By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Monday that tensions between Israel and Syria were fading, local daily Ha’aretz reported on its website.
Barak made the remarks during his first appearance before the Knesset (parliament) Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee since he was appointed as defense minister in June.
Ha’aretz quoted an associate of Barak who was present at the meeting as saying that “it appears that Israel’s tireless efforts to calm Syrian fears of an imminent conflict have finally taken effect, and now the Syrians view Israel as less aggressive.”
Senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres, have made conciliatory comments on Israeli-Syrian relations recently, saying that Israel is not interested in a war with Syria.
Israel occupied Syria’s Golan Heights 40 years ago during the Middle East war in 1967. Since the cessation of hostilities and several skirmishes after the 1973 Middle East war, the border between Israel and Syria has been one of Israel’s quietest frontiers.
However, Israel and Syria, still consider each other as their military threat. Israeli media reported earlier this year that Syria has been massing its troops along the border with Israel, sparking concern that Syria would recapture the Heights by force.