Israel and Syria talking peace?
posted at 8:30 am on May 21, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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All parties confirm this morning that Israel and Syria have opened indirect talks about a peace settlement, with Turkey as the middleman. The move seems surprising, coming so soon after Israel’s attack on a Syrian facility widely believed to be a clandestine nuclear facility, but the timing may suit both governments:
Israel and Syria on Wednesday said they were holding indirect peace talks through Turkish mediators — the first official confirmation of contacts between the longtime enemies.
In statements issued minutes apart, the two governments said they “have declared their intent to conduct these talks in good faith and with an open mind,” with a goal of reaching “a comprehensive peace.”
Both nations thanked Turkey for its help, and Turkey issued its own confirmation. Muslim Turkey has good ties with both Israel and Syria.
There have been reports in recent months of new Israeli-Syrian contacts through Turkey, and Turkey’s foreign minister said earlier this month that his country was trying to bring the sides together. But this was the first official confirmation that contacts have resumed.
The road to an agreement has plenty of obstacles, and the Golan Heights issue is only one of them. Israel took Golan in 1967 when it beat the Syrians in the war, taking back high ground Damascus used to routinely shell Israel. Syria still claims it as their land, and the international community largely recognizes it as Syrian. Any settlement with Syria would almost certainly involve an Israeli withdrawal from the strategic position, and would almost as surely receive a large amount of protest from Israelis.
Carl in Jerusalem reports that the pushback against Olmert has already begun on the Golan, and he joins in it as well:
Having reported the news, I would like to comment on it. Olmert’s despicable cynicism and egomania know no bounds. I have no words that I can use to express how much I detest him that do not run the risk of attracting a defamation lawsuit (yes, even politicians sue for defamation here). It’s long past time for Shas (at least) to get their heads out of the sand and their butts out of the government. For that matter, it’s time for Livni and Barak to get out too.
Carl notes that the Golan has strategic value not just for Israel’s defense but also for water rights. He promises to expand on that in later posts.
Golan will not be the only issue. Just as Syria will not sign a peace settlement without resolving the Golan in its favor, the Israelis will not sign an agreement without demanding an end to Syrian sponsorship of Hezbollah and Hamas. That is the biggest reason for Israel to normalize relations with Damascus. Israel has already publicly demanded this as a precondition of direct negotiations, even before an agreement is reached.
The regional ramifications are interesting, to say the least. What do Syria’s partners in terrorism, the Iranian mullahs, think of this effort? They have been crystal clear in their desire to see Israel disintegrate, and have funded both Hezbollah and Hamas as well as Islamic Jihad to speed the process. If Syria signs an agreement with Israel, it not only isolates Tehran but it cuts them off from their terrorist proxies. It stops Iranian hegemony cold in the region and makes southwest Asia a very lonely place for the Persians, hemmed in on all sides by allies of the US.
That would make it a rather foolish time for an American president to have a summit with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, wouldn’t it?
Of course, that only happens if Syria and Israel actually reach an agreement. Carl believes that the exercise intends to distract Israelis from Ehud Olmert’s legal woes, while the AP report suggests that the Israelis wanted to poke the Palestinians to faster action on peace negotiations for the West Bank. The official acknowledgment of the talks raises the stakes if Olmert and Assad have done this only as a gamble on other issues. At some point, people will expect the nations to deliver on these promises.
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Squid Shark on May 21, 2008 at 8:39 AM
Olmerde is just trying to divert attention from his bribery investigation pending this Friday.
Aristotle on May 21, 2008 at 8:47 AM
Gee, Israel showed a position of strength, reducing Syria’s nuclear weapons potential with an airstrike, and now Syria wants to consider a peace accord.
I thought you couldn’t get peace without just going to an enemy who has been subtly murdering your soldiers for years and “talking”. At least that’s what people like Carter and Obama had led me to believe.
MadisonConservative on May 21, 2008 at 8:57 AM
Oh, how I hope this is just the same pointless crap as the Israelis and the Palestinians meeting. Empty useless rhetoric.
Ehud Olmert is frigging useless. Let’s face it – if he hadn’t ridden into PM on Ariel Sharon’s coattails, he wouldn’t have had a shot in h$ll at it.
I should hope the Israelis know what’ll happen if the Golan Heights are given to Syrians. Bombs, bombs and more bombs. The Israelis would have to go back and take it again. Just like in 1967.
mjk on May 21, 2008 at 8:59 AM
How is it Olmert’s government hasn’t fallen, I mean, previous Israeli governments have falen for a lot less.
Lance Murdock on May 21, 2008 at 9:03 AM
I blame Bush
jp on May 21, 2008 at 9:04 AM
Red Pill on April 24, 2008 at 9:36 AM
Red Pill on May 21, 2008 at 9:06 AM
The move seems surprising, coming so soon after Israel’s attack on a Syrian … clandestine nuclear facility.
