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Go to Damascus By Yoel Marcus Tags: Iran, Israel, Syria  You don't have to be a strategic expert to see that the Annapolis initiative is dying. The hopes of President Bush and Ehud Olmert that the foundations for an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians could be laid by the end of 2008 have gone up in smoke. The Palestinians have demonstrated yet again their knack for never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Their leaders are divided into goodies and baddies. The goodies are prepared to talk to us about a peace agreement, but they are too weak to reach any kind of accord in the name of the Palestinian people. The baddies just want us dead. Toward that end, they are linked up to the axis of evil - to Iran, Hezbollah and all the countries and groups that embrace raging Islamic fundamentalism. Under the circumstances, we have two options: We can sit and twiddle our thumbs, which means wasting precious time, or we can launch a new political initiative - talks with Syria. Now, as countries in this region are growing weaker, and the terror organizations are growing stronger and working toward the delegitimization of Israel as a state that has no right to exist, it is vital to cut Syria's links with Iran, Hezbollah and the terrorist groups it is harboring. Advertisement After four years of study, Dan Meridor, who headed a committee established by Ariel Sharon and Shaul Mofaz and charged with drafting Israel's national security policy, concluded that Menachem Begin's decision to make peace with Egypt, Israel's strongest and most bitter foe, was a historic move. After that, Yitzhak Rabin signed a peace treaty with Jordan, the second of the five countries that attacked Israel in 1948. These peace agreements have endured for many years, recognized and backed by the United States and Europe, and created an enclave of sanity and stability in the region. At a time when ill winds seem to be blowing from the north, the possibility of bringing Syria into the circle of peace is a particularly calming prospect. According to Meridor, Syria has lost its luster in the eyes of its Arab neighbors. Since the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, the moderate Islamic countries, worried that the international tribunal in the Hague will find Bashar Assad guilty, have been giving Syria the cold shoulder. When foreign sources reported that a Syrian installation had been blown up by Israel, wonder of wonders, no Arab country seemed to have a problem with that. Given Syria's current state of isolation, with its Arab brothers in a huff and a boycott imposed on it by America, the time is ripe for Israel to invite it to join the good guys and urge the Bush administration, or the next one in line, to support an initiative for dialogue between the two countries. Assad the father was not an easy client at the negotiating table, and the same is true for Assad the son. But 35 years of agreements on the Syrian front have taught us that the Syrians honor their commitments. At a special cabinet meeting two weeks ago, IDF military intelligence estimated that Syria could be separated from the "axis of evil," especially if America pitched in. Syria's alliance with Iran is not a natural one. Since the return of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, Iran's goal has been to topple the traditional regimes in the region, of which Syria is one, and install religious clerics. Over the years, there have been contacts, and even talks, between Damascus and Jerusalem. Kissinger, Clinton, Netanyahu and Barak met with the Syrians and talked to them. But Assad Senior - whose long lectures would leave his listeners with bursting bladders - was a stubborn leader. Always cognizant of being a member of Syria's Alawite minority, he was a stickler for detail. Not only did he demand the return of all territory, but everything had to be exactly as it was before, including the right of Syrian soldiers to dip their toes in the Kinneret. Assad Junior, supposedly a man of the world, is on our wavelength. Ehud Barak and the defense establishment believe we need to talk to the Syrians for a number of reasons. At the top of the list is establishing internationally recognized borders for the State of Israel, thereby putting an official end to the non-recognition of Israel's existence. An agreement with Syria would strategically change the picture in this region: It would isolate Iran, neutralize the headquarters of the terrorist organizations and strengthen the moderate Islamic regimes. Unlike the Palestinian leadership at the moment, the Syrians, in their bid for international acceptance, are capable of delivering the goods. But only if Israel realizes that secure and recognized borders come with a price tag, a hefty one, but worth it for peace - the Golan Heights. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Condemned cinema Dutch Jewish group: Anti-Islam film is 'counterproductive.' Suspecting Syria UN officials: Syria still suspected in Lebanese PM Hariri murder case.   1.   