first of all, you must know some: the writer is Dr guy bechor, he is one of the best commentator on middle east affairs. this excellent article demonstare precisly why the conflict bewteen the jews and the arab isn't about territory, the source of their problem is the jewish entity it self!!! we want real negotiation without any preconditions, people must internalize that from the golan heights you can target to any other place in israel easily, the syrians wants to take our water from the kineret, do yoy seriously think we can't taking into accounts all this few importants stamples and there are a lot more. many europeans urge us- cede the territory and then the conflict will be solved. this kind of point of view demonstate ignorantness, anti-semitism and accusing us on widespread Islamofascism. we won't be the hostages of the cowards and hypocrisies, we are the first nation on hisory that has the right to live in middle-east, all the arabic countries had created by france and uk. Assad like every dictator wants preseving his regime, Assad is alwaite, he isn't a muslim, his ethnic sect is only 12% from the syrians population. the sunnies are the vast majority, they are more than 80%, how Assad will survive without using my country as an illegitimate tool? those who consider themselves smart and sane people supposed to understand the problematic of our reality. meanwhile,nice day or night to everybody!

There are no small number of pseudo-peace mongers who love to bashers who accuse Israel of not wanting peace with Syria, while the Syrians "obviously" want nothing more than peace with Israel. These same people speak no Arabic and don't bother to read the Arabic press or actually listen to what Assad says to his own people in their own language. Bechor gives a very astute analysis that shatters the Syrian facade.

I have been in the Golan, long ago, and have always thought it would make a great alternative to Geneva or Brussels for International Peace business. Nowhere else Needs such a focused presence more, and the local economy could use the business. With a secure right-of-way to the Mediterranian, it could bring peace and prosperity to this troubled neighborhood, and some new respectability to its ancient and honorable host.

As I see it, Olmert is at least as reluctant to enter into negotiations with Syria as Assad. Olmert hesitates because there is opposition to giving away Golan in Israel. And I guess Assad hesitates because he doesn't want to risk the wrath of Iran, Syria's only ally it seems, for an uncertain outcome of negotiations with Israel.

69 UNSCR. Dont ever negociate with Israel. Hezbollah kicked Israel out of Lebanon after 30 yrs of occupation. We didnt allow Zionists to builld ONE not EVEN ONE Jewish settlement on our Lebanese land. Assad, you want Golan Back you have to do what Hezbollah has been doing since 1982. Its the only language that Israel understands.

Hey Rod, stop taking that Viagra, its affecting your brain! Such a big talker, you and your Muslim brethren continue to believe your own fiction after all these years...yes those big brave Muslim warriors, strutting around, shooting their guns in the air, blowing themselves up and wrapping their children and pregnant women in suicide belts...OH how noble, how brave!! And when someone kicks your ass, its whining and crying to CNN, AP and Reuters...boo hoo those bad jews are hurting us...its not fair, they wont let us blow them up. That's it! big brave rod of piss, hide behind your womens' skirts! Hey, you can even put on a Burqa to hide and pretend youre a woman... does that make you hard, hero, so you can go beat up your sister or wife? yes sir, that Muslim culture, its got something for everyone... lies for the masses, a culture of death...and the real payoff, why, those 72 virgins, of course!

i can only assume that Rod is only a bored child who wants to see some corresponded action in ynet. why the hell a Lebanon's citizen will want to see all the region goes to a 2nd round ????

First of all, you don't how to count, 1982-2000: 18 years not 30 years! second, It was stupid decision to entrance Lebanon according to your interests, but without our help, I don't think you could find even one christian! today in Lebanon, but what do you care, you are muslim, nobody excepct from you to anything, because you belong to straggler culture, that violence is the main principle. but, suddenly when someone kick your ass, you are assert: "what about my human rights?", you and your friends are the last people in the world whom entitled human rights! Assad's prioritiy is preserving his regime. we won't declare about any futuristic commitment , negotiation it's negotiation, if Hizbullah will dragg you to another adventure, believe me what was last summer it was only the beginning, same message to syria. what a bigorty,humble person you are!, but that's ok - nobody has any expectations from you!, keep living in your ruined house or I will make it ruined personally very soon!

To move toward peace Syria must come forward and spell out what they offer in return for what they want. And they'd better demonstrate that they would offer, be willing to accept and be satisfied with 'painful' territorial compromise. The territories Syria had or grabbed before 1967 and 'understandings' ostensibly reached thereafter are of no relevance or significance whatsoever.

They do want, however, to break their international isolation and condemnation, continue to dominate Lebanon and regain the Golan without 'giving' anything tangible, least of all real peace. Moreover, in this instance 'land for peace' is both immoral and unworkable. Syria had used the Golan to threaten, pester and attack Israel before we took it in self-defence action. It would be idiotic to concede anything to Syria in response to their war threats. The more serious the threats the more Israel need the Golan for our security.

"Does he really think that either side would agree to the demands of the other side without actually engaging in talks?" Why shouldn't he think it? - Didn't Olmert just release a few hundred terrorists and terrorist wannabes, in exchange for nothing, except perhaps, some recycled paper?

40 years of negotiating with Palestinians by Israel. Giving land back in Sinai, Lebanon, Gaza, and more in exchange for a promise of peace. Have the Arabs in the surrounding area kept their promises? NO! So let's do it one more time under the auspices of the quartet? This solution, over and over again, and failed over and over again and let's do it one more time is the description of idiocy. Just say no thanks, and make them try again, and then teach them the lesson of 1967 all over again. Mike

to read Guy Bechor's articles. The same goes for his wise comments on the radio programs. He is an expert Arabist with diploma !

My Thanks to jb and t.i. for their nicely articulated vents. My sentiments exactly. Now I don't have to vent on another ignorant camel driver. Keep Golan and tell Syria to go stuff it.

No, Assad has been bought and paid for by Iran. He just uses Golan to tease Olmert et al. Syria has never wanted peace with Israel. Why would anything change now?

Rod, You and your evil friends are making a serious miscalculaton. Israel withdrew from Lebanon because Israel has no interest in Lebanonese territority, not because Israel was forced out. Israel also wanted to show good intentions (which is something you seem to be lacking.) Also, Israel would have killed many, many more Hezbollah members had Israel been less concerned with avoiding civilian casualites. When Israel feels that something is very important, you do not stand a chance. You will then feel her whole might. If Assad thinks he can gain an inch of Golan territory by war, boy is he in for a shock.