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At the same time, and without batting an eyelash, Israel refuses to negotiate with Syria because negotiations could only result in Israel withdrawing to pre-June 1967 borders. Israel puts about the false claim that Syria is begging on its knees for Israel to negotiate, then turns up its nose at the imagined entreaties, all the better to swagger and strut and play the bully shoving aside pedestrians on the sidewalk.
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But Syria has made no new overtures of any sort: it has merely reiterated its commitment to previously stated positions on a settlement and on the negotiating process. In concocting this image of a groveling Syria Israel is underscoring the balance of powers in the region. The US hasn't changed one iota. It is still breathing down Syria's neck and it will go on breathing down Syria's neck until Syria does its bidding. But because there are no justifications, not even according to US-Israeli logic, for declaring war on Syria the only course open to them is to do everything in their power to weaken Syria, undermine its sovereignty and encourage others to do the same. These are just some of the traits of the new phase Israel is seeking to usher in to the region. Of course, the going will not be so easy. Apart from the political map inside Israel, there are structural problems Israel will face. The only power at present capable of occupying other nations is embroiled in the war it engineered in Iraq. It has found itself incapable of controlling the pace and the logic -- or lack thereof -- of this war. Israel, in its attempt to inaugurate its own phase in the region, is certain to encounter obstacles next to which those that America is facing in Iraq will pale. So wisdom requires from Israel to get acquainted with its real size in the region. It will also not be harmful for the Arabs to have some knowledge about it so they do not get intimidated so easily."
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One
particular statement caught my attention. It was published in Al
AHRAM newspaper and posted on their website. It goes like this:
" If Syria really wants peace, Israel says, it must demonstrate
this "in deeds, not in words". At the same time, and without
batting an eyelash, Israel refuses to negotiate with Syria
because negotiations could only result in Israel withdrawing to
pre-June 1967 borders. Israel puts about the false claim that
Syria is begging on its knees for Israel to negotiate, then
turns up its nose at the imagined entreaties, all the better to
swagger and strut and play the bully shoving aside pedestrians
on the sidewalk.
