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Last update - 02:27 06/05/2008 Peace at any price By Moshe Arens Tags: Mahmoud Abbas, Syria, Israel The Israeli government is engaged in a frantic search for peace. Peace with Mahmoud Abbas, even a shelf agreement, and peace with Syria. That seems like the most natural thing in the world. After all, as the saying goes, "Peace is better than war." And if these are the alternatives, that choice seems the correct one. But if we have learned anything from history, it is that even that is not always true. Some past peace agreements have served as invitations to war. But Israel at this time, even while engaged in a war with the Palestinians in the South, is not facing an imminent danger of war with any of the neighboring Arab states. So war with its neighbors, and in particular Syria, is not the alternative to a peace agreement. Rather, the current choice is between continuing the 60 years of belligerency with Syria or striking a peace agreement. This also seems to be a rather easy choice at first sight, until we come to the price Israel would have to pay for the agreement. Should we go for peace at any price? Some people might well believe that no price is too high for peace. Will it not guarantee against future wars? Is that not worth any price? So if Bashar Assad wants the Golan in exchange for peace, why not give it to him? And if he wants a few hundred meters beyond what used to be the international border before the Syrian army invaded Israel in May 1948, why not give it to him? Is that narrow strip of territory worth forgoing peace with Assad? And what if he were to insist on obtaining a small strip of the Galilee as well? Advertisement Is that where peace at any price stops? Should it rather be peace at any reasonable price? And at what point does the price cease to be reasonable? There is no quantitative answer. When faced with such an insoluble equation, it is sometimes convenient to try to find a solution by addressing the problem from another angle. That is what happened when Ariel Sharon proposed the disengagement from Gush Katif, which involved uprooting 8,000 Israeli citizens from their homes and turning the area over to the Palestinians. We want a Jewish democratic state. That is why we are here, and this objective is worth any price. As it turned out, this move did not achieve - or even advance - peace, and Israel is no more Jewish and democratic now than it was before these Israeli citizens were forced out of their homes. It was no more than a delusion, dispelled in short order, that was cleverly sold to the Israeli public. Some of the advocates of peace with Syria at any price may regret that the argument of "a Jewish democratic state" does not apply to turning the Golan Heights over to Syria. There is no "demographic problem" there. Instead, this has been called a "just" solution to the problem. After all, the Golan Heights was sovereign Syrian territory before Syria attacked Israel in the Six-Day War. Does that not mean that it is only proper to return to the Syrians this territory they lost during the war, even if it means uprooting 30,000 Israelis who now live there? But that is not the accepted rule of nations that come to peace agreements. The aggressor nation is not entitled to all territory lost in a war. That would mean that there is no price for attacking a neighbor: Even if the aggression fails, nothing is lost. Just try applying this ludicrous principle to the territories Germany lost in World War II. Syria attacked Israel three times - in 1948, in 1967 and in 1973. The last two times, Syria was soundly defeated. Is it at all reasonable that Syria's lost territory should now be restored? That this cruel dictatorial regime, which is attempting to attain nuclear weapons, should be appeased by receiving the Golan Heights? According to newspaper reports, Prime Minister Olmert already has informed Bashar Assad that Israel is prepared to cede the Golan Heights to Syria. That hasty move needs some further thought, unless all of Olmert's thoughts at this time are devoted to saving his coalition. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Nakba protest World Likud chief calls for cancellation of Nakba Day procession. Perfect match TA court sentences 'DNA Rapist' to 25 years in prison.   