Time for an American gesture

by George S. Hishmeh

The call by President George W. Bush, supported by some of his new-found friends in Europe, for an end to Syrian occupation of Lebanon, as much as necessary, has opened a can of worms.

What about a similar call for the end of Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, now in its 37th year, an issue that has the full endorsement of the United Nations in its famed and probably forgotten resolutions 242 and 338? Or for that matter, an end to American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq?

Equally, the threats voiced against Iran, by the American president while on his fence-mending trip to Europe, for its alleged plans to acquire nuclear capability recalls the deafening silence over Israel's nuclear arsenal which has yet to be subjected to inspection by any international organisation such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In fact, Israel is not even willing to entertain adherence to any arms limitation agreements.

More shocking was US Vice President Dick Cheney's publicly expressed fear that Israel may be compelled to bomb the Iranian nuclear facilities, as it did Iraq's Osirak nuclear installations 25 years ago, an action that is now endorsed by some US officials.

It was interesting to note that Bush's visit to Europe, the first overseas trip during his second term, was primarily dominated by Middle East concerns over Palestine, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq, issues which, in good measure, were responsible for the chasm between "old" Europe and the United States.

On the other hand, Bush's unqualified support for a new and contiguous Palestine state alongside Israel and a freeze on Israeli settlements was a joyful surprise, after all these issues have largely been given short-shrift by his predecessors in the White House; although the elder President Bush had a short-lived tiff with the Israelis over the subject, nothing tangible came out of the verbal exchanges of yesteryears.

Why Bush did not go further and demanded an end to Israeli occupation is puzzling, since surely he must recognise that a viable Palestinian state cannot be safe and secure and exist in an environment that is dotted with hundreds of illegal Jewish settlements.

The Syrian presence in Lebanon began a year after the start of the Lebanese civil war in 1975, and came about as a result of an invitation from the desperate Lebanese Christian Maronites, now the main opponents to the Syrian stay in the country. At one time, Syria had as much as 43,000 troops there, but at present there are only 13,000 troops, reportedly stationed in border areas. The assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister and billionaire politician who has been credited with spearheading the revival of Lebanon after its devastating civil war, has unfairly put Syria in the dock.

"Syria was devastated by what happened," Syria's ambassador to Washington, Dr Imad Mustapha, told me. "From the moment that Hariri was assassinated, we understood immediately the sinister plan. The motive behind assassinating Hariri extends by far the mere criminal act of killing. Syria is targeted and we immediately realised that."

He continued: "You can look at the situation now and see how Syria is damaged by what happened ... and you can easily see who is capitalising on this. I am not claiming that we know who stands behind it."

Syria is supportive of the Lebanese government's efforts to initiate an international investigation into the assassination, the Syrian ambassador emphasised. Lebanon had sought United Nations assistance, as well as that of experts from unnamed countries, and here the ambassador pointed to his country's only reservation, namely, that these countries "are not biased and do not have a stake in what is happening".

As a consequence, Mustapha lamented, Syrian-US relations are at present passing through a "very difficult, very difficult" phase. The Bush administration, he continued, is "unfairly targeting" Syria in this respect while on the other hand Syria has "continuously expressed its desire to the United States that it wants to constructively engage with you ... to discuss the issues, really discuss them."

One issue that could provide a catalyst for improved relations is Syria's repeated offer to resume peace negotiations with Israel, an overture that surprisingly has yet to draw any positive reaction from either Israel or the Bush administration. Whatever the reason for their silence, the machinations of the pro-Israel neoconservatives in the Bush administration who had their eyes on Syria and Iran for a long time cannot be overlooked.

On the other hand, it stands to reason that once Syria and Israel reach a settlement on their border problems, the Syrian presence in Lebanon will not pose a problem for either Lebanon or Israel. This tardiness has prompted accusations that Israel or its supporters may have been behind the assassination of Hariri because there is little gain to be had for Syria in the elimination of this much-admired Lebanese philanthropist who, in his last statement published on the day he was assassinated, appealed to the Lebanese opposition to cool it.

This is time for Bush to make a gesture towards Syria, like the ones he has been making trying to win over his European counterparts.

This article was published in the Friday-Saturday, February 25-26, 2005 edition of the Jordan Times. It is used here with permission.