NOT IF, BUT WHEN:

Israel's Netanyahu agreed to Golan withdrawal in 1998: Report (AFP, 10 September 2009)

The document was drawn up by US businessman Ron Lauder to summarise the positions reached by Israel during its indirect talks with Syria in which he served as a go-between. Lauder presented it to then US president Bill Clinton in 1999, after Netanyahu had left office.

Although the existence of the document has been known for years, Thursday marks the first time that its exact contents have been published.

Netanyahu, who was sworn in for his second term as prime minister on March 31, has always denied that he agreed to fully withdraw from the Golan in the talks held during his first premiership from 1996 to 1999.

Once the Israeli security services said they didn't need the Heights the cake was baked.

Posted by Orrin Judd at September 10, 2009 6:36 AM