1.   The price of peace 10:08  |  Vinegar Hill 06/05/08   2.   Olmert`s Thoughts at this Time 10:14  |  Johnny Weintraub 06/05/08   3.   Don`t worry, it is only the usual lpay acting 10:15  |  Natallie Durson 06/05/08   4.   Peace for return to 1967 lines is just, fair, and sane 10:26  |  Ivar 06/05/08   5.   Moshe Arens` distorted view of the Gaza withdrawal 10:28  |  Clickfool 06/05/08   6.   Moshe Arens makes a hundred (verbal) detours...... 10:30  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/05/08   7.   Arens` flaw in principle: two wrongs don`t make a right 11:02  |  Ivar 06/05/08   8.   Natalie #3 11:13  |  Dr. David Feigenbaum 06/05/08   9.   For Olmert it is PEACE AT ANY PRICE today 11:17  |  Dolly 06/05/08   10.   Olmert the Traitor 11:29  |  Harvey (Chaim) 06/05/08   11.   YES! it could even be Peace at any price..... 11:33  |  Dagma 06/05/08   12.   OLMERT ISN`T IN POSITION TO MAKE PEACE 11:41  |  indrajaya 06/05/08   13.   IVAR In return for NO PEACE and NO RECOGNITION.That`s"only fair"? 11:42  |  PETER SM 06/05/08   14.   The Israeli Chamberlain is a ticking time bomb 12:03  |  Jonathan S 06/05/08   15.   CFOOLThe day last Israeli left Gaza Pals sent a Qassem barrage 12:07  |  PETER SM 06/05/08   16.   The usual rightist puffery 12:17  |  One state now 06/05/08   17.   Moshe Arens` mistakes: 12:38  |  Danny 06/05/08   18.   So what, Peter SM? # 15 13:04  |  Clickfool 06/05/08   19.   its not peace olmert wants its peace prizes he has on his mind 13:25  |  zionist forever 06/05/08   20.   make Golan part of comprehensive package inv. Syria, Lebanon & - 13:36  |  ivo 06/05/08   21.   Peace 13:38  |  Hilda 06/05/08   22.   From Moshe Dayan 13:56  |  Wise Syrian 06/05/08   23.   To Vinegar Hill # 1 - You would like that wouldn`t you? 13:58  |  ,The Threadmill 06/05/08   24.   arrogance engenders stupidity 14:06  |  ravi 06/05/08   25.   Click Louse 14:07  |  Panther Jet 06/05/08   26.   From Menachem Begin 14:14  |  Wise Syrian 06/05/08   27.   From General Mattityahu Peled 14:18  |  Wise Syrian 06/05/08   28.   To Ivar # 4 - Are you or are you NOT..... 14:24  |  Dagma 06/05/08   29.   #20 14:45  |  Panther Jet 06/05/08   30.   Olmert a classic Israeli Dove? Hardly 14:49  |  David Hoffman 06/05/08   31.   TO FRIENDS 14:51  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 06/05/08   32.   5 15:06  |  dennie 06/05/08   33.   7 15:08  |  Gingi 06/05/08   34.   IVAR # 4 - Return to 1967 Lines! 15:08  |  Natasha 06/05/08   35.   # 23 The Threadmill and peace 15:13  |  Vinegar Hill, 06/05/08   36.   17 15:14  |  Rip V. Winkle 06/05/08   37.   Panther Jet #29 15:27  |  ivo 06/05/08   38.   To # 10 Harvey {chaim] - The TRUTH OUT AT LAST! 15:28  |  Onlooker 06/05/08   39.   That`s what happens when you get old, Mr. Arens 15:36  |  Tosefta 06/05/08   40.   To Vinegar Hill # 35 - There can NEVER BE PEACE..... 15:44  |  The Threadmill 06/05/08   41.   Moshe Arens Question Could Have been Asked as Follow 15:47  |  Joseph . E 06/05/08   42.   Promised peace benefits 15:50  |  Ibrahim Shvonce 06/05/08   43.   Questionable "peace" with Syria 15:51  |  AliciaYasmeen 06/05/08   44.   #36 Rip V. Winkle 15:52  |  Said 06/05/08   45.   Over-wise Syrians #22-27 16:12  |  Tosefta 06/05/08   46.   Haaretz` censors 16:43  |  ivo 06/05/08   47.   # 40 Threadmill 16:52  |  Vinegar Hill 06/05/08   48.   SUSTAINABILITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME 16:53  |  TripleJump 06/05/08   49.   I have a solution 17:02  |  Gee 06/05/08   50.   Natalie Durson #3 17:19  |  Mickey 06/05/08   51.   # 22, 26, 27 wise syrian 17:27  |  Joseph . E 06/05/08   52.   Tosefta misses Wise Syrian`s point 17:35  |  Ibrahim 06/05/08   53.   To Vinegar Hill # 47 - Sorry,,, I have written on the subject 17:52  |  The Threadmill 06/05/08   54.   Just trying to avoid indictment 20:00  |  Herbert Kaine 06/05/08   55.   no. 44 21:02  |  Nach 06/05/08   56.   TO TripleJump 21:21  |  HISTORY part1 06/05/08   57.   TO TripleJump 21:23  |  HISTORY part2 06/05/08   58.   Point, and counter point (Ibrahim #52) 21:24  |  Tosefta 06/05/08   59.   Peace with Syria 22:33  |  Justin Frempong 06/05/08   60.   Tosefta, given Israel`s desire to expand its territories... 23:08  |  Ibrahim 06/05/08   61.   IVO 23:22  |  PantherJet 06/05/08   62.   