Israel will not pullout from the entire Golan Heights in return for a peace agreement with Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top policy adviser said in an interview published Friday. The two stated could split the territory, claimed Dr. Uzi Arad, Netanyahu's national security adviser. In the remarks published by the Haaretz daily, he conveyed Israel must remain on the Golan Heights to a depth of several miles and cannot withdraw in full even in return for a peace deal.
Netanyahu said during his election campaign earlier this year that Israel would not cede the Golan to Syria. Israel needs to retain part of the Golan "for strategic, military and settlement reasons. For water, landscape and wine," said Arad. He urged the Syrians to resume peace talks with Israel with no preconditions but "with each side aware of the other's position."
