Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Photo: wiki commons.

Ynet – WASHINGTON – State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland confirmed Friday that before the eruption of the popular uprising against Bashar Assad‘s regime, the United States attempted to renew peace talks between Israel and Syria.

The Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Friday morning that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak held secret talks with the Assad regime in late 2012, and that according to American documents Netanyahu agreed to withdraw from the Golan Heights.

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