Israel must control the Golan Heights even at times of peace, Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, while blasting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for purportedly being ready to cede the plateau even before negotiations with Syria.
"The Golan Heights must remain in our hands at times of peace as well, otherwise Iran will get there," the chairman of the Likud Party was quoted by local daily Yedioth Ahronoth as saying, adding that it is "very surprising" that Olmert is willing to give up the highland even before the start of negotiations, whom he dismissed as "acting recklessly and like an amateur."
In response to Netanyahu's remarks, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that Netanyahu is "the one who sent a businessman to (Syrian President Bashar) Assad to cede the Golan Heights on Israel's behalf, even before launching negotiations."
"The prime minister will persist in his efforts to reach peace and will do it in a sound and responsible manner, while taking the steps which will guarantee Israel's security," said the statement.
The exchange of rebukes came on the same day when Qatari newspaper Al Watan reported that Syria was demanding a commitment in writing from Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights Israel captured during the 1967 Six Day War, quoting Assad as saying the time has not yet come for peace because "the Israeli side has still not given its guarantee."
Assad has said that Israel passed a message to Syria that the Jewish state is willing to withdraw from the highland in return for peace, while Olmert's office has yet to make official comment on the remarks.
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official said Sunday that peace with Syria is "in Israel's interests" if Damascus breaks away from "the axis of evil," according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
Source:Xinhua
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