Syrian President Bashar Assad has stated peace with Israel is possible within a time span of six months, but once again threatened war should peace not be forthcoming. But so far Prime Minister Olmert has ruled out any peace agreement with Syria. Bashar Assad has been seeking the return of the Golan Heights in exchange for an agreement with Israel, but with Syrian support for Hizbullah in the latest war, along with support for terrorist groups such as Islamic Jihad, it is unlikely peace will be forthcoming. If Israel did negotiate an agreement with Syria at this time, they would in effect be creating a third Gaza Strip in the north, from which Syrian-sponsored terrorist organizations could attack Israel.

Quote: "In an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais, the Syrian president said: "Our vision regarding peace stated that no more than two years should pass since we set out for the Madrid conference (and until the negotiations are completed)... if we want to renew talks from the same point we stopped, then the talks need six months."

President Assad, in line with Biblical prophecy, also called on Europe to become involved in the Middle East peace process.

Quote: "In the interview, Assad also said the United States "was not a fair co-sponsor" of the stalled Mideast peace process and called on Europe to take an active role. "Regrettably there is not another international power that can replace it (the US), and at the same time, the United States should not be alone, and here is where Europe's role comes in," he said.

Source YNet News, Jerusalem Post