BREAKING NEWS

Syrian government negotiator takes swipe at Israel, avoids political talk

GENEVA- The chief Syrian government negotiator at peace talks in Geneva on Monday accused Israel of cooperating with Islamic State and al-Qaida militants in the Golan region, deflecting attention away from the intra-Syrian negotiations.
"This Israeli provocation ... confirms without any doubt the cooperation between Israel and terrorists of Daesch (Islamic State) and Nusra Front on the demarcation line between where the Golan is and UN troops are positioned," Bashar Ja'afari told reporters after meeting the UN special envoy to Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that Israel would never relinquish the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed in 1981.
"It is no coincidence at all that this Israeli escalation was accompanied by irresponsible statements by members of the so-called Saudi delegation at talks here in Geneva," he said, referring to the main opposition group.