Israel Matzav: April Fools' Day comes to Washington a month early

Sunday, February 26, 2012

April Fools' Day comes to Washington a month early

Perhaps the scariest part about this is that the author - Bruce Riedel - is a close adviser to Barack Hussein Obama (Hat Tip: Mike P).

If Israel is willing to think outside the box, it can deal Bashar al-Assad, Iran, and Hizbullah a body blow without firing a shot. Defense Minister Ehud Barak simply needs to convince Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to put back on the table the offer Barak made to Assad’s father in 2000—return of the Golan Heights to Syria in return for peace with Israel.

...

Finally, in Geneva in March 2000, Barak gave President Clinton authority to offer Assad all of the Golan except a thin strip 500 meters wide along the northeastern shore of Lake Tiberius. Syria would be compensated with territory elsewhere and thus get 100 percent of its lands back. Clinton promised billions in military aid to Israel to help sell the deal. But it was too late; Assad was on his deathbed, focused more on his son’s succession, and said no. It was a tragic missed opportunity.

Barak’s offer was very similar to one Bibi had made earlier in secret to Assad. It was a good deal in 2000, and it is a good deal today. If Israel puts the offer back on the table now, it should say clearly it is only open to a post-Assad government. The Assads lost their chance. Israel should make clear this is the basis for negotiations, not a take it or leave it proposition.

You got that? Offering up all of the Golan except for a 500-meter wide strip in return for 'peace' with a post-Assad Islamist-dominated regime is a 'basis for negotiations' and not a 'take it or leave it' proposition? Why the hell would Israel even consider doing something this stupid?

And it should include one more issue. In return for full peace and full withdrawal, a post-Assad government would need to cease all military and intelligence cooperation with Iran and Hizbullah. Cooperation with parties still at war with Israel would be inconsistent with a Syrian-Israeli peace agreement. Syria breaking with Iran and Hizbullah will break the supply line between Tehran and Beirut. Hizbullah leaders have always said this would be a disaster for them.

A. Good luck with that.

B. Why on earth should we believe that Hezbullah can't survive without Syria now that they control Lebanon?

By putting its peace offer back on the table, Israel can play a constructive role in the Syrian crisis. It can say that not only can a post-Assad Syria move toward freedom after decades of dictatorship, it also can move toward peace. Syria has been at war since 1947—it is the cold war with Israel that two Assad presidents have used to justify their brutal regimes.

Why is there an Israeli interest in playing a 'constructive role' in what's going on in Syria? Our government has decided - wisely I think - that we should stay out of it.

Of course, Bashar and his allies will denounce the Israeli move as evidence the opposition is really just a Zionist conspiracy. Many in the opposition or its extremist allies, like al Qaeda, will denounce it as well. But it will get support from those Syrians who want an end to decades of war and a restoration of their national sovereignty over the Golan. Syria can never restore its territorial integrity by war; only negotiations offer a chance to do that.

But of course, none of those Syrians (all three of them) wants real peace with Israel. They just want the Golan back.

Read the whole thing.

Labels: Bashar al-Assad, Binyamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Golan Heights, Syrian uprising