If Syria had wanted to be on the side of the West it would have been incited to do so over past decades by the offered incentives. But it survived as an artificial formely colonial state ruled by a minority clique by relying on extremist foreign states be it the USSR, Saudi Arabia & now Iran & North Korea. Getting close to democracies would eventually mean the demise of the clique & it can't be its ultimate choice for survival. A country that secretly builds a nuclear plant for Iran with North Korea's help is too deeply involved with the "axis of evil" to be relyed on for a sincere change of politics not in the long term interest of its privileged class of rulers.

Golan is non-negotiable. Control that, and you control much of Israel's fresh water sources; water is something which Syria desperately needs because the Turks aren't letting them have any. Besides, who believes the Syrians anyway? They've had their eyes on Lebanon for a very long time, and need ties to Hizbollah to maintain an influence there. Finally -- legal precedent counts for something. Israel formally annexed the Golan Heights; as they did East Jerusalem. It would be a supremely bad idea to set precedent by undoing the annexation of the Golan; that would be setting the stage for international pressure to undo the annexation of East Jerusalem. Israel perched at Quneitra suits me down to the ground. Leave it just the way it is.

The Golan is ours, peace with Syria, why? What has peace with Jordan brought us?

er.."piece now", is off his rocker. distant their relationship? yea they wont eat humus together, just baba ganoush. This shmuckalovitch has no pulse on the arab and muslim world, like so many nudniks on the far left.

Syria will never stop helping Iran, Hizb'allah etc... We have peace with Syria now, let's keep it that way.

because this will be the kiss of death for Bashar and the Alawi Apartheid regime in Syria. They stay in power by telling their citizens that their economic, social, cultural problems are because of Israel. If Israel disappears or becomes a non-enemy this dictatorial regime loses its reason to exist

Golan is, as you say, non-negotiable. It's not Israeli land, it's not necessary, and it is a sore point. At some point in time Israel needs to reach satisfying peace with its neighbours. That peace needs to be mutually acceptable - it's not safe to rely on the IDF and remain in a state of near-war with no plans to change that. The status quo is not acceptable - it will not do for Israel and it will not do for the world. It makes sense to be skeptical, careful, and tactical. It does not make sense to be obstinant, jingoist, and to block every possibility of progress. "Take everything that you can get" is a despicable attitude, and I hope the Israeli government is willing to do better than that. (none of this is one-sided - the arab states will need to make appropriate changes as well)

A country that pays my bills DOES THE US WANT TO PICK UP THE TAB AS PART OF A PEACE AGREEMENT A country that I have a defense pact with & gives me weapons. HOW WILL IDF INTELLIGENCE FEEL IF ASSAD REPLACES HIS MIGS FOR F16s and his T72 ABRAMS? MIllitary aid us standard to any country willing to sign a treaty with Israel. Jordan got it, Egypt got it. Lebanon is already getting some US weapons and will get the whole package if they sign a deal. Why should Assad accept anything less? He is so deeply involved in terror they would probably kill him if he made peace with Israel. Look what happened to Sadat. It also wouldn't matter anyway because Assad is not the key to peace for Israel its Iran. Syria is like a street drug dealer whilst Iran is the guy who makes and supplies the stuff. You have to go after the supplier not the dealer. Iran pulls Assads strings and at best assuming he was willing to make REAL PEACE ( which he has shown no sign he is interested in ) and he was willing to cut himself off from Iran its not going to hurt Iran so badly they will make peace. Iran will loose a puppet but they will continue to develop their nuclear program, arm & finance terrorists. We don't need a treaty with Syria because Syria is weak and a threat to nobody. What we will get out of a peace is a huge bill fir evacuating the settlers, an even bigger bill because we fantasized when we removed these 30,000 jews that we could pull jobs for them out of thin air for them and that they were not going to be claiming unemployment for a very long time to come. We fantasized we could provide housing overnight for 30,000 people. We fantasized that it would be cheap and easy to move the military bases in the Golan. That bill alone is going to run into the tens of billions. If we are lucky we will get loan garuntees from the US which we will have to repay. One of the main reasons that we had a depression of the 80s when the value of the shekel changed daily was because of the cost involved in the peace with Egypt. We might also get an increase in military aid to further harm our own military industries. We will find ourselves in a situation where instead of Russian junk Syria now be operates the same superior US weapons as Israel. Treaaties can be broken even easier than they can be made but we can't take the prizes back. Anybody like to try and imagine what the turnout would be if Israel was put inro a situation where it one day haad to face Jordan, Egypt & Syria all armed to the teeth with US weapons and Israel having those same weapons but being a country with vunerable borders. The IDF also probably gets in today in real terms is around 2 thirds smaller than in the 60s & 70s and the arabs are better armed than they were. the IDF today sadly is also not as well trained for a conventional war as it was 30-40 years ago today its more of an anti terror unit. Assuming we won in the end it would have alot of IDF casualties. Do we want Assad a share of the Kinerest waters which is already at its lowest level in decades? After a peace treaty we will be sharing that water with Syria as well. Peace treaties are bonuses but sometimes the disadvantages of peace outwaigh its advantages. We have officially been in a state of war with Syria for the past 61 years but for nearly 36 years Syria has not fired a shot because Assad knows Israel is the top dog. Lebanon is not under his control anymore and although it will take time and will have to be done behind closed doors an individual treaty with Lebanon is possible. If Assad wants to make peace without demanding the Golan or US military aid then I would be the first to say lets go with it even if he does keep good reltions with Iran but if Israel is going to be paying a heavy price for peace financially and militarily then we are better off keeping the situation as it is now.

