Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin has said he hopes a peace agreement can be reached with Syria before the end of the year, even though gaps between the two nations remain wide.
Interviewed on Israel Radio over the weekend, Rabin said he would bring “new ideas” about the Israeli-Syrian negotiations when he leaves for Washington this week for a meeting with President Clinton.
Rabin is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Friday and meet with Clinton on Sunday. Both leaders are scheduled to address the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobby, Sunday night.
Rabin’s comments prompted speculation about what new proposals he would raise with Clinton. The comments also drew sharp reaction from the opposition, which demanded that he inform the Knesset of any plans regarding an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights.
The Israeli daily Ma’ariv, quoting political sources here, said Israel would give up its earlier demand for a general downsizing of the Syrian army, while still calling for limited troop deployments on both sides of the border.
Sources said Syrian President Hafez Assad viewed the demand as “humiliating,” saying it reflected an Israeli attempt to shake up the stability of his regime.
Political sources told the Israel daily Ha’aretz that Rabin would discuss with Clinton Israel’s interest in establishing mutual security arrangements, such as early-warning stations.
The Israeli and Syrian ambassadors to the United States resumed their talks in Washington last week. But they reported no progress in breaking the impasse over the future of the Golan, or regarding security arrangements in the wake of an Israeli pullback on the Golan.
Meanwhile, Likud opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said he sent a message to Assad that stated that a government under Netanyahu’s leadership would not withdraw from the Golan.
Netanyahu said he sent the message through U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher.
“I said to him, `Tell Assad that when we set up a Likud government we will not withdraw from the Golan,'” Netanyahu told Army Radio.
“But in the same measure, I believe it is possible to continue the peace process,” which he said would include discussions on issues of mutual benefit, such as water resources.
Netanyahu said he had not received a response from Assad.
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