I AGREE BUT!!!!!!!!!!!! 10:02  |  DAVID 25/03/08   2.   no to giving away golan! 10:05  |  Mike 25/03/08   3.   Go to Damascus and much farther 10:15  |  Velvl Shmerlson 25/03/08   4.   Return the Golan? Peace with Syria? It`s a start 10:16  |  Natallie Durson 25/03/08   5.   And what of Hezbollah and Lebanon 10:30  |  David G 25/03/08   6.   as they say" no way joel"!!!!!!!!!!! 10:36  |  v hardman 25/03/08   7.   Peace for Golan 10:42  |  zznhl 25/03/08   8.   wise suggestion by mr. marcus 10:48  |  saul a. readner 25/03/08   9.   Returning the Golan is a mistake... 10:49  |  Clickfool 25/03/08   10.   GOLAN ETC. 10:58  |  indrajaya 25/03/08   11.   #4 OK good for a start, Natalie, what woud be the end? 11:02  |  Ron 25/03/08   12.   # 11 ron 11:21  |  Axel 25/03/08   13.   Peace is a step-at-a-time process 11:32  |  US CITIZEN 25/03/08   14.   Peace with a hating neighbour??? 11:42  |  trumpeldor 25/03/08   15.   simple... 11:44  |  Jane 25/03/08   16.   Is this the genuine Clickfool?!?! 11:47  |  The Judge 25/03/08   17.   # 13 us citizen 11:55  |  Axel 25/03/08   18.   to US CITIZEN #13 12:01  |  zeev 25/03/08   19.   God Bless the ARAB DRUZE of the Golan 12:11  |  Paly Druze Muslim 25/03/08   20.   Golan belongs to Israel 12:13  |  American Christian 25/03/08   21.   to trumpeldor #14 - right you are 12:16  |  zeev 25/03/08   22.   #17 & #18--It`s only logical. 12:22  |  US CITIZEN 25/03/08   23.   #21--zeev 12:27  |  US CITIZEN 25/03/08   24.   Syria has kept and honoured certain rules. 12:29  |  Stephen. 25/03/08   25.   To Paly Druze Muslim 12:29  |  American Christian 25/03/08   26.   #19 you showed that you are not worth an Israeli citizenship 12:30  |  Aaron 25/03/08   27.   zznhl 12:33  |  scallywag 25/03/08   28.   #22 I agree 12:34  |  Aaron 25/03/08   29.   To US CITIZEN 12:35  |  American Christian 25/03/08   30.   For "American Christian" # 20 12:42  |  Clickfool 25/03/08   31.   # 22 us citizen 12:48  |  Axel 25/03/08   32.   #29 Americna Christian--I apologize for my error. 12:48  |  US CITIZEN 25/03/08   33.   to US CITIZEN #23 13:03  |  zeev 25/03/08   34.   # 32 us citizen 13:06  |  Axel 25/03/08   35.   To Clickfool 13:46  |  American Christian 25/03/08   36.   Yoel Marcus, I rather give you away and keep the Golan 13:51  |  Simcha 25/03/08   37.   and Jaffa to "Israeli" arabs and Herziliya to "the dugmush clan" 14:00  |  pal supporter 25/03/08   38.   marcus on syria 14:03  |  marcel 25/03/08   39.   Check out articles before Oslo 14:04  |  Gene 25/03/08   40.   #36-Simcha 14:10  |  GPWS1 25/03/08   41.   Marcus on More Isolation of the Issues 14:14  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/03/08   42.   Lunatics like Marcus gave identical arguments for getting Arafat 14:24  |  Absolute Sweden 25/03/08   43.   The Onloy Way This Will Work 14:27  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/03/08   44.   hi yoel. h. u not noticed that palestine 14:34  |  bozhidar bob balkas 25/03/08   45.   The Posters On This Site Reflect Israel`s views 14:39  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/03/08   46.   R.I.P. Annapolis. The great Israeli land giveaway is over! 14:41  |  Chaim 25/03/08   47.   #42 14:46  |  GPWS1 25/03/08   48.   You assume Israel wants peace 14:48  |  Ben 25/03/08   49.   GPWS1 40 15:08  |  Simcha 25/03/08   50.   Gadot 15:08  |  Joe Shmo 25/03/08   51.   You don`t give Golan away ... 15:14  |  Sid 25/03/08   52.   Lets have peace and start living and building instead! 15:18  |  Sami 25/03/08   53.   Typical Leftie(or an arab) GPSW1,trying to muzzle opponents 15:22  |  Absolute Sweden 25/03/08   54.   yaakov sullivan 15:23  |  saul a. readner 25/03/08   55.   go... 15:23  |  Shmuelshachor 25/03/08   56.   #49-Appreciate 15:24  |  GPWS1 25/03/08   57.   For American Christian # 35 15:28  |  Clickfool 25/03/08   58.   absolute sweden 15:30  |  saul a. readner 25/03/08   59.   Are you blind Yoel? 15:31  |  David Hoffman 25/03/08   60.   yaakov sullivan again 15:32  |  saul a. readner 25/03/08   61.   # 42 Absolute Sweden...Could you advise 15:37  |  Lynn 25/03/08   62.   Israel Land for Peace is concept of jihadhis and losers 15:37  |  B 25/03/08   63.   Natalie Durson, you are too smart to miss the point 15:40  |  David Hoffman 25/03/08   64.   and again yaakov sullivan 15:42  |  saul a. readner 25/03/08   65.   ben 15:44  |  saul a. readner 25/03/08   66.   Marcus, read my lips: Ha Am im Ha Golan! 15:48  |  AliciaYasmeen 25/03/08   67.   Saul reader: Tell it to Y.Marc. who`s wasted a lot of human lives 15:54  |  Absolute Sweden 25/03/08   68.   What comes first??? 15:56  |  Jay A Friedman 25/03/08   69.   A referendum on Golan is a "MUST"! 15:58  |  AliciaYasmeen 25/03/08   70.   Natalie Durson, return the GOLAN NEVER EVER! 16:07  |  ROBERT /MONTREAL 25/03/08   71.   Lynn,Svitzerland is not Sweden and I despise Jean Ziegler 16:14  |  Absolute Sweden 25/03/08   72.