New President Peres - Direct talks if Syria wants peace

 Printer-friendly version

By Stan Goodenough
July 19, 2007

Shimon Peres, Israel's newly inaugurated president, Thursday made good on his pledge not to keep out of politics (as Israel's figurehead presidents are supposed to do) but to continue to push forward the "peace" process that millions of Israelis oppose.

Peres used his official meeting with a Chinese diplomat to say that if Syria sincerely wants to talk peace with Israel, it would agree to direct negotiations with the Jewish state.

Peres was responding to assertions made by United Nations special envoy to the Middle East Michael Williams who, after hobnobbing with Damascus dictator Bashar el-Assad in his palace Wednesday voiced his belief that the Syrian was "truly" interested in resuming talks with Israel.

Assad's sees peacemaking as a way to get Israel off the Golan Heights and thereby bolster himself in the eyes of his countrymen.

He heads a minority Alawite government and holds on to power by a combination of persecuting Syrians who oppose him and appearing to stand strong against Israel.

Related Articles:

• 'Be ready for a major quake'
• Broken promises leave kids in rocket zone unprotected
• Leftist paper: Netanyahu "knows about" mass outpost evacuation plan
• Survey: How Israeli Jews see Christians, Christianity
• Final vote tally confirms Kadima win

Support us!
Buy Israeli products

	Tekuma - Story of Israel's Rebirth $58.47 - 55% OFF! DVD box set outlining the miracle of the State of Israel
	Body Care Set $14.95 - 70% OFF! Dead Sea creams nourish and protect
	Medium Shofar $39.95 - 28% OFF! Classical ram's horn shofar

Sponsors: