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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 May 2000 Issue No. 481 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 May 2000 Issue No. 481
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Features Interview Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Waiting and seeing
President Hosni Mubarak's long-awaited summit with Hafez Al-Assad came at a critical time. Israel is clearly using its de-ision to withdraw from Lebanon by early July as a pressure card to force Damascus to make more concessions in nego-iations over the Golan. But the Syrian leadership, backed by the other Arab countries, announced its stand on the issue long ago: full withdrawal in return for full peace. Damascus will not accept anything less than what Egypt obtained following its 1979 peace agreement with Israel.
In return, Syria showed great flexibility on other issues in a bid to assuage Israel's security concerns. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Sharaa, in Cairo, repeatedly stated that Syria's position was not a ploy, but was born of a strong conviction that peace would serve the interests of all parties in the region. Israel, he asserted, is the only party to blame for the stalemate in talks. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has rejected Syria's offer for peace, choosing instead to withdraw unilaterally from south Lebanon without negotiations or a comprehensive agreement that will provide permanent security arrangements.
Still, any Israeli withdrawal from occupied Arab territory is a welcome development, especially when it follows the humiliating defeat of the most powerful army in the region by young, inadequately armed, but heroic Lebanese resistance fighters. Egypt, Lebanon and Syria are showing justified caution while welcoming the Israeli withdrawal; the wisest policy, it seems, is to wait and see. Unless Israel withdraws fully to internationally recognised borders with Lebanon, resistance will remain a legitimate option.
Mubarak and Assad will intensify Arab contacts in coming weeks to deliver a clear message to Israel that its withdrawal from Lebanon will not mean the isolation of Syria or the suspension of its legitimate demand for the restoration of the Golan Heights. Barak, despite all the hopes that accompanied his victory last year, has failed to fulfil any of his promises. His strategy on both the Syrian and Palestinian tracks is unacceptable to the parties involved in the peace process. Maintaining a high level of coordination among Arab leaders at this stage, therefore, should indeed be a top priority for those who seek to formulate a unified strategy -- and, perhaps, rethink the entire basis of the negotiations.
