Israel-Syria Negotiations: An Opportunity for Regional Strategic Change?

The year 2008 was marked by renewed activity along the Israeli-Syrian negotiations track, due to a change in Israel’s approach. In preceding years Syrian president Bashar al-Asad repeatedly stated his goal to renew negotiations with Israel, but Israel showed no interest. After Ehud Olmert assumed his position as acting prime minister once Prime Minister Sharon was incapacitated and even after he won the elections in March 2006 and established a coalition government, the policy he chose was at its core a policy of continuation. As such, he preferred to manage relations with the Palestinians by means of unilateral steps while giving a cold shoulder to the Syrians who continued to propose a renewal of negotiations.