Israel 'ready to return Golan'

[bemildred]

Syrian media reports say Turkey's prime minister has told President Bashar al-Assad that Israel would withdraw from the Golan Heights in return for peace.

The al-Watan watan quoted "informed sources" as saying Recep Tayyip Erdogan had telephoned Mr Assad on Tuesday morning to inform him of the offer.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has declined to comment.

Israel and Syria remain technically at war although both sides have recently spoken of their desire for peace.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7362937.stm

[rockymountaindem]

1. Do you think that would really happen?

I mean, Israel "officially" annexed it back in '82, so it would seem to be a different matter than giving up control over the WB/Gaza. It's also strategically important in a way that Gaza and many parts of the WB are not. Furthermore, Israel can remain "at war" with Syria at little risk to itself, as opposed to the negative international attention focused on the I/P conflict. Somehow I just don't see it happening.

[bemildred]

2. Who can say?

I would hazard that it's probably just talk, it's easy enough to stall and make excuses if you change your mind or don't like the terms. It seems unlikely to go forward without outside pressure and support. But events can make fools of us all. I have read that they got pretty close when Barak was negotiating with Syria about it a few years back, but he sort of chickened out at the last moment.

I can think of various arguments for it, it would make it easier to deal with other problems if you didn't have to worry about Syria so much.