Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., August 11, 2008 Av 10, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:25 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 22:39 10/08/2008 A single precondition By Zvi Bar'el Tags: Hezbollah, Lebanon, Syria The Lebanese Army is nowhere to be found on the border between Lebanon and Syria. Neither are the peacekeeping troops of UNIFIL and the Lebanese police. UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which aimed, among other things, to block the porous border between Lebanon and Syria, has become a dead letter. The area is essentially a no-man's land, predominantly Shi'ite, and is controlled by the large clans whose main income comes from growing cannabis. Past efforts by the Lebanese government to replace the drug crops with fruits and vegetables have failed. This year, the cannabis harvest in the border district of Baalbeq-Hermel is expected to yield $250 million in revenues. The clans protect this income with private armies, armed to the teeth with RPGs, mines and heavy machine guns. It has even been reported that one clan kept a tank in the backyard. If the Lebanese Army or UNIFIL were to try to impose their control on this area, it would involve a bloody war. Hezbollah also enjoys a strong hold on the region - not because of considerations of ideology or religion, but of livelihood. And so a significant portion of the arms coming from Syria to Hezbollah passes through this area. The border here is permeable and lacks controls, since on the Syrian side, too, people benefit from granting the smugglers free passage, mostly because the Syrian government is unable to address the region's economic difficulties. When Israel threatens to forcefully end the flow of arms from Syria, it should at least understand the nature of this front. Israel is justly demanding that Syria take control over the arms export to Lebanon, just as it has asked Egypt to stop the arms smuggling from its territory to the Gaza Strip. The U.S. also maintains that Syria can prevent the transfer of terrorists and arms from its territory into Iraq. However, there is a difference between Egypt, which is trying to block the transfer of arms and is even combating the terrorist groups in Sinai, and Syria. Because Syria - which enjoys a newfound status as an internationally recognized state, whose leader hops from Paris to Tehran, and from there to the Turkish resort town of Bodrum, and meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshal, with Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and whose representatives hold indirect talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - this Syria views Hezbollah as a strategic asset and not a threatening rival, like Egypt views Hamas. Advertisement Moreover, the group that is essentially become a state and Syria are locked in an alliance based on co-dependence, where neither side wishes to dictate its wishes to the other, but where services are exchanged. This is also the reason why Hezbollah still has a thing to say about Syria's negotiations with Israel. For its part, Hezbollah continues to run its affairs in Lebanon, and it will not permit the central government to sit at the negotiating table with Israel. Bashar Assad, on the other hand, can shake off his commitment to unify the Syrian and Lebanese tracks vis-a-vis Israel, and fears no surprises in Beirut. After all, Hezbollah will take care of Syria's interests in Lebanon. Israel has also forgotten Assad's commitment to Lebanon. From its point of view, an independent Lebanon is a lost cause, now that with Syrian assistance, Hassan Nasrallah has taken over Beirut's center of power, including the presidency and the cabinet. Therefore, the real prize in the talks between Israel and Syria is defined in terms of Syria breaking away from Iran. But herein lies the strategic error. Whether Syria breaks away from Iran or not, Iran will continue to develop its nuclear capabilities. While Lebanon has no centrifuges or enriched uranium, it has turned into a genuine threat, having dragged Israel into a number of wars and perpetuating high levels of tension. Israel, which is threatening to forcefully put an end to the flow of arms to Hezbollah, cannot simultaneously toy with polite negotiations with Syria. It is difficult to expect Syria to continue negotiating with Israel if it attacks Hezbollah's arms depots, or if it targets the Syrian arms storage facilities that ship to Lebanon. But this is the same Syria that, following American threats and sanctions, knew how to put an end to terrorists and arms entering Iraq and recognized that it must take a step back when Turkey threatened war after accusing Damascus of supporting Kurdish separatist organizations. Syria can and should block the border with Lebanon. This is not a gesture of goodwill toward Israel, but a precondition for continuing negotiations. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A Model Zionist How did Bar Rafaeli conquer the U.S. blogs and gossip columns? A lost pillar Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish to be laid to rest in Ramallah, mourned for 3 days.   1.   Hezbo will bring a disaster on Lebanon 08:18  |  Dan 10/08/08   2.   Cheap & Cheaper 23:59  |  BamBoo 10/08/08   3.   interesting equation 08:29  |  The Devil`s Advocate 11/08/08

Read & React PA negotiator: Israel may make two-state solution impossible Responses: 75 Barak questions if Livni would be 'wise' choice for premiership Responses: 53 Young Hamas campers now ready for battle with Israel Responses: 4 Michalis Firillas: Like Tibet and Darfur, public sympathy will get Georgia nowhere Responses: 3 More Headlines 09:07 PA negotiator: Israel may make two-state solution impossible 10:19 Georgia rejects Moscow ultimatum to disarm in Abkhazia 10:00 IDF vets who trained Georgia troops: War with Russia is no surprise 08:51 Young Hamas campers now ready for battle with Israel 08:52 IOC: Iran swimmer who quit race with Israeli competitor broke no rules 04:48 Defense Ministry: No progress with Hamas on Shalit swap deal 09:14 Georgian Jews flee to Israel as clashes with Russia continue 08:14 Haaretz newsletter: All the news from Israel direct to your inbox 08:16 Barak questions if Livni would be 'wise' choice for premiership 03:11 Peres invites Russian PM, Chinese President to Israel 04:33 Small Arab villages serve as models for waste recycling in Israel 09:59 Mourning Mahmoud Darwish, 'the son of all the Palestinians' 05:15 Surgeon shortage places 'less skilled' doctors in operating rooms 04:18 Supermodel Bar Refaeli - the first international Zionist celebrity Previous Editions Select Day 10 aug 08 aug 07 aug 06 aug 05 aug 04 aug 03 aug 01 aug 31 jul 30 jul 29 jul 28 jul

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Isaac Maimon at Dreamshoppe Special summer sale. Make an offer now. You will be surprised. MBA in Israel in English APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved