DAMASCUS/JEDDAH, 25 November — Syrian President Bashar Assad declared his country’s determination to "liberate" the Golan Heights occupied by Israel since 1967 and annexed in 1981, in an address published yesterday in the local press. "We want to liberate the occupied territories in the Golan and in south Lebanon, and the Israeli aggression will end one day or another because our people are determined to recover their violated rights", he said.
Bashar addressed this message to Syrian workers engaged in voluntary work on Friday — the weekly day of rest here — to mark the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the taking power of Hafez Assad, father and predecessor of the current president. "We will pursue this objective whatever the difficulties whereas Israel, practicing state terrorism, is sustained by certain parties", added Bashar. The Syrian president also affirmed his support for the "Palestinian people in their heroic struggle to build an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital," in reference to the Palestinian intifada against the Jewish state.
Bashar also restated his country’s position on terrorism. "We reject terrorism and we fight against it, but we make a distinction between terrorism and legitimate resistance against aggression and occupation", he said.
He called upon other countries to "understand the difference between what is repugnant and what is a legitimate obligation." Syria hosts 10 Palestinian organizations which advocate resistance against Israel to liberate the occupied Palestinian territories.
Meanwhile, a political source said yesterday Syria could soon have a new government, in what would be the first shake-up since Bashar came to power in July 2000. "It is clear that setting up a new government is on the cards, and is part of the process of development" launched by Bashar and aimed at "reviewing the performance of the present government" of Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro, the source told AFP.
Syria has paid $8.5 million to the Intifada Fund set up by Arab countries to support the Palestinians in their resistance of the Israeli occupation. The Syrian government yesterday deposited $1.5 million to add to its previous contribution of $7 million toward the fund which has a capital of $1 billion.
Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Ali, president of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank, which is administering the fund said Syria was responding to an appeal by the fund’s higher council which called on Arab states to honor their commitments and provide additional money to enable the fund face the growing humanitarian needs for Palestinians in the occupied territories
Two countries, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, have over the last two weeks also responded by depositing additional amounts to the funds. Egypt has so far paid $20 million while the UAE’s contribution reached $135 million. Saudi Arabia, which pledged one quarter of the fund’s budget, has since paid its full share of $250 million. Sources said the fund is still far behind the target of collecting the $1 billion with less than $700 million being paid so far out of the money pledged by member countries of the Arab League. The West African state of Mali, became the first county outside the League to contribute to the fund.
