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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israel, Golan Heights and the Syrian endgame |
| 2016-04-24 |
| [Aljazeera] As the beginning of the endgame on Syria commences, Israel is signaling its intention to join in the feasting on Syria's decaying sovereignty - demanding international recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights captured from Syria in the June 1967 war. The occasion for this demand was an extraordinary cabinet session in on the Golan plateau - the first ever - where, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reckoning, 50,000 Israeli settlers reside. "I chose to hold this festive cabinet meeting on the Golan Heights in order to deliver a clear message," Netanyahu declared at the outset of the meeting. "The Golan Heights will forever remain in Israel's hands. Israel will never come down from the Golan Heights." This Israeli message bears repeating, particularly now when the parties to the war in Syria are jockeying for advantage in the first stages of the diplomatic battle to end the war and to design Syria's future. Netanyahu, no less than the multitude of players circling around the decimated Syrian state, is determined to place its maximal demands on the diplomatic agenda now being fashioned in Washington and Moscow. "Maximal demands" for survival. Is that too much to ask ? It is significant that Netanyahu set out this demand for international recognition of the Golan Heights' annexation without addressing the larger question of a peace treaty with Damascus, which has always been part of the broader diplomatic context in which negotiations over the Golan Heights have been held. Syria, of course, is hardly able to consider engaging in negotiations over the Golan Heights' future. Nor is there much evidence that any Syrian party to the war is prepared to recognise Israeli sovereignty. Both opposition leader Riad Hijab and Syria's Bashar al-Jaafari found themselves in unusual agreement on their adamant rejection of Netanyahu's provocative declaration. Swiftly moving from hopeless blathering to closing paras and yes of course, the obligatory blame game: This shortcoming is all the greater because of the spectacular failure of the Obama administration's initial demand for a complete settlement freeze. The patent first established during the Obama administration's diplomatic offensive on Palestine - grandiose American statements lacking any real strategic sense or commitment to their implementation - is now playing out in Syria, as well. Brain check? Ahg! I find myself agreeing with Aljazeera. I too blame the indolent, petulant Champ, but not simply for the situation in the Golan. One need not connect the settlements in the West Bank to Syria to understand what Champ has been doing with regard to Syria. In fact, it's easier if you don't... |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #3 Ditto Frank. Since 1947 or so, an unending serious of wars, terrorism and conflict aimed at finishing the work begun by a deranged Austrian house painter. Who could fault the push-back ? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2016-04-24 13:03 |
| #2 If you capture strategic territory from which an attack was launched on your nation you are under NO obligation to return it. Moral of the story: don't start fights and lose |
| Posted by: Frank G 2016-04-24 12:54 |
| #1 Don't blame the author. A brain eating protozoan has systematically devoured any recollection of history and facts. An empty shell and dogmatic Islamic chants are all that remain. He writes reasonably well however, which provides valuable insights into the larger group think, as if any additional insights were needed. The 'dog bites feeding hand' blame line is chocolate mousse to the soul. More please, with much wider dissemination and fact-filled examples. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2016-04-24 11:51 |