Whether you're in Morocco or Iran, the Israel-Palestine issue is always in everyone's mind. Normalizing Syrian-Israeli relations would be a huge step in the right direction. That's why this is significant news--unlike that ridiculous Annapolis "summit" a few months ago.
DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) -- The Syrian government has put forward a six-point proposal outlining goals for furthering indirect talks with Israel, a senior Syrian government official said Thursday.
The Syrian government handed the proposal to Turkey to pass along to Israel, the senior official said. [...]
9 comments:
You're right--it would be the biggest step forward since Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin got together.
But I thought Arabs want to drive Israel into the Mediteranean?
John: Ah yes, but they live in the Gulf. I think that in fact many Syrians would not mind driving Israel into the sea, but when you look at the great benefits of countries like Egypt and Jordan from normalizing ties with Israel it is (I hope) hard for a country like Syria which is running out of oil fast to resist.
well, I am glad ofcourse for Syria to take this step. Israel has enormously much to gain as well - with Egypt and Jordan pacified, the pacification of Syria (and Lebanon, I guess) means that Israel has its hands free to solve its Palestinian problem. This approach has been Israel's policy all along.
The Arabs had wanted to come to a comprehensive peace that included the solution of the Palestinian problem, but Israel only wanted incremental peace-arrangements in order not to have to negotiate about the hot potatoes of the Westbank en East Jerusalem.
John,
I wonder if the Arab countries really want a solution to the Israel-Palestine issue. When they are asked about the lack of freedom in their countries (I am thinking of Egypt and N Africa especially) they often say, "Well, we really want to resolve that, but until the Israel-Palestine question has been taken care of we can't." Really: what would people riot about w/o the Palestine question?
In my Bible reading, I came across the following:
"And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. So Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had built; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. (1 Kings 15:17-22)"
Middle Eastern politics never moved in a straight line during Biblical times, and don't now.
Hi Don - not much different from European politics of the last 100 years I think.
And the sad thing is that when you look at Israel as a nation they have been (and are) incredibly hostile towards Christians--whether domestic or foreign. I don't see why the West, and especially the USA, is so favorable to that country.
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