Israeli official: No continuation of Turkish-mediated Syria talks

Israel's deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has said Israel would not resume Turkish-mediated peace talks with Syria, insisting that any new negotiations be direct. In an interview with the news agency 'Reuters' Ayalon said: "We have enormous respect and great appreciation for the Turkish efforts. But they have not succeeded – not because of the Turks. It's because of Syrian intransigence."

Netanyahu's predecessor predecessor Ehud Olmert engaged Damascus through Ankara last year, with all sides reporting some progress. Since the Gaza war in January and the Israeli elections, the talks have been suspended. Ayalon said: "If they [Syria) are really serious on peace, and not just a peace process which may serve them to extricate them from international isolation, if they are really serious, they will come and sit with us."