation for renewing the peace process and reaching accord with our Palestinian neighbors.”

This statement was part of the smoke screen set up by mutual consent to conceal the content of Barak and the prime minister’s overseas meetings. It was necessary to addressing the minister’s need to bolster his shaky position as leader of the left-leaning Labor party and lift Israel’s image in Europe which is fixated on the Palestinian issue.

At the same time, a very senior American official told DEBKAfile that his description of falling barriers between President Obama and prime minister was spot on and deserved a full stop. The rest of his comment applied to Israeli politics.

Middle East Views | Al-Assad’s surprising advice.

Tariq Alhomayed

The Syrian President surprised both Turkish and Arab public opinion when he advised Turkey on the importance of cultivating good relations with Israel, as this would allow Turkey to perform the role of mediator between Damascus and Tel Aviv. [Syrian] President Bashar al-Assad made this comment whilst answering a question put to him by the Turkish “Hurriyet” newspaper on whether he approved of Islamic countries having bad relations with Europe and Israel, or whether [Islamic] countries should cultivate good relations with Europe and coexist with Israel.

Assad’s answer was that “if Turkey wishes to help us on the subject of Israel then it must have good relations with this country” adding “otherwise how else can it [Turkey] play a role in the peace process?”

What the Syrian President said is completely true, and the popularity that Turkey has gained as a result of the straining of its relations with Israel is not useful, especially if Ankara wishes to have a role in the peace process and the region’s issues. Of course such issues also include Iran, and this is particularly important as the most recent statements from Turkey made by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the Iranian nuclear file revealed a flexibility contrary to that of the Western or Arab position. This surprised many people, and raised concerns over Turkey’s position [towards Iran]. Turkey no longer appears to be holding the middle ground, but exists on one extreme after it came out appearing to defend Iran. It is true that while Arab countries have not publicly objected to the Turkish statements [defending Iran] they remain doubtful about Ankara’s sincerity and the helpfulness of Turkey becoming involved in regional issues.

Therefore Turkey’s position towards Israel, whether its protest on what took place in Gaza or Israel’s intransigence on the peace process, does not mean that the Turks should join the ranks of the frustrated. There is no frustration in politics, only hard work and interests which can be influenced; this is not something that is made more feasible by boycott or chasing after popularity.

Unfortunately, and as politicians know well, the most important decisions are often the most unpopular ones, however it is up to the politicians to discuss these issues and enlighten public opinion on their implications. On the issue of the Turkish position, there are important Turkish issues which must not be affected by this, most notably the Turkish project to join the European Union, especially as part of this is for Turkey to be a bridge between the West and the Arab world.

Therefore the Syrian President did well to give this advice to the Turks publicly rather than behind closed doors, for if Turkey wishes to be helpful and engaged in the issues of the region rather than chasing after popularity, it has no choice but to have an open door policy to everybody, including Israel. This does not mean Turkey throwing themselves into the arms of the Jewish State, nor does it mean throwing themselves into the arms of Iran, for as much hostility as there is in the region towards Israel, there are also fears of Tehran’s intentions.

If Mr. Erdogan wants to play an influential role in the region he has no other choice but to take up the middle ground, otherwise we have nothing more than a long queue of people chasing after popularity and chanting slogans without firing a shot to liberate Arab lands, and even if shots are fired, more often than not they are fired in our direction, rather than towards Israel.

Report: Netanyahu ready to discuss Golan pullout – Haaretz – Israel News.

By Avi Issacharoff and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service

(This is part of the preparation for the attack on Iran.  Gives Syria a motive to keep out of the fighing…)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to deliver a message from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Syrian President Bashar Assad that expresses Israel’s willingness to withdraw from the Golan Heights as part of a peace deal between the two countries, Arabic-language satellite TV channel Al Arabiya reported on Thursday.Israel’s readiness to engage in talks with its neighbor to the north is genuine, the Al Arabiya report cited Netanyahu’s missive as saying, adding that Netanyahu has already agreed to a Golan withdrawal in principle, and that now was the time to discuss the details.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu said that Israel would be prepared to hold immediate peace negotiations with Syria, as long as the talks were held without preconditions.

Netanyahu made the remarks in response to a question from Sarkozy, with whom he met for more than an hour and a half in Paris on Wednesday. Their talks focused on reviving Middle East peace efforts and Iran’s contentious nuclear program.

After the meeting, the two shook hands but did not speak to reporters.

