Syria sheds light on true intentions of Israel

Syria’s Foreign Ministry has once again condemned Israeli policies, saying Tel Aviv is not interested in peace in the Middle East.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ministry said that the Israeli parliament is pushing legislation for tax benefits to some 30 Israeli communities settled in the Golan Heights.

The bill “is a new sign of the true intentions of Israel, which rejects peace,” the foreign ministry statement said.

It added that the move is an illegal measure, which adds to an extensive series of violation of international law and UN resolutions by Israel.

Tension between Damascus and Israel soared earlier this month after Hawkish Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said any new conflict between the old foes would lead to the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power.

“When there is another war, you will not just lose it, but you and your family will lose power,” Lieberman said early in February.

Israel captured the strategic Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed it in 1981, in a move never recognized by the international community.