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Last update - 10:12 24/09/2007

To the international border, and no farther

By Alexander Yakobson

The Syrian regime is not currently popular internationally. This lack of popularity, which was caused by the Syrians themselves, works in Israel's favor from various points of view - as was proven by the international ?(non?) response to what reportedly happened recently in Syria's skies.

But let us not delude ourselves: Syria's demand that its sovereignty over the Golan Heights be restored enjoys strong international support - not out of love for Bashar Assad, and not even for love of international law as such, but rather because the stability of recognized international borders is a vital interest of the international community.

The result is that, on one hand, Israel is not being pressured to leave the Golan Heights, but on the other, there is no chance that Israel will ever be able to sign a peace treaty with Syria that includes annexing the Golan or any part of it.

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Therefore, Israel will not lose a thing if it declares its readiness to restore Syrian sovereignty over the Golan when peace comes. Those who believe that there never will be peace with Syria will not have to worry about a declaration of this kind. But those who assume that sooner or later, the two countries will reach an agreement must know that as part of that agreement, Israel will have to leave the heights.

Meanwhile, regardless of the chances of making peace in the near future, it is in Israel's interest to convince the international community that the conflict between the countries does not stem from Israel's desire to control Syrian sovereign territory forever.

This does not mean that the territorial price of an agreement with Syria is known and predetermined. The Syrians do not recognize the international border; they demand that Israel withdraw to the lines of June 4, 1967. The difference between the two lines is minute, but it relates to a vital Israeli interest: control of the shores of Lake Kinneret, to which the Syrians would like to extend their border - even though the entire lakeshore is on the Israeli side of the international border.

This demand cannot be accepted. "Full withdrawal in return for full peace" means putting an end to the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights - not restoring the Syrian occupation of the Galilee, which resulted from the war that Syria launched in 1948 out of opposition to the UN plan to partition Palestine.

Today, because Israel fails to recognize the international border, the impression has been created internationally that Syria is demanding something that belongs to it legally, while Israel is refusing. The truth is that Syria is demanding more than what it is entitled to, while Israel, during the negotiations held by Ehud Barak's government, made a fair and reasonable proposal, which the Syrians rejected.

Under the terms of this proposal, which was made during a meeting between then presidents Bill Clinton and Hafez Assad in Geneva in 2000, Barak suggested the return of the Golan Heights together with an exchange of territory on both sides of the international border. The plan stated that Syria would receive a larger area than Israel, but Israel would continue to control, and even strengthen its control over, the shores of Lake Kinneret.

The claim that Barak took fright at the last minute and missed the opportunity for peace with Syria refers to what happened during an intermediate stage of the negotiations, which took place in Shepherdstown. But the talks did not end there; they ended in Geneva, where Assad vociferously rejected any agreement that would not bring the Syrians to the shores of Lake Kinneret.

In this way, Israel first renounced the Golan in negotiations, and then renounced the political advantages of this concession. The first concession was essential, and from the diplomatic point of view, it cannot be retrieved. The second concession was totally unnecessary.

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1.	never tip your hand	10:48	\|	Cipora Julianna Kohn	24/09/07

2.	UMM RASHRASH belongs to Egypt	10:51	\|	indrajaya	24/09/07

3.	we can live with the present border	11:00	\|	joe	24/09/07

4.	just forgot	11:05	\|	joe	24/09/07

5.	The attack of the bipolar Israelis	11:14	\|	Natallie Durson	24/09/07

6.	They don`t want the Golan!!!!!	11:30	\|	Free Arab	24/09/07

7.	Golan	11:38	\|	Rabbi Izzy Lahm	24/09/07

8.	Exactly Right [1]	11:39	\|	ARTH	24/09/07

9.	Why is that the only alternative?	11:44	\|	Eric	24/09/07

10.	Exactly Right [2]	11:47	\|	ARTH	24/09/07

11.	Exactly Right [3]	11:52	\|	ARTH	24/09/07

12.	The Golan should not be offered....yet	11:56	\|	Slibovitz	24/09/07

13.	Stockhom Syndrome	11:59	\|	Jacob for TRUTH	24/09/07

14.	Forgot-ONE important FACT	12:01	\|	Jacob for TRUTH	24/09/07

15.	to ERIC	12:05	\|	Jacob for TRUTH	24/09/07

16.	Syrian Golan will be freed in one way or the other...	12:06	\|	ME Observer	24/09/07

17.	To indrajaya	12:11	\|	Jacob for TRUTH	24/09/07

18.	Response to #9	12:12	\|	ARTH	24/09/07

19.	Does anybody remember what happpen in Gush Katif?	12:17	\|	Jacob for TRUTH	24/09/07

20.	There can be a middle way	12:20	\|	Israeli	24/09/07

21.	Yakobson and the posters on here are missing 1 important point	12:49	\|	Ken Jurist	24/09/07

22.	reoccupy?	13:29	\|	ravi	24/09/07

23.	7.... dear rabbi	13:31	\|	ravi	24/09/07

24.	!946 Syria Occupied The Golan	13:38	\|	Jacob for TRUTH	24/09/07

25.	the golan is israeli land	14:14	\|	disisraeli	24/09/07

26.	ravi	14:27	\|	Israeli	24/09/07

27.	Um rashrash, Shabaa Farms, and Golan..... to be freed SOON	14:35	\|	ME Observer	24/09/07

28.	What is international border? Sykes-Picot line?	14:35	\|	DJStahl	24/09/07

29.	Rabbi Izzy Lahm .Some humility in order	15:02	\|	Lyall Dellin	24/09/07

30.	"international law - whats that?" how about surviveability	15:06	\|	nehemia dB	24/09/07

