Syria's president said Saturday that the return of the Golan Heights from Israel was non-negotiable and he expressed confidence that the strategic plateau captured four decades ago would be handed back. A year of indirect peace talks between the two countries ended in January, and the Syrian and Israeli leaders have laid out tough conditions for restarting negotiations. Syria has said it is willing to resume the Turkish-mediated talks if they focus on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan, captured in the 1967 war. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is not willing to cede the territory Syria wants. “The return of all occupied land ... is non negotiable,” Assad said in a speech marking Syria's Army Day.
