Syrian Foreign Ministry Refutes Reports About Contacts With Israel

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Monday denied reports about alleged contacts with Israel, reiterating its "firm" stance on "Israeli occupiers."

Earlier, media reported about purported Russia-mediated meetings between Syrian and Israeli representatives.

"The Syrian Arab Republic completely refutes the false reports that have emerged in some media about meetings between Syria and Israel ... and states that the publication of such reports is an unsuccessful attempt by the sponsors of these media outlets to sow confusion in Syria’s firm positions on Israeli occupiers," the ministry said.

It further reaffirmed Damascus’ clear and unchanged policy toward Israel, saying that this line pursues national interests, a solution to the Palestinian issue and the complete liberation of the occupied Golan Heights.

"The forces behind this media hoax are the same that help normalize [the Arab world’s] relations with this entity [Israel] and try to drag the entire region into the West-Zionist union, using intimidation or bribery. And when their primitive methods fail, they resort to media hoaxes," the statement added.

Syria and Israel have been at war since the establishment of the Jewish state and have never had diplomatic relations.