31.	#21 On the border between Palestine and Syria	15:14	\|	Johnboy	24/09/07

32.	The world community?	15:17	\|	John Allen	24/09/07

33.	#21 On the border between Turkey and Syria	15:23	\|	Johnboy	24/09/07

34.	Ken Jurist Post #21 is right on the money	15:30	\|	Davio Stoler	24/09/07

35.	Syrian "sovereignty" over Golan is artificial	15:36	\|	Reuven	24/09/07

36.	Too much	15:44	\|	Gee	24/09/07

37.	The Golan	15:44	\|	John Saul	24/09/07

38.	To ME observer	16:02	\|	still laughing	24/09/07

39.	What is ours, is ours. What is not should be returned.	16:04	\|	Shlomo from Tel-Aviv	24/09/07

40.	John Saul	16:06	\|	sorry to inform you	24/09/07

41.	Good Idea	16:15	\|	Danite	24/09/07

42.	to indrajaya	16:21	\|	khairi janbek	24/09/07

43.	ME observer	16:21	\|	Israeli	24/09/07

44.	CIPORA SHALOM	16:22	\|	Danite	24/09/07

45.	26....wake up	16:26	\|	ravi	24/09/07

46.	The Best Model - Lease it for 50 Years	16:29	\|	B`Galil	24/09/07

47.	Response to Shlomo from Tel-Aviv. #39	16:44	\|	Ken Jurist	24/09/07

48.	this is the best model	16:44	\|	levi2	24/09/07

49.	Re 2 Go home little indrajaya	16:56	\|	Alan the real one	24/09/07

50.	ISRAEL NEEDS TO STOP SURRENDERING TO THE WEAKER ENEMY	17:04	\|	zionist forever	24/09/07

51.	#2 Indrajaya	17:16	\|	Eilati	24/09/07

52.	Golan Heights	17:22	\|	khairi janbek	24/09/07

53.	RE:5	17:25	\|	zionist forever	24/09/07

54.	Do israeli really trust in god?	17:31	\|	Kris	24/09/07

55.	#32 Say John Allen	17:37	\|	ballistic	24/09/07

56.	DJStahl # 28 You`ve Got Me	18:02	\|	Jeff Northridge	24/09/07

57.	Umm-Rashrash versus Golan	18:37	\|	Vladimir	24/09/07

58.	Umm-Rash-Rash vs the Golan, II	18:40	\|	Vladimir	24/09/07

59.	Post #54 - Re: Trust in God	18:59	\|	Double Click	24/09/07

60.	First, The Golan Was Illegally Transferred During the Mandate Per	19:03	\|	Chick	24/09/07

61.	Golan Hts. Syria and peace......	19:03	\|	Shalom	24/09/07

62.	ravi hates the americans	19:04	\|	pundit	24/09/07

63.	#2 -indrajaya	19:08	\|	Oleg	24/09/07

64.	indrajaya # 2 Where is Umm Rashrash?	19:22	\|	Jeff Northridge	24/09/07

65.	ME Observer, you forgot something	19:26	\|	christa	24/09/07

66.	Water and more water	19:26	\|	North American	24/09/07

67.	To John Saul	19:30	\|	christa	24/09/07

68.	Shalom from the U.S.A.	19:33	\|	christa	24/09/07

69.	Liberate US from Jewish(political)Power	19:51	\|	American	24/09/07

70.	give up?	19:55	\|	Woodah	24/09/07

71.	trumpeldor	20:00	\|	to ME observer	24/09/07

72.	Syria is no peace partner. Their best friend is Iran. Hello?	20:49	\|	Jason	24/09/07

73.	Lyall Dellin	21:01	\|	Rabbi Izzy Lahm	24/09/07

74.	Residents of Golan	21:20	\|	Elisheva	24/09/07

75.	real american: some gall!! some hypocrite!	21:30	\|	utagawa	24/09/07

76.	American	21:34	\|	utagawa	24/09/07

77.	To AY and Crista	21:47	\|	John Saul	24/09/07

78.	#44, Danite	21:49	\|	Cipora Julianna Kohn	24/09/07

79.	#32 John Allen invents international laws of his own	21:49	\|	Labhras	24/09/07

80.	# 19 Jacob for TRUTH. To All Your Posts Thank You..	22:06	\|	KATH`	24/09/07

81.	# 38 still laughing. ME Observer.(LAUGH I NEARLY SPLIT MY SIDES)	22:09	\|	KATH`	24/09/07