Your post , may make sense if it stood alone, but if you weigh it with history, it makes no sense at all. You assume that withdrawing to the old lines would ensure peace - why should it? it did not ensure peace in 1967, so why should it now? Mr. Netanyahu was elected partly because the previous buffoons were about to give away the Golan - for nothing in return.

which goes like if my grandmother had wheels then she would be able to take part in the f1 motor racing yaanee what is the point in speculating on what syria is going to do with iran after all israil will never give back el julan so there will never be peace with syria so all this talk about what syria is willing to do is just nonsense and now a qustion for yossi beiditz if you was a sausage and you was starving then would you eat yourself yes no come on would you?

It is comical how our spineless weasel leftwing friends, keep on bending over, for the word peace. In one Ynet front page view that word shows up twice, it is their mantra. Now having lived here long enough , we can look forward to a devastating conflict, were our elitist buddies and co will get a beating they will hopefully never forget. Because it will rain lead on us in proportions never witnessed before. This society has become decadent and is torn up in many little clubs, were everyone is just taking care of their own needs. The fact that on this same page some IDF intelligence person believes Assad is absolutely hilarious and shows how delusional people who are running this country into oblivion.

If you forget, Syria understood the way to peace with Turkey was peace for peace. What is it with these stupid IDF people who are afraid to win wars and want to give away the Jewish golan and half of Jerusalem. If only Israel had real leaders like David, Solomon and Joshua.

Beiditz is spilling absolute rubbish that syria would disconnect from iran. Father assad established clearly syria's path to khomeini and the kid follows up for cash, missiles and other weapons. It will absolutely not disconnect from iran and this rubbish is wishful thinking of barak, some of the idf, olmert who would believe anything and the US who could care less if israel disappeared tomorrow. Obama is tied to the hip of rashidi which is his right but of course he doesn't reflect the people of the US.Israel should offer syria peace for peace, normal relations and visitation rights israel's golan tourist parks. A lot of blood was shed for golan which syria used to pummel israelis in the fields below-remember. Just as syria got used to call its former land turkish, even more so for golan which in ancient times was israeli. Lieberman looks better and better in calling a spade a spade and not flinching. Lots of israeli politicians flinch-livni, olmert and his water carrier ramon, mofaz, peres, beilin, dichter, turgeman, turbowicz, dekel, ben ami,barak some times.Some spine is needed and lieberman provides it. And those countries who want to rock and roll, fine, israel will know what to do. All know that US will do nothing about iran beyond clinton's rhetoric; israel will ultimatley deal with mahmoud and ali or their successors. Iranians are not arabs but they act like them to please ahmadinejad's arab wife and to take revenge for support of the shah who was khomeini's enemy.Most iranians unlike the turks, could care less about the arabs and in fact don't like them. In the meantime, mazuz, get off your ass, have some guts and indict olmert.

