Robert Bandanza
September 10th, 2009, 10:27 AM
Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:20:29 GMT
Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the principle of withdrawing from the Golan Heights in return for peace with Syria in 1998 during his first stint as premier, an Israeli daily has revealed.
"Israel will withdraw from the Syrian land taken in 1967, in accordance with Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, which established the right of all states to secure and recognized borders in the 'land for peace' formula," read a copy of the document published by the Yediot Aharonot daily.
The withdrawal will be 'to a commonly agreed border based on the line of June 4, 1967', it said.
The document was drawn up by US businessman Ron Lauder to summarize the positions reached by Israel during its indirect talks with Syria in which he served as a go-between. Lauder presented it to then US president Bill Clinton in 1999, after Netanyahu left office.
Israeli hawkish Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was sworn in for his second term as prime minister on March 31, has always denied that he agreed to fully withdraw from the Golan Heights in the talks held during his first tenure from 1996 to 1999.
In May 2009, Netanyahu declared that Tel Aviv would never return the occupied Golan Heights to Syria.
"Remaining on the Golan will ensure Israel has a strategic advantage in cases of military conflict with Syria", he said.
Israel seized the Golan Heights in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed the Syrian territory in 1981, a move never recognized by the international community.
Israel and Syria have held four rounds of Turkish-mediated indirect talks since last May, without significant progress. The indirect talks were formally suspended during the three-week Israeli offensive on the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Syria wants the return of all of the Golan Heights, saying that the strategic region will always belong to Syria and that Israel's departure from Golan is the only way to peace.
http://www.presstv.ir/new/detail.aspx?id=105819§ionid=351020202
Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the principle of withdrawing from the Golan Heights in return for peace with Syria in 1998 during his first stint as premier, an Israeli daily has revealed.
"Israel will withdraw from the Syrian land taken in 1967, in accordance with Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, which established the right of all states to secure and recognized borders in the 'land for peace' formula," read a copy of the document published by the Yediot Aharonot daily.
The withdrawal will be 'to a commonly agreed border based on the line of June 4, 1967', it said.
The document was drawn up by US businessman Ron Lauder to summarize the positions reached by Israel during its indirect talks with Syria in which he served as a go-between. Lauder presented it to then US president Bill Clinton in 1999, after Netanyahu left office.
Israeli hawkish Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was sworn in for his second term as prime minister on March 31, has always denied that he agreed to fully withdraw from the Golan Heights in the talks held during his first tenure from 1996 to 1999.
In May 2009, Netanyahu declared that Tel Aviv would never return the occupied Golan Heights to Syria.
"Remaining on the Golan will ensure Israel has a strategic advantage in cases of military conflict with Syria", he said.
Israel seized the Golan Heights in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed the Syrian territory in 1981, a move never recognized by the international community.
Israel and Syria have held four rounds of Turkish-mediated indirect talks since last May, without significant progress. The indirect talks were formally suspended during the three-week Israeli offensive on the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Syria wants the return of all of the Golan Heights, saying that the strategic region will always belong to Syria and that Israel's departure from Golan is the only way to peace.
http://www.presstv.ir/new/detail.aspx?id=105819§ionid=351020202