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Israel Rebuffs Insincere Syrian Peace Overtures

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last week publicly rejected a recent peace overture by Syrian President Bashar Assad, citing the latter`s continued support for Palestinian terrorist organizations. Syria "was and remains the main supporter of the Palestinian terror groups who daily try to carry out terrorism against the state of Israel. In my opinion, this is not a foundation on which it is possible to hold peace negotiations," Olmert said.

Most Palestinian groups outside of the Palestine Liberation Organization umbrella - such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad - maintain their international headquarters in Damascus. Israel has threatened to attack these offices unless they were shut down. The U.S. and Israel have repeatedly demanded that Assad close the terror offices, and despite his claims to have done so there are few indications that any Syrian good faith has been shown on the

Speaking at a conference of Jewish organizations in London Wednesday night, Vice Premier Shimon Peres said that if regaining the Golan Heights and living in peaceful coexistence with Israel had been Syria`s true objective, it could have been accomplished many years ago. Of Mr. Assad`s father, the late Hafez al-Assad, Peres said, "I can promise you he would have gotten all of the Golan Heights." But now, according to Mr. Peres, "the Syrians are refusers of peace."