82.	i have no doubt those europeans criticising israel	22:13	\|	disraeli	24/09/07

83.	The Golan is Israel`s !!!!	22:18	\|	Dr Eric	24/09/07

84.	negotiating with ourselves	22:24	\|	Jewish State	24/09/07

85.	COMPROMISE-CREATE NEW HILTOP NATION AND GIVE TO SYRIAN JEWS	22:26	\|	David	24/09/07

86.	Syria and the Golan	22:30	\|	Mark Jeffery Koch	24/09/07

87.	With or without the Golan	22:41	\|	Scharker Yid	24/09/07

88.	no international law says golan should/must be returned was ours	22:47	\|	ralph	24/09/07

89.	Peace with Syria would not be peace.	22:54	\|	Nicolas from Paris	24/09/07

90.	#55KNICKER E AND LAW OF ANY KIND	23:03	\|	paul harris	24/09/07

91.	# 79 Maybe the "learned" pakistani Labra can...	23:10	\|	Misha	24/09/07

92.	Cipora	23:17	\|	Danite	24/09/07

93.	#2	23:35	\|	Moshe	24/09/07

94.	#5	23:52	\|	Moshe	24/09/07

95.	TELL THE TRUTH GOLAN ANNEXED FOREVER ISRAELS INHERITANCE ??	00:18	\|	Bill	25/09/07

96.	Dr Eric and high	00:47	\|	Truth	25/09/07

97.	Leaving the Golan	01:36	\|	Jerome Bresin	25/09/07

98.	#60 Utter and complete nonsense, Chick	02:43	\|	Johnboy	25/09/07

99.	#39 Ooops, Shlomo, better rethink that claim....	02:53	\|	Johnboy	25/09/07

100.	I have Q: if you give back west bank and golan	03:26	\|	topanga	25/09/07

101.	rotshilds bought a lot of syrian territory and deposited	03:35	\|	vladimir	25/09/07

102.	#86 Coz Israel can never claim it for itself Mark	03:38	\|	Johnboy	25/09/07

103.	Absolutely right: full withdrawal all around	03:42	\|	Mark Marshall	25/09/07

104.	#93	03:48	\|	Moshe	25/09/07

105.	@66, north american, you are already antisemite,	03:51	\|	vladimir	25/09/07

106.	GOLAN, LAND OF ISRAEL FOR EVER	04:13	\|	RABBI IZZY	25/09/07

107.	not to be trusted	04:34	\|	real vision	25/09/07

108.	Syria and Golan	05:05	\|	Sabra	25/09/07

109.	Syria didn`t respect the "international border"...	05:36	\|	DK	25/09/07

110.	# 100 No, No the views you expressed are just ....	06:16	\|	Misha	25/09/07

111.	#108 Oh, I see moronic comments, Misha	06:58	\|	Johnboy	25/09/07

112.	#5 Durson-Israelis are bipolar while Dursons of the world r evil	07:15	\|	observant	25/09/07

113.	98 johnboy The Golan was Palestine Part I	08:00	\|	Chick	25/09/07

114.	question for johnboy	08:13	\|	LARRY	25/09/07

115.	British transfer of Golan illegal under Article 5 of the San Remo	08:29	\|	Chick	25/09/07

116.	Does Israel have a choice?	08:29	\|	MiddleSatanian	25/09/07

117.	#102 johnboy and more unlearned twaddle	08:35	\|	victor hardman	25/09/07

118.	Isreal and the Syrians	09:08	\|	darren	25/09/07

119.	In zionist vocabulary "annexation" means something else?	09:08	\|	John	25/09/07

120.	Golan	09:15	\|	Bill	25/09/07

121.	If the author states Israel should not return the Golan to astate	09:18	\|	bipolar	25/09/07

122.	Misha is right, Johnboy,shove it up your butt	09:42	\|	susannah	25/09/07

123.	to indrajya: golan back to syria when papuasia is back to papus	10:05	\|	trumpeldor	25/09/07

124.	Johnny boy -- poor examples, incomplete list	10:40	\|	bbl	25/09/07

125.	Johnny boy -- hows that hat taste	10:44	\|	bbl	25/09/07

126.	American #69 -- fooled again	10:49	\|	bbl	25/09/07

127.	#1- what article did you read,not Yacobson	11:29	\|	Susanna/shoshanna	25/09/07

128.	@2 - Umm Rashrash belongs to Turkey	14:06	\|	David	25/09/07

129.	#113 More nonsense from you, Chick	02:11	\|	Johnboy	26/09/07

130.	#122 Susannah makes a bold statement	02:45	\|	Johnboy	26/09/07

131.	#124 No, the examples are very pertinent, bbl	02:57	\|	Johnboy	26/09/07

132.	#125 I see you misunderstood that argument too, bbl	03:06	\|	Johnboy	26/09/07

133.	#115 Chick gets it all wrong...	13:41	\|	Johnboy	26/09/07

134.	#117 I don`t know why I bother, victor...	13:50	\|	Johnboy	26/09/07

135.	Johnny boy -- collective amnesia indeed	07:36	\|	bbl	27/09/07

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