Peace between Israel and Syria is now dependent on Damascus' stance and Syria must decide whether to abandon "the axis of evil" or to continue to be led by Iran, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said late Sunday.
"The ball is in the Syrians' court," said Mofaz, who is also transportation minister of Israel, before he led a strategic dialogue delegation to Washington for meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"Syria is entangled up to its neck with aiding Hezbollah and other terror groups like Hamas. Now it must decide, does it want to continue to allow Iran to lead it by the nose or does it want to abandon the axis of evil," he was quoted by local daily Yedioth Ahronoth as saying.
Mofaz's remarks echoed those of some other senior officials, who said Israel was interested in peace with Syria and open to high-level talks brokered by Turkey if Damascus breaks away from "the axis of evil."
On Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Qatari newspaper Al-Watan that time has not yet come for peace with Israel because "the Israeli side has still not given its guarantee," referring to a written commitment to withdraw from the Golan Heights Israel captured during the 1967 Six Day War.
Assad, however, said his country "is willing to continue cooperation with Turkey in all what serves security and stability of the region."
Mofaz is expected to discuss several key issues with Rice, including tightening of sanctions against Iran and the failure to implement the UN Security Council's resolution regarding Lebanon.
Source:Xinhua
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