OneMideast.org

The only satisfactory solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is a one-state solution, which is antithetical to Zionism.

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:56:55 +0000

Most Arabs and Muslims have no objection to co-existing with Jews. We had been doing it for hundreds of years in good faith and in peace, before Zionism took over Judaism. It is the Aggressive Zionist ideology that has changed the entire picture. Israel, since its first day in existence, has used brute force to uproot people from their existence and purge them away into the diaspora. This severe injustice is institutionalized and legitimized by the Zionist ideology that shapes Israel today.

The only way Israel can hope to maintain the status-quo is to use extreme force, which indeed it has been using at liberty. However, extreme force has its limits, and that course of action is doing little more than aggravating the pain even more, making the desired reconciliation even more difficult. Israelis have to recognize that their fortress model is not sustainable.

We should not support a two-state solution that has no chance of success. We will have to wait until Israelis realized that everyone will be better off if they abolish Zionism and accept to live with Arabs as fellow citizens in one state where one man counts as one vote.

Israel cannot survive without a conflict

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:55:53 +0000

Israel is a country that must be continuously involved in war and conflict in order to sustain its standing in the Middle East. Peace and open trades/borders with its Arab neighbors will dilute Israel’s Jewish identity and cause it, in the long run, to dissolve in Middle East’s vast sea of religious and ethnic minorities. In addition, the continuous threats of Arab and Muslim invasion and “wiping Israel off the map” are helping the Israeli government to keep internal divisions under control.

The conflict with the Palestinians and Syria is critical to Israel’s survival for the foreseeable future.

Syria arrogantly refuses to compromise on any of Israel’s demands

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:54:24 +0000

Syria’s insistence on determining the outcome on borders a-priori, while it refuses to meet Israel’s conditions for starting those negotiations (terminating Syria’s relations with Iran and support for terror organizations).

Syria has not engaged in any trust-building actions

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:53:37 +0000

Syria has not made any effort towards seeding a trust-building process. For instance, Syria had welcomed Mr. Azmi Bishara in 2001, whilst he was a member of the Israeli Knesset, yet despite the fact that there are other members of the Israeli Knesset of non-Arab descent, who are also pro peace with Syria, the Syrian government never invited them over. No Israeli journalist has ever been invited to Syria either.

This lacking of trust-building steps from the Syrian side contributes negatively to the Israeli street’s perception of the real Syrian demeanor vis-a-vis potential peace with Syria.

Syria has close relations with Iran, a mortal enemy of Israel

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:51:37 +0000

Syria is Iran’s ally. Iran poses an existential threat to the state of Israel. The president of Iran periodically makes statements predicting the end of Israel. Israel should not talk to Syria until it cuts its relations with Iran.

Syria supports terrorism against Israel

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:50:32 +0000

Syria’s relationship with Hezbollah and with Hamas goes well beyond a merely political one, and in fact includes financial and military support, which is later used against Israel. How can we make peace with a nation that says it wants peace, but at the same time supports terrorist organizations?

Syria continues to interfere in Lebanon

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:20:06 +0000

Syria has always interfered in the affairs of the sovereign state of Lebanon. It has occupied Lebanon for decades, and has advanced its own financial and political interests as occupier. Syria uses Lebanon, to this day, as a proxy in its ongoing battle with Israel. It has always interfered in the political makeup of Lebanon, often at the highest levels, and has the ability to bring about instability at any moment. Not to mention Syria’s alleged role in the assassination of Rafik al Hariri.

How can Israel trust such a “partner”?

Historically speaking, the Golan is more Israeli than Syrian

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:19:28 +0000

The Golan contains numerous Jewish landmarks which are about 2,000 years old. The Golan featured prominently in the Jewish struggle for independence against the Romans.

The international border between the English and French mandate was set arbitrarily between these two world power in the case of Syria and Palestine (later Israel) as much as it was set arbitrarily everywhere else. Therefore, it should not form the basis for a long term border between the Israeli and Syrian nations. Even the Syrians are insisting on a different line—the armistice line of 1949.

Thus, Syria is insisting on getting a piece of land which historically been connected very strongly to the Jewish people, and which it has controlled for only about 20 years, while Israel has controlled the area for 40 years.

The Syrians should recognize that both in the distant past and in the recent past, Israel’s claim to the Golan is stronger than the Syrian claim.

Bashar Assad is a weak leader

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:18:43 +0000

The current leader of Syria belongs to a small minority (Alawite) and does not represent the majority in Syria. He is a weak leader, not courageous enough (like his father was), and is not decisive enough.

No intifada is expected on the Golan

syrian admin 1 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:17:34 +0000

Unlike the situation in the Palestinian territories, the Druz inhabitants of the Golan live in Peace with Israel. Most of them commute to the Israeli cities and villages, live their life peacefully with the Israeli authorities, and would never revolt against the Israeli army, in which many of their Druz brothers from within Israel serve. If vast majority of the “Syrians” of the Golan don’t want to become Syrian again, why should Israel betray them and “transfer” them to Syria?