Syria's official press Monday blasted this week's US-hosted talks with Israelis and Palestinians as a bid to frustrate the Intifada, the 12-week uprising against Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.
"Given the stated position of the Israelis, one wonders what the Palestinian delegation going to Washington will negotiate about," the ruling party newspaper al-Baath said, referring to Israel's refusal to yield control over east Jerusalem.
"If the aim is to frustrate the Intifada, as the United States and Israel desire, it will not be achieved," the paper added.
"The Intifada has introduced a series of realities into the equation which it is very difficult to ignore," al-Baath said, citing the "hundreds of martyrs (who) have sacrificed themselves ... with the aim of restoring to the Palestinian people all their rights in line with international resolutions."
Israeli and Palestinian delegations are to have separate talks with US officials in a bid to relaunch the peace process which has been stalled since the collapse of the Camp David summit in September.
More than 340 people have been killed, most of them Palestinians, since the uprising erupted on September 28, sparked by an alleged desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque compound in east Jerusalem by Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon -- DAMASCUS (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
