Syria's president warned yesterday that the prospects for war in the region were on the rise as chances for peace dwindled amid increased tensions. Bashar Assad's comments come after Israel accused Syria of smuggling Scuds and other missiles to Lebanon's Hizbollah group. Syria has denied the charge.
"Chances to achieve real peace are dwindling and war prospects are mounting," he said in comments marking Army Day, carried by state-run news agency SANA.
He said his country is still willing to achieve "a just peace and consolidate security and stability the region," adding this will only be realised after Israel fully pulls out from the Golan Heights it captured from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
He stressed that "anyone who thinks that Syria might negotiate over its occupied land will be deluding himself."
Turkish-mediated indirect talks between Syria and Israel ended unsuccessfully in late 2008.
Assad said in the past that the indirect talks failed because the Jewish state would not make an unambiguous commitment to return all the territory captured in 1967.
The Golan Heights have been the central point of disagreement between both countries for years and Assad said: "The liberation of the Golan is a deeply ingrained right. Peace requires restoring all the occupied soil until the line of June 4, 1967."
"The world is certain now that Israel is the one putting obstacles in front of peace and its requirements," he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would not accept pre-conditions to negotiations, indicating he would not agree ahead of time to a withdrawal.
He also said any agreement would have to guarantee Israel's security.
An Israeli soldier accused of killing two women waving white flags during the 2008-2009 Gaza war yesterday heard the charges at a military court in Jaffa, near Tel Aviv. The sniper has not been named.
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