Article

2008-03-24 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Israel won't consider deal with Syria over Golan Heights

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2008-03-24 00:00|| || Front Page|| [9 views ] Top
File under: Govt of Syria

#1 FREEREPUBLIC > AL QAEDA NO. 2 [Zawahiri]SAYS FOR MUSLIMS TO ATTACK ISRAEL, US [interests].

ALso, COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG > HAVE TERRORISTS CROSSED [into CONUS?].

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-03-24 02:52|| 2008-03-24 02:52|| Front Page Top

#2 Good.

Those heights would make excellent rocket platform firing positions for attacks into the northern valleys. Israel would slit their own throat if they gave them up.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2008-03-24 08:12|| 2008-03-24 08:12|| Front Page Top

#3 Just think how history might have been changed if Lee had managed to position a strong force on Little Round Top before the Battle of Gettysburg really got rolling. Israel seems to understand the importance of strategic high ground. (Not to mention the value of control of the watershed in an arid region.)

Posted by Menhadden Snogum6713 2008-03-24 09:58|| 2008-03-24 09:58|| Front Page Top

#4 The pictures I saw of the Golan Heights looked like it had about a 15 mile view over Syria.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-03-24 10:36|| 2008-03-24 10:36|| Front Page Top

#5 It's something, though maybe not even a starting point. When I hear "NO partition of Jerusalem" from Israeli authorities, I might move from pessimist to neutral...

Posted by M. Murcek">M. Murcek 2008-03-24 10:37|| 2008-03-24 10:37|| Front Page Top

#6 this will be denied. Much as Israel sees the need to keep the Golan, theres no international legal basis for keeping it indefinitely (its not disputed territory as the West Bank is) They could legitimately though, press for real peace with Syria, and assert that Syrias relationship wiht Iran is a contradiction of that.

Whats really important here, is Peres assuring Cheney that Israel wont cut a deal with Syria that the US objects to. Israel would love to turn Syria from the Iranian alliance - a turned Syria that no longer supported Hamas and attempted to restrain Hezbollah would very much alleviate Israels worst security threats, and breaking away from Iran would help to. But Syria probably wants more than the Golan for that - they want a free hand in Lebanon. Which might be worth it to Israel, but would run counter to US policy in Leb. So Israel is defering to the US on this. If and when a US admin takes office that wants a deal with Syria, Israel will look at this again.

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-03-24 16:27|| 2008-03-24 16:27|| Front Page Top

#7 no international legal basis for keeping it indefinitely

Possession is nine tenths of the law. After 40 years, it's Israels. Spoils of war. Don't want to lose territory? Don't pick fights you can't win. Eventually Israel will probably fall to the Muslims, but no point accellerating it by giving back Golan.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2008-03-24 19:42|| 2008-03-24 19:42|| Front Page Top

23:51 gorb
23:38 Eric Jablow
23:36 Abdominal Snowman
23:34 Abdominal Snowman
23:14 twobyfour
23:02 twobyfour
22:56 twobyfour
22:56 49 Pan
22:47 john frum
22:45 SR-71
22:40 borgboy
22:24 Zhang Fei
22:15 Enver Jeaper5334
22:13 JosephMendiola
22:13 Zhang Fei
22:12 trailing wife
21:47 SteveS
21:41 twobyfour
21:39 twobyfour
21:35 twobyfour
21:28 trailing wife
21:26 john frum
21:05 Mike
20:58 trailing wife