Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top policy adviser says Israel will not withdraw from the entire Golan Heights even in return for a peace deal with Syria.

Uzi Arad says Israel must remain on the Golan Heights to a depth of several miles "for strategic, military and settlement reasons."

Arad is Netanyahu's national security adviser and the aide widely seen as closest to the Israeli leader.

Arad also calls on the Syrians to resume peace talks with Israel with no preconditions but "with each side aware of the other's position."

Arad spoke in an interview published Friday in the Israeli daily Haaretz.

In the interview, Arad also said he believed the Palestinian leadership did not genuinely desire peace with Israel.