Friday, January 28, 2011

Israeli Concessions Will Stabilize The Middle East, Unite The Arab World Against Iran, Reign In Syria And Cure Acne

Well, maybe not that last one.

But given Hezbollah's latest increase in power and influence, there is natural speculation on what--if anything--the US can due at this stage to reign in the terrorist group.

Nicholas Noe has a suggestion for Obama on how to place limits on Hezbollah: press for Israeli concessions:
Still, there is a way for Washington to stake out a reasonable, nonviolent alternative: by pushing for the immediate revival of peace talks between Syria and Israel. Eleven years ago, a peace agreement between the two countries that would have included the disarmament of Hezbollah fell apart, largely because the Israeli prime minister at the time, Ehud Barak, found it too politically difficult to hand over to Syria the last few hundred yards of shoreline around the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee bordering the Golan Heights.


Although a new deal on the Golan would not lead to the end of Hezbollah in the immediate term, it would contain the movement’s ability and desire to use violence, as Syria would need to commit to cutting off the supply routes by which Iranian (and Syrian) weapons are now smuggled into Lebanon. Militarily weakened, and without Syrian or much domestic political backing to continue in its mission to liberate Jerusalem, Hezbollah would find it extremely difficult to threaten Israel’s northern border.
I suppose there is a certain logic at work here. After all, Israeli concessions are a key to Middle East peace--a peace that will lead to a more stable Middle East in part by bringing together the Arab world to deal with Iran. By extension, further Israeli concessions will limit Hezbollah.

Then again, Wikileaks has provided documents showing that the Arab world already sees Iran as the threat that needs to be focused on. So what about Noe's argument about Syria cutting off weapons to Hezbollah as part of some Israel-Syria peace agreement.

Would Syria be more successful than Abbas in disarming Hamas?
Would Syria succeed where UNIFIL failed in fulfilling its mandate to prevent Hezbollah from rearming?
Would Iran sit back and allow its puppet in Lebanon to be weakened?
Come to think of it, why would Syria agree to such a thing to begin with?

Just asking.

I suppose we knew where Noe was going when he writes about
a botched Israeli invasion that killed and wounded thousands of Lebanese citizens and gave Hezbollah unprecedented popularity in the region.
--while ignoring the fact that the Hezbollah kidnapping of Israeli soldiers triggered the events that followed.

I mean seriously--here is an article about Lebanon and how to control Hezbollah. Hezbollah is mentioned 19 times, Syria 9 times and Iran--once: in the context of Syria cutting off Iran arms to Hezbollah.

Is Iran that irrelevant to dealing with Hezbollah?
Or is it just easier to think up how many more concessions Israel can make so that the West can justify sitting back and doing nothing?

Technorati Tag: and and and .

3 comments:

NormanF said...

Why not just have the Jews pack up and leave?

Let's try that for a thought experiment. If Israel closed up shop, would the Middle East experience progress, tolerance, peace and goodwill towards men?

Of course in reality - its absurd. The violence in the Muslim World has nothing whatsoever to do with Israel but the enemies of Israel are not bothered by the lack of evidence.

The lack of evidence has never deterred any one from hating the Jewish State. Nor would concessions from Israel ever satisfy those who have made up their minds against it.

Daled Amos said...

It's just wishful thinking--by those who wish Israel never existed.

Unknown said...

Commenting on the current unrest in Syria, Dr. Dore Gold, president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs noted: "Had Israel given away the Golan Heights to Bashar al-Assad it would not know whether any new regime that will replace him would maintain the security understandings required in such a concession. Iran and radical Islam are on the rise across the Middle East exploiting the genuine democratic sentiments of Arab populations yet creating many dangerous possibilities for the future in countries facing popular revolts at present."

Use this url for background material on Syria (reports and video). http://tinyurl.com/5repgx5