Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syrian Prime Minister Bashar al-Assad have gone public with peace talks between the two countries and have been mediated by Turkay that commenced in February of 2007. The decision to go public with these talks is amidst progress in the negotiations that indicate change in the region is on the horizon. The tension between Israel and Syria dates back back almost forty years to the Arab-Israeli six day war of 1967 in which Israel captured and occupied Syria's Golan Heights, which it continues to occupy today.
Syria has asked for and will likely receive a withdraw from the area, Isreal has held onto the area in an effort to protect it's main source of water the Sea of Galilee and to preserve the strategic position of Golan which is located atop a plateau which looks over Northern Israel. The withdraw would result in a safer Israeli and could potentially end Syria's relationship with groups and governments that are hostile toward Isreal.
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