| Rabin`s statement that "you negotiate peace with your enemies, not with your freinds," is widely quoted in the United States. James Baker says that you should talk to your adversaries, and doing so neither means that you are surrendering your principles nor your objectives. Throughout the 1970s and the 1980s, Israeli leaders were calling for peace talks with Arab leaders "without any preconditions." Now, Israel has preconditions. Does anybody expect Assad to unilaterally give up all leverages he may have (for example, his interests in Lebanon and the fact that Hizbullah is his last Lebanese ally) BEFORE negotiations. Assad wants to have something to offer Israel in return for the Golan, but he cannot do so without setting across the peace table with Israelis and listening to what the latter have to offer him in return. Even in regard to Palestinians, Israel cannot expect them to vote Hamas out while it never promises a viable state in W.Bank and E.Jerusalem and announces a new settleml |
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