No, that makes perfect sense. Remember how K’daffy wanted to talk the day after we caught Saddam? “Look, here’s MY bio/chems! You can have ‘em!” Assad is the same, ’cause that’s how tough guy muslims roll.
Tony737 on May 21, 2008 at 9:07 AM
Hezbollah and/or Hamas could poison Israel’s water supply that flows out of the Golan Heights.
Red Pill on May 21, 2008 at 9:07 AM
Surprising? I think the attack explains the timing, actually.
Akzed on May 21, 2008 at 9:13 AM
What are Syria’s motives? Money, power in the region?
Why do the Syrians seem to prefer Iranian or Shia money to Arab or Sunni money. Why doesn’t the Saudis or others pay Syria’s leaders to drop their alliance with Iran? What does Syria get by being the only Arab country still at conflict with Israel? Syria is so hard-line, going back even to Nasser’s time and their alliance with Egypt. Where does that come from?
JiangxiDad on May 21, 2008 at 9:15 AM
… the Israelis will not sign an agreement without demanding an end to Syrian sponsorship of Hezbollah and Hamas.
I’m pretty sure the Israelis know all about taqqiya. As soon as the agreement is signed, it’s worthless because the Syrians will be right back to their dirty ways.
Tony737 on May 21, 2008 at 9:17 AM
Bingo.
Syria will promise to stop sponsorship of Hezbollah and Hamas, but Iran won’t.
Israel will sign a treaty and make the mistake of withdrawing from the Golan Heights (just as it was a mistake to withdraw from Gaza). The Golan Heights will be used to attack Israel. Israel will respond by destroying the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world:
Red Pill on May 21, 2008 at 9:18 AM
Bingo.
One word: taqqiya.
Red Pill on May 21, 2008 at 9:22 AM
B-b-but there will be a peace treaty!
Kafir on May 21, 2008 at 9:23 AM
Syria won’t give up on Iran. It’s all talk. Syria won’t kick Hamas out of Damascus.
The only good thing about negotiations with Hamas and Syria is that I know, fairly soon, they fall through due to intransigence by the irridentists who will never recognize or live in peace with Israel.
Olmert’s time is coming to a close, I think.
Meryl Yourish on May 21, 2008 at 9:24 AM
‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.
CP on May 21, 2008 at 9:25 AM
Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city,
And it will be a ruinous heap.
… And lo, it shall glow in the dark and the soil shall not produce.
Tony737 on May 21, 2008 at 9:26 AM
Of course, that only happens if Syria and Israel actually reach an agreement.
All of the comments here are pretty skeptical, mine included, but we should all pray for an actual, true and real peace. Hope for the best, while Israel prepares for the worst.
Tony737 on May 21, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Syria will not throw Iran under the Bus for the Golan. Syria cannot toss Iran because while Gaza has a warm fuzzy value to Syria Lebanon is the gold standard that is critical to the Syrian economy. Syria’s power in Lebanon comes from Hezbollah which is funded, trained, armed by Iran.
This is a Syrian shell game that once they get the Golan back it will be same old same old except Israel will be a bad tactical position. From Golan you can rain missiles deep into N. Israel.
Olmert is a pansy of the highest order that would give his mother away in a shallow dream of becoming a peace maker. You want to know what a Obama presidency would look like just see Olmert.
-Hamas overran Gaza Olmert dillied.
-Hamas takes a Israeli soldier Olmert tried to bluff a military operation but when Hamas called his b*tch card he punked out and stopped.
-Hezbollah attacked (takes more soldiers) again he bluffed military again Hezbo’s pulled his b*tch card. Olmert panics and freezes in indecision ending with Israels first military defeat in her history and a now mythical super hezbollah for the March-14 to confront.
-Hamas again daily hammers of rockets into S Israel.
-Olmert calls embargo but regularly punks out allowing aid. Even thou there is evidence the food and gas shortages are Hamas generated (hording) to put international pressure on Israel.
-Olmert visits S Israel says “Israel has been rocketed before you will just have to get used to it” to a Israeli citizen that dared ask why the government was not protection them.
Now Olmert is talking about giving away Jerusulem to Fatah, Already Gaza to Hamas, Lebanon to Hezbollah, Golan to Syria, and who knows what else. What peace did Israel get for Gaza, for backing down to Hezbollah, for backing down to Hamas?
C-Low on May 21, 2008 at 9:50 AM
Well the nuts of the Apocalypse are not rooting for peace, they desperately want a war which will come to the brink of destroying Israel so all us Jews can get saved and Jesus can come and save the world.
Squid Shark on May 21, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Peacde through strength, unlike Barack’s peace through groveling.
Snooper on May 21, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Syria may be reacting both to the destruction of the nuclear facility and to the USA’s success in pacifying Iraq. They may also be hedging their bets on the possibility that the US and Israel will attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
If the last happens, the dynamics of the situation in the MidEast could change very quickly. Iran tries to close the Straits; the US responds by keeping them open. Iran’s oil flow stops. Seeing Iran distracted, Israel might move against Hamas and Hezbollah—and Syria.