re:48 .. your plan will lead to war not peace 23:37  |  zionist forever 06/05/08   63.   16 23:44  |  Zionist forever 06/05/08   64.   To Justin Frempong 23:51  |  Jew frm Arab country 06/05/08   65.   Brod - USA 23:58  |  Rachel 06/05/08   66.   To Ibrahim # 52 - Figfhting back a lost Battle 00:15  |  Dagma 07/05/08   67.   שלומ???? 00:18  |  someone 07/05/08   68.   CFOOL Re " -AND SHARON said so" Where? When? 00:19  |  PETER SM 07/05/08   69.   CFOOL Re " -AND SHARON said so" Where? When? 00:19  |  PETER SM 07/05/08   70.   שלומ???? 00:26  |  someone 07/05/08   71.   The Man who was about to give away his Country..... 00:28  |  Natasha 07/05/08   72.   שלומ???? 00:34  |  someone 07/05/08   73.   Wise Syrian 00:44  |  Gee 07/05/08   74.   #545 h kane spoken like a true 00:46  |  Labhras 07/05/08   75.   #6 Swiss(Dino) - "Simply can`t" is overly simplistic 00:55  |  JP 07/05/08   76.   To someone # 71 - Better to get your facts straightened out 01:42  |  Dolly 07/05/08   77.   What a silly question 02:26  |  Mark Lincoln 07/05/08   78.   Moshe Arens article is full of simple pure common sense. 03:38  |  Akram Zekaria 07/05/08   79.   OLMERT WANTS TO SURRENDER LAND FOR NO PEACE 04:16  |  ROB SCHWARTZ 07/05/08   80.   TO “ someone” U R deceived - pls everyone read #56&57 HISTORY 04:39  |  HISTORY 07/05/08   81.   How? 04:45  |  Mark Lincoln 07/05/08   82.   #1 Vinegar Hill 05:24  |  EGW 07/05/08   83.   #4 IVAR 05:28  |  EGW 07/05/08   84.   Churchill`s wisdom for Slowman 05:36  |  Moshe Arens 07/05/08   85.   This is nonsense..... 06:43  |  Johnboy 07/05/08   86.   peace at any price 06:57  |  martin list, m.d. 07/05/08   87.   #8 08:57  |  syd 07/05/08   88.   A proposal for Peter SM # 67 09:29  |  Clickfool 07/05/08   89.   this will all end with crying 10:08  |  shinderpal jandu 07/05/08   90.   OLMERT has to step down with ZERO in his pocket 11:14  |  The Threadmill 07/05/08   91.   tO 81 - Mark Lincoln - How.. Where.. should 4/5 million Arabs 11:32  |  Dolly 07/05/08   92.   81# To Mark Lincoln who always exercise in Vacuum.pt-1 13:26  |  Akram Zekaria 07/05/08   93.   81# To Mark Lincoln who always exercise in Vacuum.pt-2 13:59  |  Akram Zekaria 07/05/08   94.   2 Dolly #76 17:59  |  Someone 07/05/08   95.   to HISTORY parts 1 and 2 18:20  |  Someone 07/05/08   96.   Addendum to 92#93 To Mark Lincoln.Every lie has its last day.p ! 19:56  |  Akram Zekaria 07/05/08   97.   Addendum to 92#93To Mark Lincoln.Every lie has its last day.pt-2 20:32  |  Akram Zekaria 07/05/08   98.   Mr Lincoln : Why the silence ? 03:53  |  Akram Zekaria 08/05/08   99.   Follow up to my 98# To Marx Lincoln.Dror* 16:02  |  Akram Zekaria 08/05/08   100.   Peace at any price 19:00  |  Joshua 08/05/08

Read & React Bradley Burston: Sixty years of Nakba, sixty years of nothing Responses: 271 PA official: No Israeli partner in light of latest Olmert probe Responses: 175 Haaretz Editorial: Israel stronger than its ills; Mideast peace is still possible Responses: 117 Rosner's Domain: Obama and the Jews: is 61% enough? Responses: 71 Peres: I didn't imagine Qassams would be fired from Gaza after pullout Responses: 214 More Headlines 19:50 Two seriously hurt when paratrooper hits crowd in Tel Aviv 18:31 Thousands take to streets and parks as Israel celebrates 60 years of statehood 18:06 Olmert said ready to bring about peace agreement with Syria 17:34 British PM: Israel`s creation one of the 20th century`s `greatest achievements` 20:24 Several cops hurt when clashes erupt at Israeli Arab Naqba Day protest 18:42 Ahmadinejad: Israel is a 'stinky corpse' doomed to disappear 18:21 Train commemorating Holocaust children arrives at Auschwitz 16:32 Days of Our Lives: 1948-2008 15:33 Singer Sarit Hadad, comedian Jackie Mason headline London bash for Israel 20:21 U.S.: Hezbollah must choose whether it is terror group or political party 20:54 IAF kills Palestinian, wounds 4 in separate strikes on Gaza 20:49 Police: Gag order on probe against Olmert to be lifted, partially or fully, on Thursday 12:25 Your guide to Israel's 60th Independence Day celebrations 18:44 Danish woman who alleged rape at kibbutz now says she's 'unsure' Previous Editions Select Day 07 may 06 may 05 may 04 may 02 may 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr 25 apr 24 apr

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