DUBAI: Syria and Israel were on the brink of signing a peace agreement in February 2011, right before the Arab Spring protests broke out in several states, newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
Officials involved in the negotiations confirmed to the outlet that the agreement “went further than any previous document,” and included Syria’s pledge to sever “military ties” with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon and “neutralizing” any Israeli threat so they could reclaim the Golan heights after Israel occupied them in the 1967 war.
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu negotiations were mediated by American envoy Frederic Hof, the report added. The late Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Muallem and legal advisor Riad Daoudi and former US Ambassador to Damascus Robert Ford joined at least two meetings.
Asharq Al-Awsat reported that at the time the then US President Barack Obama and his then former Vice President Joe Biden, current president, were aware of these secret negotiations, and that ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was heavily involved in them too.
Syria has not made any official statements regarding the talks, but has repeatedly expressed commitment to restoring sovereignty over Golan heights while maintaining the “strategic relationship with Iran.”
Syria and Israel: secret negotiations over Golan for severing Iranian, Hezbollah ties
https://arab.news/6uw6y
Syria and Israel: secret negotiations over Golan for severing Iranian, Hezbollah ties
- Officials involved in the negotiations confirmed to that the agreement “went further than any previous document”
- Syria has not made any official statements regarding the talks
Jordanian king and Indonesian president to cooperate in stability efforts in Gaza
- Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto emphasized his country’s commitment to establishing an independent Palestinian state
- King Abdullah stressed the importance of dialogue to reduce tensions related to Iran and to support stability in Syria and Lebanon
LONDON: King Abdullah II and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto discussed cooperation in an effort to restore stability in the Palestinian coastal enclave of Gaza.
The meeting on Wednesday at Basman Palace in Amman focused on regional issues, particularly the support for achieving peace based on the two-state solution, and the commitment to protecting Palestinians in Gaza, according to Petra news agency.
King Abdullah praised Indonesia’s political position and highlighted its investments in regional projects as essential to enhancing collaboration.
Subianto emphasized his country’s commitment to establishing an independent Palestinian state, achieving lasting peace in the region, and ending the conflict in Gaza.
The talks highlighted the ties between Jordan and Indonesia, spanning over 75 years, and the commitment to enhancing cooperation in politics, economics, defense, business, energy, science, technology, and health.
King Abdullah stressed the importance of dialogue to reduce tensions related to Iran and support the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon in maintaining their security, sovereignty, and stability, Petra added.
Several Jordanian officials attended the talk, including Crown Prince Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, and Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply, and Escort of Honour Yarub Qudah.