In which case, Syria might find it advantageous to seek new sponsors, e.g. Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon could fall back into the Western orbit. In this scenario, with the US the dominant power in the MidEast, we could conceivably work a deal that repatriates the Palestinians across the river into Jordan (with ample compensation for them and the Jordanians) and gives Israel the entire West Bank.
Of course, events could take very different courses, some of them disastrous, but one thing for sure: There will be no peace without victory by one party or another. And it doesn’t look like Olmert is the one to shepherd Israel through the trying times to come.
MrLynn on May 21, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I only wish they would stop calling this “Peace talks”. The agreement with Egypt had nothing to do with true peace and reconciliation, it has to do with convergence of interests – Saddat was dissatisfied with the USSR and wanted US support of his dictatorship, plus the vast territory with mineral deposits. But he remained a Jew Hater, as did the majority of Egyptians. After 25 years of “Peace”, Mein Kampf is still the biggest bestseller in Egypt. There is no reason Syria would be any differnt.
Israel has no reason to withdraw from it’s highland and water resources in exchange for this type of agreement.
The only good reasoning the proponents of the talks have is that pulling Syria out of Iran alliance by bribing them with the Golan and $$$ would be a serious blow to the axis of evil, but it is neither justice nor peace – it’s just paying off the bad guys for an uncertain amount of time.
Aristotle on May 21, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Thanks for this info. Can Syria get what it wants/needs without Lebanon? How do we untie that knot?
JiangxiDad on May 21, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Israel will bend over a little more for ‘peace’ and the result will be war.
right4life on May 21, 2008 at 11:53 AM
you christian haters need to get one thing straight: there is nothing *we* can, or have, to do for Jesus to return. HE is in charge of that. and all your accusations that ‘christians want the apocalypse’ are just an expression of your blind hatred for christians, and christianity.
right4life on May 21, 2008 at 11:56 AM
It’s nice, even if Olmert is doing it only to distract people from his bribery investigation (which I don’t think to be the case), but the chances for this deal to happen are so slim that it’s not worth talking about it.
Iran and Syria are joined at the hip. I don’t see how Assad would separate. Part of the deal would require the US and Israel (but mostly the US) to let Syria have Lebanon. That is up to the US, and will never happen either.
The reality is entirely not ripe to have any discussions. I don’t believe anything will come out of it at all.
AlexB on May 21, 2008 at 12:18 PM
This is such a non entity.. Syria & Iran have within the last year & a half signed a mutual defense pact, during the lebanon war Assad openly talked about using a Hezbollah model against Israel.. Now he’s arming up & spending billions on just that.
He’s skillfully easing pressure on hezbollah & Iran re Lebanon by playing this crap, while skillfully taking advantage of Israel’s political need for a lifevest at the same time. They are getting so shrewd the Axis, they have become masters of manipulation (to such an extent 40% of your own populace is buying the endless BS up wholesale costco style), the Dems want to negotiate with these animals, my Prime Minister – the worst in the country’s 60 year history included.
Lebanon’s western allies now have a convenient excuse to not do anything per the new Lebanon situation – EXACTLY what they want (My countries corrupt inept govt as well.) I have yet to hear a peep out of the Security Council, despite the blatant criminality of what has gone on, despite the flagrant violation of their own 1701 council resolution not even 2 years old, as well as resolution 1636 per Hariris murder.
In the end it is all nonsense, we all know what is coming – War.
saus on May 21, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Olmert’s last gasp before he is gone. The faux peace attempts will go no where, the real deal is war coming soon. Syria & Iran have made their beds and it’s bedtime soon!
el Vaquero on May 21, 2008 at 1:54 PM
I actually love Christians, I find it to be a lovely religion. Apocanuts bug me to no end though with all of their faux concern for the state of Israel when they really are praying for that day when the anti-Christ is gonna thump us.
You pray for this war to come, yes or no?
Its not a matter of hate for Christians, it is a matter of cold, hard facts.
Squid Shark on May 21, 2008 at 2:28 PM
That’s a mighty big (and might wrong) assumption there, Squid Shark.
While I am not ethnically Jewish (or Hebrew, as some prefer), I believe that as a follower of Jesus Christ I am adopted into the Jewish family.
No.
right4life is right that we are not in control, God is.
Red Pill on May 21, 2008 at 3:29 PM
first of all how do you know its ‘faux’?? are you God, to know whats in a man’s heart? the only friends Israel has left in this world are conservative christians. if you think your liberal darwiniac friends ‘care’ you’re deluded.
you really are blinded by your obvious bigotry and hatred towards christians. no one prays for the anti-christ, for anything. but you don’t believe he will raise his wounded head anyway, so why do you care?
I pray for Jesus to come. the way Israel is going you better pray He comes too, to save Israel from it’s own foolishness.
your ‘facts’ are a figment of your hate-filled mind. you sound like a typical crazed darwiniac. if you’re jewish, you’re probably very secular.
right4life on May 21, 2008 at 5:12 PM
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