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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Syrian Speech at Annapolis: Golan Never Belonged to Israel
2007-11-28
The Syrian and Lebanese delegates to the Annapolis conference Tuesday were provided a forum in which to express their countries' views, but were not accorded the privilege of delivering a speech to the conference plenum.

Speaking at a workshop entitled "Towards a Comprehensive Middle East Peace," Syrian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Faisal al-Mekdad insisted that Israel must hand over the Golan Heights and totally withdraw from the "1967 Arab land." Only then, he declared, would Damascus consider "normalizing" ties with the Jewish State. He then said Syria "is sincere in seeking a comprehensive and just peace and possesses the political will to achieve it."

Israeli officials said the Syrian delegate also demanded that Israel withdraw from the Har Dov (Sheba'a Farms) area as well.

Seven years ago, the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, father of the current president, refused an Israeli offer to hand over most of the Golan. Under the proposal, Israel would retain sovereignty over the eastern shore of Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee).

Now the Syrian government has decided to begin a new strategy it hopes will raise the issue to the level of international concern. Syrian government engineer Hilal al-Ghaeb was quoted by Reuters on Tuesday as saying Damascus now intends to populate its side of the Golan border with a housing project that would contain more than 1,000 apartments. Construction of the complex to house thousands of Arabs is designed to create "facts on the ground" and is reportedly already underway, with bulldozers clearing ground under the nose of Israeli tanks on the border.

"These projects are a message to Israel," said al-Ghaeb. "The refugees will no longer be scattered in slums and camps all around Syria. Soon they will live here and stare right at their Israeli occupiers." The reference is to the Arabs who fled the Golan village of Adnanieh in 1967 at the behest of the attacking Syrians and other Arab leaders, who promised they would quickly win the war and destroy the Jewish State. They have not returned since the 1967 Six Day War.
Israel should build some swank new housing developments and farms on their side of the line of demarcation in the Golan. Just to create 'facts on the ground'.
Posted by:anonymous5089

#13  26 ancient cities, built on each other's ruins

That's a whole messa Armageddonning!
Posted by: Zenster   2007-11-28 23:12  

#12  Not quite, wx. Armageddon is actually Tel Meggido, a hill in northern israel that holds the ruins of 26 ancient cities, built on each other's ruins. It was the site of many historical battles.
Posted by: Eric Jablow   2007-11-28 21:41  

#11  #10 ** NOTE ** - For some reason the "e" in my user Name is missing. NOT JUST ON RB EITHER AS OTHER NETTERS ON OTHER SITES HAVE NOTICED PROBS. SKYNET/MATRIX???

Joe it's the Fluoride Triumvirate

they need all the es they can beg borrow or steal for the upcomming Water Wars..
Posted by: Red Dawg   2007-11-28 21:29  

#10  ** NOTE ** - For some reason the "e" in my user Name is missing. NOT JUST ON RB EITHER AS OTHER NETTERS ON OTHER SITES HAVE NOTICED PROBS. SKYNET/MATRIX???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2007-11-28 20:05  

#9  Thus far, the so-called SYRIAN-IRANIAN
"ALLIANCE" [Moud-Assad]overtly hasn't amounted to a hill of beans where benefit to SYRIA is concerned - Iff HAFEZ had wafflin' State partners like this, can surmise /specul that Hafez had unreliable support???
Posted by: JsephMendiola   2007-11-28 20:03  

#8  He then said Syria "is sincere in seeking a comprehensive and just peace and possesses the political will to achieve it."

But do they have the political will to STFU about losing the war THEY STARTED against Israel and any land lost in that failed venture?

Damascus now intends to populate its side of the Golan border with a housing project that would contain more than 1,000 apartments. Construction of the complex to house thousands of Arabs is designed to create "facts on the ground" and is reportedly already underway, with bulldozers clearing ground under the nose of Israeli tanks on the border.

Does anyone else see this as a basic threat to create another missile-launching enclave of Palestinian proxies on Israel's border? Does anyone honestly think that a bunch of "refugees" will settle themselves quietly within spitting distance of some Jews?

Syria needs to be taken apart at the seams and become the final destination for all the Palestinians. Their constant meddling with Israel and with Lebanon has earned them this many times over.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-11-28 13:18  

#7  Syria should rename Damascus as Armageddon.
Posted by: wxjames   2007-11-28 12:31  

#6  Muslims arguing against the "Right of Conquest" is pretty rich, considering they want Spain back...
Posted by: mojo   2007-11-28 11:59  

#5  Damascus now intends to populate its side of the Golan border with a housing project that would contain more than 1,000 apartments. Construction of the complex to house thousands of Arabs is designed to create "facts on the ground"..."The refugees will no longer be scattered in slums and camps all around Syria. Soon they will live here and stare right at their Israeli occupiers."

Great idea, just include the rest of the Palestinians from the West Bank so the Jewish State can "normalize" itself.
Posted by: Danielle   2007-11-28 11:56  

#4  The Kingdom of David extended to the outskirts of Damascus.
Posted by: McZoid   2007-11-28 11:15  

#3  I would push for a demilitarized zone in the Golan with US troops manning it. Otherwise, piss off Syria.
Posted by: DarthVader   2007-11-28 10:56  

#2  Right on, RJ. Israel didn't ask for that war. They got it, though, and they fought it, and they kept the land. Tough toenails, Syria.
Posted by: eLarson   2007-11-28 10:45  

#1  Seven years ago, the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, father of the current president, refused an Israeli offer to hand over most of the Golan. Under the proposal, Israel would retain sovereignty over the eastern shore of Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee).

Apparently Assad wasn't too bright because the game plan is take what you can and then break the treaty using proxies in an attempt to get the rest.

I believe by international law, with numberous precidents (ask the Romans, or Judeans), that by right of conquest the Golan is indeed Israels. And in this particular case it was a defense conquest so Syria can just bite me.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2007-11-28 09:57  

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