Syrian Talks Suspended

Monday, Mar. 04, 1996

WASHINGTON, D.C.: "President Clinton's claim to foreign policy success is tied to the Middle East," says TIME's James Carney. "Peres looks very weak now. The U.S. will have to prop Peres up and simultaneously help Israel to crack down on Hamas. Still, this incident could end the peace process." A saddened President Clinton Monday condemned the fourth Hamas bombing in nine days and said the U.S "will do anything it can to support Israel and the other friends of peace." Defense Secretary William Perry announced that the U.S. would provide Israel with one of the keys to success in dealing with terrorists: "good intelligence." Even though the Israeli government says it has not given up on the peace process, it has suspended talks with Syria. A spokesman said "at a time like this, (the delegates') place is in Israel."

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Israel suspended its peace talks with Syria on Monday after a new terrorist explosion in Tel Aviv. The Israeli government says that the talks, which have been taking place in eastern Maryland, will resume when and if President Hafez Assad shuts down suspected terrorist Hamas offices in Damascus. Shimon Peres is under extraordinary pressure to be tough in the face of a stunning wave of terrorism in Israel. He cannot appear too conciliatory to President Assad at this time. Campaigning uphill to the May elections, Peres has been accused by his Likkud opposition of selling off the country for peace. The talks with Syria center on a U.S.-backed land-for-peace formula, under which Israel would give up most, if not all, of the Golan Heights in exchange for peace. Given the intensity and frequency of recent attacks on civilians, the population may be wary of giving up land for 'possible' peace. The Golan Heights command the low ground that constitutes Northern Israel and could prove to be a serious security risk, one most Israelis are unwilling to take.