In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Sarkozy said they agreed to employ all efforts toward immediately reviving the peace process. No agreement was reached on the issue of freezing construction in West Bank settlements, however, a demand which has topped the agenda for Palestinians and the United States.

Their statement also said they discussed international efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear program in light of latest evolutions, referring to Iran’s apparent rejection of an international proposal to send Iranian uranium abroad for enrichment.

Their meeting took place just days after Netanyahu met with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington for low-profile talks.

Netanyahu’s declaration regarding Syria came hours after Assad said he would not set any preconditions for peace negotiations with Israel.

“Resistance is the essence of our policy in the past and in future. We have no conditions to achieve peace but rather rights and we will not abandon them,” Assad said in a speech opening the 5th Conference of the Arab Parties titled “The Independent Arab Decision.”

Assad will also be in Paris later this week for talks with Sarkozy.

Hezbollah: All of Israel within our range – Israel News, Ynetnews.

In response to Ashkenazi’s warning of Israeli retaliation in face of attack, Hezbollah says, ‘Enemy knows any attack will bring about its total defeat that will result in end of its entity’

Roee Nahmias

Ahmadinejad to Obama: Choose between Israel and Iran – Haaretz – Israel News.

Last update – 11:12 11/11/2009

Ahmadinejad to Obama: Choose between Israel and Iran

By Haaretz Service and News Agencies

//

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that the U.S. must choose between supporting Israel or Iran, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported. Ahmadinejad addressed the 25th Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Turkey, saying that U.S. President Barack Obama should make a choice in order to fulfill his campaign promise of change. The Iranian president said that in order to make change, big decisions must be made, and they are awaiting the U.S. president’s correct decision regarding which country he supports, IRNA reported. Ahmadinejad added that Iran cannot accept the extended hand of a country which clasps Israel’s hand as well, referring to the U.S.’s traditionally close ties with Israel. The Iranian President criticized the West for classifying non-Western nations as “second class societies.” Turkey, Iran and Asia are all cradles of civilization, while many European countries have killed millions in world wars, he said. During the conference Ahmadinejad also congratulated Turkey on entering the European Union, and said that it was in the best interest of the EU to incorporate the country.

DEBKAfile – Erdogan promises Iran Turkish intelligence aid against Israel.

November 10, 2009, 5:04 PM (GMT+02:00)

Turkish PM and Iranian president: Close friends

In the secret part of their talks in Tehran on Oct. 28, DEBKAfile‘s military sources reveal that Turkish prime minister Tayyep Recep Erdogan and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad struck military cooperation deals which promised Iran Turkish military intelligence and air force assistance against a possible Israeli attack on its nuclear sites.

Their understandings have bound Turkish to pass intelligence data to Tehran on potential Israeli preparations for a strike and on US military movements in the Middle East for providing backup. Our sources report that the details finalized in meetings between the Turkish and Iranian military specialists in Istanbul Monday, Nov. 9, were due to be sealed by presidents Abdullah Gul and Ahmadinejad Tuesday. The Iranian president is to be in Turkey as guest of the Islamic Conference.

The Turkish prime minister has not only buried his country’s longstanding military and intelligence ties with Israel but climbed aboard the adversarial axis confronting the Jewish state. Turkey has agreed to round out the forward surveillance outposts encircling Israel’s borders: Hamas from the southwest in Gaza, Syria in the east, Lebanon in the north and now Turkey from the northwest. Tehran is banking on this encirclement for early warning of an approaching Israeli strike and any supportive American movements.

According to Western intelligence sources in Ankara, heads of the Turkish army objected to their government’s strategic turn to Iran and the cutoff of its ties with Israel. However its pro-Islamic leaders, which have gradually eased the army out of policymaking, have forced them to accept operational ties with the military of an anti-Western Middle Eastern nation as being in the nation’s best interests.

Erdogan’s most compelling argument is that President Barack Obama’s secret proposal for Iran to deposit 400 kilos of its enriched Iran in Turkey for safekeeping in charge of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, had elevated Turkey to an enhanced role as a broker between the US and Iran, sanctioned by Agency director Mohamed ElBaradei. If Turkey, a member of NATO, was able to gain the Iranian regime’s trust, the Turkish prime minister maintained, it was only thanks to the military understandings he reached in Tehran.

DEBKAfile‘s military sources report that word of the Turkish-Iranian military collaboration deal landed with shocking effect in Washington and Jerusalem. They had not forewarned by their intelligence services that Erdogan was willing to go as far as this to ally Turkey with the Islamic regime.