Role of Italy and Spain

Reports in the regional and foreign media suggested that Israel has asked both Spain and Italy to act as intermediaries in a bid to re-launch peace talks with Damascus. The new drive has reportedly been underscored in a letter that Netanyahu asked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos to pass on to Assad last week.

The correspondence apparently included the suggestion that Rome and Madrid take over mediation from Turkey, which Israel no longer considers as impartial, as the Turks have repeatedly leveled criticism against Israel following the latter's military operation in the Gaza Strip last winter.

Netanyahu apparently wants Italy and Spain to consider brokering indirect negotiations and to introduce what he reportedly dubbed "creative solutions."

This is seemingly an attempt to get over the hurdle blocking the renewal of talks. The Syrian side wants to pick up negotiations where they left off when Netanyahu's predecessor Ehud Olmert was in office. Netanyahu, on the other hand, insists negotiations must begin afresh. The Israeli premier hopes the Europeans can find a way to overcome this impasse.

However, Bechor said that he sees the bid as only a way for Israel to have a channel of communication with Syria. In his opinion, there is no real chance of a peace deal in the offing. The border is quiet and has been so for decades and that suits both parties, he noted.

The need for the indirect route to Damascus only arises in times of crisis. If messages have to be transferred from Israel to Syria or vice versa, there must be a mechanism in place to facilitate such communication.

However, for the time being, there is nothing beyond that in Netanyahu's request for the help of Rome and Madrid. Peace is simply not on the table for either party right now, said Bechor.

Syria and the Olmert administration held four rounds of indirect talks mediated by Turkey in 2008, before the process bogged down with Israel's Gaza operation. Little progress was made during the talks until now.