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Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/382710.html
Assad Speaking Publicly of Normalization
(Ha'aretz) Gideon Alon - Syrian President Bashar Assad is speaking publicly for the first time about normalization with Israel. He has told the terror organizations operating out of Damascus to lower their profile and ordered Syrian government spokesmen to moderate their rhetoric, Military Intelligence commander Maj. Gen. Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Tuesday. Ze'evi-Farkash said the change is a result of the war in Iraq, the American threat of economic sanctions, and the vehement Israeli response - the air attack on the terror camp near Damascus - to Syrian involvement in terror against Israel. Ze'evi-Farkash confirmed reports of Syrian rescue planes to Iran after the earthquake returning with arms for Hizballah. On the Palestinian front, Ze'evi-Farkash said Prime Minister Qurei has effectively relinquished the few powers he held, and that Arafat was the absolute ruler in the territories. He said Arafat is unwilling to crack down on terror attacks against Israel, is blocking reform of the PA, and continues to fund the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.