But an Israeli cabinet minister who helped forge a self-rule deal with the Palestine Liberation Organization said Israel would have to make a "very deep and very painful" withdrawal from the strategic plateau to make peace with Damascus.
Barak, speaking to Israeli reporters in Washington on Wednesday after discussing with senior U.S. defense officials the security implications of a future pact with Syria, said: "From a professional military standpoint, as long as there is no peace we need every meter of the Golan Heights, and also at a time of peace we had better stay on the Golan Heights."
Wrangling over the strategic plateau, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, has stymied U.S.-brokered peace talks between the sides since negotiations began almost three years ago.
Israel has offered an as yet unspecified withdrawal from the Golan, but demands Syrian assurances that peace will include open borders, trade, and exchange of embassies.
Responding to Barak's remarks, Sarid said in exchange for peace with Syria that the government would have to approve a pullout. "The withdrawal will have to be very deep and very painful," Sarid told army radio.
Washington, which has mediated between the sides in a series of shuttles by U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, views an Israeli-Syrian accord as the key to an overall settlement in the region.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.