Syria News

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shakes hands with Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu in Damascus, capital of Syria, on Nov.

By Alon Ben-Meir When Turkey barred Israel from a joint military exercise earlier this October, there was a great deal of speculation about the seriousness of a rift between the two allies.

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu expressed hope to promote bilateral cooperation in economy, trade and agriculture with Syria during his meeting with Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji Otri in Damascus on Thursday.

Syrian must honor its international obligations and provide full support to inspectors seeking answers regarding alleged nuclear activity, U.S. officials said.

" The Lebanese and Syrian presidents vowed during talks in Damascus on Thursday to keep up coordination between the two Arab neighbors amid signs of improved ties.

Months after Washington launched an ambitious diplomatic outreach to Syria, officials here are expressing impatience at what they say is the slow pace of rapprochement, endangering another front in the Obama administration's Mideast policy push.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Sunday that Israel was interested in renewing peace negotiations with Syria, after Syrian President Bashar Assad on Friday questioned Israel's will to restart the talks.

An Iranian former deputy defense minister who has been missing for nearly three years was abducted by Israeli agents and is now being held in Israel, several Iranian news Web sites reported Sunday.

Five Hamas operatives and two Iranian Revolutionary Guards trainers were killed in an explosion that took place on a Hamas military base near Damascus, Syria , Kuwaiti daily al-Siyasa reported on Sunday.

Did a Syrian customs official assist the Mossad in the assassination of Hezbollah's military commander Imad Mughniyeh ? A report published Saturday in Kuwaiti Alrai newspaper claims so.

The 15th Communications and IT Exhibition SHAAM, one of the most important exhibitions of its kind in the Middle East region, started in Damascus with the participation of 146 companies from 40 countries.

During a week in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pay visits to Paris successively, both men have talked about the possibility of renewing peace talks between their countries.

Lebanese President Michel Sleiman today will meet with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al Assad in Damascus, just days after the formation of a unity government in Lebanon, Sleiman's spokesman said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu asked French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday evening to deliver a message to Syria saying that Israel was ready to begin immediate, direct negotiations, Channel 1 reported.

Lebanese new Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced the formation of Lebanon's new cabinet on Monday night, bringing an end to the five-month cabinet impasse following the June parliamentary elections.

SPIEGEL ONLINE 11/02/2009 04:53 PM The Story of 'Operation Orchard' By Erich Follath and Holger Stark In September 2007, Israeli fighter jets destroyed a mysterious complex in the Syrian desert.

Sunday, November 08, 2009 DAMASCUS: Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday to stop seeking compromise with Israel but offered him an olive branch, saying Palestinians must end their divisions.

PARIS: Turkey is ready to oversee a new stage of secret peace talks between Israel and Syria, resuming a role it had played until last year, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said here Friday.

Open crates from a cargo ship seized Wednesday by Israel revealed dark green missiles inside.

Israeli commandos seized a ship Wednesday that defense officials said was carrying hundreds of tons of weapons from Iran bound for Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas - the largest arms shipment Israel has ever commandeered.