Syria
Wikipedia - The Golan Heights or Golan is a plateau on the border of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria…Israel captured the Heights from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War (and again in the 1973 Yom Kippur War)…Most of the Arab residents of the Golan Heights, mainly Druze, are Syrian Arabs who retain their Syrian citizenship even though Israeli citizenship is available to them. Syria continues to offer them some benefits such as free university tuition.
In 2006, the Golan Heights had a population of approximately 36,000 people, consisting of 19,000 Jewish settlers and 17,000 Druze residents…The area is bordered by the Jordan Valley to its west, the Yarmuk River to its south and the Sa’ar River to its north. The governmental Jewish Agency did not declare it to be Israeli territory. The UN did not recognize the “annexation”.
To talk or not to talk with Assad, that is the question - MFA.gov.il December,18th - Information Department, Israel Foreign Ministry-Jerusalem - Haaretz comments - ”Once again, Prime Minister Ehud Olmer turned down the offers yesterday of Syrian President Bashar Assad and his foreign minister Walid Mualem, to renew the peace talks between the two countries. The relative softening heard in the Syrian stance, with its willingness to embark on negotiations without preconditions did not affect Olmert’s position. Nor did the timing of the call from Damascus, which was directed at the Western media, just when Iran was holding a conference on denial of the Holocaust. Assad was signaling that he does not share the call of his ally, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for the destruction of Israel.
Yediot Aharonot - wonders what the government has to lose by agreeing to talks and testing Syrian intentions …in rebuffing Damascus’s overtures, Olmert is currying favor with US President Georges Bush instead of promoting Israel’s interests.
Haaretz, December, 19th - “First, say yes” by Yoel Marcus - At no point should Israel find itself in a situation in which an Arab country offers to negotiate and Israel refuses. In the 1970s, president Anwar Sadat, in an interview with Newsweek, offered to negotiate with Israel for peace in return for occupied territories. Golda Meir, “Madam No”, said under no circumstances. Our arrogant leaders maintained at the time that it was just a public relations ploy. Until the Yom Kippur War hit us. We took him up on his offer late, and paid 3,000 lives…
In an interview with the Washington Post, the Syrian foreign minister called on Olmert to negotiate without prior conditions, and not from the point where previous negotiations stopped or failed. Bashar Assad reinforced his foreign minister’s statements in an interview to an Italian newspaper: our intentions are real, and if Olmert is unable to decide, then let Washington decide for him. There is a sense of a turning point in the air, not only toward Israel but perhaps even toward the United States.
Syria is uncomfortable with its central position in the axis of evil. This is the only way to explain the recent outpouring of dovishness from Damascus…Assad has no desire to be worn down by the madman from Tehran…and most of all, he does not want to be around should Bush decide to respond or to strike.
Still, it is clear that the central condition to negotiations…is the Golan Heights. The Golan is not inscribed in the Bible and is not the heart’s desire of the messianic settlers. From our perspective, it is a beautiful view, and of course, a strategic location.
Ehud Olmert’s harsh opposition to Syria’s initiative is not wise…That a rose garden will bloom from this bud is perhaps unlikely so long as Iran is around threatening humanity. But Israel must always be ready to move, never passive in its aspirations for peace. Even if one of our greatest enemies extends a hand to us, we must first of all say yes.
December 22nd - “Putting Assad to the test” by Zeev Schiff - All of Israel’s prime ministers, starting withYitzhak Shamir, engaged in contacts with Syria…
One of the explanations given for rejecting talks with Syria is based on the claim that President George W.Bush is asking Israel not to hold them, because of the Syrians’ behaviour vis-à-vis Iraq and Lebanon and because of their support for Palestinian terror. However, it must be recalled that another voice is being heard in the United States – that of Baker-Hamilton Iraq study group, which recommends opening contacts with Syria. Israel must therefore take into account that it could find itself in a situation in which Washington is holding talks with Damascus and Israel is out in the hallway. What will we say then?
…It may be that the chances of productive talks with Syria are not great, but Bashar Assad should be put to the test. Why shouldn’t Olmert invite him to Jerusalem or offer to travel to Damascus? A test of that kind would not harm Israel.
Jerusalem Post, December 21st - “Analysis: How strategic is the Golan?” by Yaakov Katz - The formula is clear and has been set by the past half dozen Israeli governments. The Golan Heights, probably alongside the Shaba Farms, in exchange for real and true peace with Syria…In 2000, Ehud Barak offered to withdraw to the Green Line in exchange for peace... Syria rejected the offer.
The value of the Golan Heights is recognized by the entire world…According to some experts, Israel would be foolish to withdraw from the Golan…Chief argument: the 1,158 square kilometers of the Golan serve as a buffer against a surprise Syrian attack.
There is also the water issue. The Golan is the largest of Israel’s three primary sources of fresh water, including the headwaters of the Jordan River and mountain streams that fill the Kinneret. Disruption of the water flow would be a strategic blow to the State of Israel…
Even for some who today call for peace talks with Syria, in an attempt to break President Bashar Assad’s strategic alliance with Iran, the Golan Heights is a strategic asset that Israel should not be so quick to relinquish…(we should) dismiss Peres’s claim that technology could replace the strategic value of the Golan itself…
In last week’s cabinet meeting, head of MI’s Research Department, Brig.Gen.Yossi Baidatz, said that Syria was moving missiles to the border and preparing for war…
Then there is Defense Minister Amir Peretz who uses almost every opportunity to voice support for peace talks with Syria, in direct defiance of Olmert’s decision to turn down current offers and focus on the Palestinian issue.
December 26th - “The way to approach talks with Syria” by Efraim Inbar (professor of political science at Bar-Ilan and the director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies) - …Nevertheless, the intentions of Assad junior should be tested.
…A CLEAR indication of Damascus’s seriousness in making peace with Israel would be halting any assistance to terrorist groups that carry out violent attacks against Israeli targets. This means Damascus closing down the headquarters of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian rejectionist organizations.
…Are the Syrians ready to clean their textbooks of hatred against Israel?
…AN ISSUE usually neglected by analysts is the 400,000 Palestinian refugees living in Syria….Taking right of return off the negotiating table is thus a second necessary precondition.
…Peace can be made with enemies when they are no longer considered as such. Israel should encourage its foes to find ways to demonstrate that they have given up their enemy toward it.
Trade
Financial Times, December 15th - “US warns UAE on trade with Iran, Syria” - Washington is alarmed at the diversion of militarily sensitive technology to Iran and Syria via Dubai, a US official said on Thursday.
Increasing Numbers of controlled items are being diverted from ports in the United Arab Emirates-Dubai- to Syria and Iran,” the administration official said, threatening unspecified action if this was not halted…
