Israel Matzav

Germany won't talk to Assad, but Comrade Peretz wants to talk

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier canceled a trip to Damascus today over a speech given by the chinless ophthalmologist, Bashar Assad in which he hailed Hezbollah's "achievements" in the conflict, and warned Israeli leaders to give up on their "follies and arrogance" and work for peace. In the speech, Assad also said that the United States' plan for a "new Middle East" has collapsed after what he described as Hezbollah's successes in fighting against Israel, and warned Israel to seek peace or risk defeat in the future. "The Middle East they [the Americans] aspire to ... has become an illusion," he said.

According to HaAretz, Assad, speaking to a journalists' association, said the region had changed "because of the achievements of the resistance [Hezbollah]:"

"Israel has been trying for decades to gain acceptance in the region. What Israel should know is that every generation has more hatred toward it than the generation before," Assad said.

"Hatred is not a good word. We do not hate and we do not encourage hatred. But Israel did not leave room in our region except for hatred."

"We tell them [Israelis] that after tasting humiliation in the latest battles, your weapons are not going to protect you - not your planes, or missiles or even your nuclear bombs... The future generations in the Arab world will find a way to defeat Israel," Assad said.

"They [Israel] should know that they are before a historic crossroads. Either they move toward peace and the return of [Arab] rights or they move in the direction of continued instability until one generation decides the matter," he said.

Assad defended Hezbollah and criticized a UN cease-fire resolution for holding the militant group responsible for the violence.

"Israel is the one who is responsible," he said. He added that Israel's supporters in Lebanon - an allusion to the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority in Beirut - also bear responsibility.

"The resistance is necessary as much as it is natural and legitimate," he said.

The fighting in Lebanon had been planned by Israel for some time, Assad said, but the endeavor failed. He said the war revealed the limitations of Israel's military power.

"The result was more failure for Israel, its allies and masters," Assad said.

In a 1982 invasion of Lebanon, Israeli forces surrounded Beirut within seven days of invading, he said. "After five weeks it [Israel] was still struggling to occupy a few hundred meters."

"From a military perspective, it [the battle] was decided in favor of the resistance [Hezbollah]. Israel has been defeated from the beginning," Assad said. "They [Israelis] have become a subject of ridicule."

Frank-Walter Steinmeier may be unwilling to meet with Assad, but our Marxist Defense Minister Amir Comrade Peretz is all ready to go. Peretz said today that that a resumption of talks with Syria was still possible, a day after a cease-fire brought to an end the month-long conflict with the Syrian-backed Hezbollah organization in Lebanon. HaAretz quoted Peretz:

"Every war creates an opportunity for a new political process. and I am sure that our enemies understand today they cannot defeat us by force," Peretz said.

"We must hold a dialogue with Lebanon, and we should create the conditions for dialogue also with Syria," he added.

Someone had better explain to our enemies that they are supposed to understand that they cannot defeat us by force. Unfortunately, Peretz's 'brilliant' guidance as Defense Minister has convinced our enemies that there is hope for defeating Israel by force.

There's much more from Assad, so make sure to read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:14 PM