Syrian president Assad gave an interview to Der Spiegel a few days ago. Amongst other things, he said that he is interested in peace with Israel. Israel’s response: No. I think that its quite a stupid policy that could have bad consequences.
What did Assad say? When he was asked to comment on the Iranian president’s call to destroy Israel, Assad said: I don’t say that Israel should be erased from the map. I want to make peace. Peace with Israel.
What did Israel say? PM Olmert’s office said the conditions aren’t set for negotiations. Sources in Jerusalem say that the US opposes negotiations with Syria due to Syria’s arms smuggling into Iraq, support of Hizballah and of Palestinian terror organizations.
Afterwards, Olmert gave an interview in which he said (in person) that Assad is not a partner for peace, since it supports terror. Olmert also volunteers to explain the American stand. He says that the American are afraid of negotiations with Syria, because the Syrians aren’t serious. “There is no reason that Israel will reward them”.
Assad isn’t a saint. He supports Hizbullah, supports Hamas, and doesn’t help in calming down Iraq. His declarations might be aiming at German ears. The German FM cancelled a planned visit to Syria, after Assad said that Israel is an enemy. In the worst case scenario, it will be proved that he only wants to lower the international pressure. In a better scenario, it could open the road to peace.
Well, Syria supports terror, and is also involved in money laundering and drug trafficking. We are an enemy to Syria, just as Syria is an enemy for us.
It’s time to change the attitude. In order to stop Syria backing of terror, we should go for peace. Refusing to negotiate with Syria because of it’s wrong doing would only reduce the chance for peace and the chance that Syria will stop it’s wrong doing.
The negotiations that were held in Shepardstown in 2000 were very serious. The parties laid down many many details concerning a peace treaty. Almost everything was agreed upon. If both sides would be serious now, a deal can be struck. Of course, new negotiations could result in nothing over the exact same issues. Isn’t it worth a try?
A refusal to open negotiations with Syria might send us back to a frozen situation. The middle east doesn’t stay frozen for a long time, and we might see another round of violence. The field can be Lebanon (again) or a direct war with Syria. As we’ve already seen, war brings so much suffering and no winners.
This is how I see the Israeli interests, and the Israeli policy that I wish for. I would like to see that my country is promoting its interests.
Not those of the US.
The US is interfering too much with our interests here. It is no longer in the shadows. It’s exaggerated and dangerous. We should be an independent country, not another Puerto Rico. The US supports us and funds us. That doesn’t give them ownership. They can’t deny us of our interests.
Olmert, who volunteers to explain the American stand, doesn’t catch that he is actually obeying the American directives. His interviewers didn’t bother to ask him those hard questions. I was certain that Olmert will throw a positive declaration that would send away all the bad publicity about his personal corruption allegations (I’ll write about it in another time). Well, nothing. He even called his ministers to stop talking about the Syrian issue.
The education minister (labor) and the chairperson of the Knesset (Olmert’s Kadima party) did support talking with Syria. These voices, along with left wing opposition voices, faded away.
Sorry for not linking to the news articles. I’m a bit in a hurry.
Anyway, I hope that we haven’t missed yet another chance for peace with Syria.
I’m going with my girlfriend for a 6 day vacation in Budapest. We’ll probably visit some other places in Hugary as well.