Oh, aren't you sweet. I note the fact that by virtue of the spelling of the word "neighbours," you have revealed your true roots (Americans don't use the "u"). I am glad that you -- a British subject, surely -- are convinced of Syria's ability to act in good faith. Israelis and Jews aren't quite nearly as convinced as you are. I think we prefer the safer course. Oh -- lest I forget -- the Golan was formally annexed to Israel in 1982. Years of experience has taught Israel that the Syrians cannot be trusted. Too bad for you. Peddle your trash talk on another website, okay?

when you win at poker do you give the money back at the end of the game ? Never I believe the same goes in war Keep what you won

That will be a first step to lure Syria to expect Golan height in Golden Plate If Israel can achieve Syria act neutral during Israeli strike at Iran, possibly Israel will award Syria with Golan. Or less likely but not altogether impossible, Israel may leave Golan to Syria before striking Iran. All calculations are based on neutralizing surounding enemies before Strike at Iran. Janbulat, Lebonanes leader left anti-syrian alliance to side with Hizbullah, possibly because he knew Israel will hand over Shebaa farms to Lebonan and Janbulat want to share Political gain from such a SUCCESS What is more there are Druze in Golan heights and Janbulat should correct his position with that SUCESS as well. However Israel cannot do such menauvers as long as Extreme religious elemets and Extreme unleligious element Leiberman are coalition partners therefore they should be avoided. Recent Homosexual center attack was aiming to seperate extreme religious elemets from the governmet and Lieberman is a constant scape goad for everything. American zionism is in conflict with Israeli government and that will result in a new Israeli government to make such concessions, then Israel will strike Iran. Meanwhile you will see so many uprising and riots from Religious jews, killings, accusations against Lieberman, and manything I cannot imagine but only an ill zionist mind can plan. Zionism is enemy of all nations including jews.

Why we have this inate desire to have "peace" with everyone is beyond me. Just kick out the threat from within, and it won't matter if we sign a deal with Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia,etc. It truly won't. Their only barganing chip is that there are roughly 4 million + arabs inside Israel. Give them a homeland somewhere else and there IS no problem.

Israel giving territory to another Middle East country will start a vicious cycle of handing over territories of one Middle East country to another what is fair is fair!

cruelty, bloodshed for the last 14 centuries, and you are still strongly going backward, nothing else to show for it take for example the sayings of the Quran, Sharia, Hadith, Sunna couldn't care to read which one of the sayings you use, they all have the same well known result

If Israel gives Shebba Farms to Lebanon it will in reality cause more problems for Lebanon. Shebba was originally part of the Golan and captured from Syria in 1967 not Lebanon. So far out of convenience because it encouraged terror & hatred towards Israel in Lebanon Assad didn't say anything about Shebba he didn't say it belonged to Syria or Lebanon he just kept quiet on the issue knowing Israel wasn't going to be giving it up because it is strategic territory. If Israel had started talking peace with Lebanon in exchange for Shebba Syria which Syria which still officially doesn't recognize Lebanon and sees it as a Syrian province then Assad would step in and say that belongs to Syria. Lebanon is then in a position of do they make peace with Israel get Shebba and then have themselves in the middle of a dispute with Syria over who it should go to. Lebanon is not going to get Shebba without getting into a conflict with somebody just depends on will it be Syria or Israel.

#14 - My true roots are in the United States. I may have been raised with some mannerisms from elsewhere, but I'm as American as (presumably) you are. You really don't know who I am, and the fact that you spent more time batting around the identity you imagine me to have (or not to have) is unfortunate. I don't think that handing over Golan naïvely is a safe bet - it's a strategic move, and one that must be done when the time is right. Refusing to ever give it up is foolhardy. #11 - It's not the word peace that we care about - it's the actuality of peace. I don't want my cousins in Israel to live in a perpetually unstable part of the world with only an army separating it from angry neighbours. Likewise, I don't want this conflict to keep ravaging those same neighbours nor for a potempkin victory based on jingoist dreams. A satisfying peace is the only long-term solution. Arab politicians may be unreliable partners, but so are Israeli politicians. They're all we have to work with, and it's the only acceptable result, so we must keep trying.