Syrian President Bashar Assad has said that Syria is interested in closing a peace deal with Israel, but is demanding a written guarantee that it will receive the entire territory of the Golan Heights in return. Following the Second Lebanon War in 2006, contacts between Israel and Syria increased and Turkey became involved in mediating the negotiations. Last week Syrian sources revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has expressed his willingness to hand the territory back to Syria. But so far Israeli leaders have been unwilling to countenance the prospect of a peace deal with Syria, so long as the state continues to support and arm terrorist organizations like Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Last week the United States published its photographs of the Syrian nuclear installation, which was bombed by Israel last year. The Israeli strike was met with an angry response from Iran, Syria and North Korea at the time, and it was later revealed that North Korea was heavily involved in the project. Syria has officially stated that the photographs are fraudulent, and President Assad has questioned the effectiveness of nuclear weapons to fight a Middle East war. 

Quote: "Assad told the newspaper on Sunday that the time has not yet come for peace because "the Israeli side has still not given its guarantee." The Syrian president also said Damascus was not interested in producing nuclear weapons, adding that he predicted regional wars would remain conventional even if Iran did acquire nuclear capabilities. "Where would we use them?" he was quoted as saying, in reference to nuclear arms. "In Israel it would kill the Palestinians... that's not logical." He added that Iran had a similar outlook on the matter.

But there is no doubt Syria has a very unhealthy interest in North Korea's weapons programme. Just last year it was revealed that North Korean engineers were killed while trying to fit a chemical warhead to a Scud C missile in Syria. And while a nuclear warhead on Jerusalem may kill many Arabs, Tel Aviv remains a prime target for those who are seeking to wipe Israel off the map. And if they couldn't use it for fear of international retaliation, the very fact that they possess a nuclear weapon could be enough to hinder Israel's response in any future attack. Regarding peace between Syria and Israel, I personally can't see it happening, not so long as Assad and Iranian President Ahmadinejad remain in power. And that is why I didn't comment much on the Syrian peace initiative last week. The Bible also seems to indicate that Damascus may be completely destroyed in a future war with Israel, and previous Israeli governments have said they would consider using nuclear weapons on Damascus if Syria launched a chemical weapons attack on Israel. But there is good news for Middle East. Jesus Christ is coming back. And when He returns, the Bible says He shall "judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more", Micah 4:3. Is your citizenship in heaven (Philippians 3:20)? Are you a child of the King? Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

1st Timothy 1:17
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Source Haaretz, YNet News, YNet News