Syria's President Bashar al-Assad stated on Saturday Israel was the "major obstacle" to peace in the region. "The failure of the peace process is a blatant demonstration that Israel is the major obstacle to peace," Assad noted in a speech to a ministerial meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in the Syrian capital.
"Our experience with Israel during indirect peace negotiations mediated by Turkey is further proof of this," Assad said, according to AFP.
"The failure of political methods to recover their legitimate rights gives them the right of resistance," the Syrian leader said.
