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Hold On To The Golan
Larry Domnitch-
Monday 24th Nov 2003
 Four
years ago, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak offered to give Syria
the Golan Heights. The negotiations that followed failed to reach an
agreement, however, and four years later the Golan remains in Israeli hands.
A few weeks ago, just hours before the start of Yom Kippur, Israeli
Ambassador to the UN Dan Gillerman presented the reasons why Israeli planes
attacked a terrorist training camp in Syria that was connected to the recent
suicide attacks in Jerusalem. In his speech, Gillerman noted Syria`s support
for Palestinian terror, detailing each attack in which Syria has had a
direct role.
Here are a few of the many
facts presented by the ambassador:
1) The Islamic Jihad organization, which operates within Palestinian
Authority-controlled territory and was responsible for many of the recent
attacks, has its headquarters in Damascus.
2) Syria offers various levels of support to many terrorist organizations
including Hamas, Hizbullah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine. In addition, Syria has actively coordinated attacks with known
terrorists.
3) State-run Damascus Radio has boldly admitted that "Syria, its political
leadership and its Arab people have turned Syrian Arab soil into a training
camp, a safe haven, and an arms depot for the Palestinian revolutionaries."
4) Syrian President Bashir Assad stated on May 15, 2002, regarding acts of
terror against Israelis: "If I had not been president of Syria, I would not
hesitate to participate in them." (How presidential.)
Every statement by Gillerman was backed with evidence so overwhelming that
the
Security Council, which initially had convened to discus the condemnation of
Israel for attacking the terrorist camp, decided to reconvene and discuss
the matter at a future date. The damning record of Syria could not be
ignored — even by the UN. (Of course, one should not expect the UN to act
against Syria regardless of the accusations.)
The question beckons, how would Syria use the Golan Heights if it had them
back? Just imagine that relatively small yet strategically invaluable region
— hills rising to the peaks of Mount Hermon which overlooks Israel, Lebanon
and Syria — in the hands of a dictatorship that promotes and facilitates
terror against Israel. The answer is obvious.
How close Israel came to a monumental debacle with Barak`s offer! It would
have been hailed as another “diplomatic breakthrough,” with more signings,
ceremonies, and Israeli land withdrawals, but in the long run it would have
served as another proof of the folly of such concessions.
Has granting the PA control over the territories curbed terrorism? Has
Israel`s withdrawal from southern Lebanon removed the threat of Hizbullah?
Has Egyptian control over the Sinai, granted by the original camp David
accords of 1978, ensured that the Sinai would not become a conduit for
smuggling weapons to terrorists in Gaza?
In the event that Assad wakes up one day and decides to wear a garment of
“moderation,” Israelis and all people of good will who oppose terrorism must
remember what Assad (like his father before him) has always stood for. The
last thing Israel needs is yet another menace on yet another border.
The majestic peaks of the Golan Heights look right over Northern Israel.
Many of the
Syrian positions used before 1967 to shell Israeli settlements in the Hula
valley still stand intact, serving as reminders of how this strategic area
was used when in Syrian hands. Israel`s continued hold on the Golan will not
only help prevent any similar misuse, but will allow the Jewish state to use
this vital area to vigilantly guard its borders and help ensure that the
northern part of the country remains as quiet as it can be.
The Israeli ambassador`s words must be remembered. They give more than ample
reason why the Golan must remain in Israel`s hands.
Larry Domnitch is an author and high school teacher living in the MileChai
City of Denver Colorado. MileChai is a
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