Arab Governments Pressing Syria?
The Associated Press headline for this article says that Arab governments are pressing Syria to drop support for Hezbollah. The governments involved are not identified. If true, this could be a significant development, indeed.
SIDON, Lebanon - Mideast diplomats were pressing Syria to stop backing Hezbollah as the guerrillas fired more deadly rockets onto Israel's third-largest city Sunday. Israel faced tougher-than-expected ground battles and bombarded targets in southern Lebanon, hitting a convoy of refugees.
Israel's defense minister said his country would accept an international force, preferably NATO, on its border after it drives back or weakens Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. But his troops reported encountering an intelligent, well-prepared and ruthless guerrilla army whose fighters don't seem to fear death.
With Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arriving in Israel on Monday, both the Arabs and Israelis appeared to be trying to set out positions ahead of Washington's first diplomatic mission to the region since the fighting began. The United States backs Israel's refusal to talk about a cease-fire until it completes the military campaign against Hezbollah, but is under increasing pressure to foster a plan to end the growing suffering and destruction in Lebanon.
Still, daily casualty figures appeared to be lowering — about nine confirmed Sunday by Lebanese security officials, compared with dozens each day earlier in the week. The decrease could be a result of the exodus from the hardest-hit areas or because of the difficulty for authorities in getting figures from the war zone.
Depending on how hard the unnamed governments are pushing and who they are, of course, this could really spell trouble for Hezbollah.
By crosspatch, Sunday, 23 July , 2006 @ 6:46 pm
To some extent, Arab governments have been “pressuring Syria” for some time. Particularly Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Not sure what has changed other than the context. But don’t make light of that context either. In the past when events like this transpired, Syria could expect this pressure to vanish and solidarity to break out among the Arabs. That is what hasn’t happened this time and what is most significant. The “pressure” is the same as it has been for a considerable time, it is the fact that it didn’t diminish that is most surprising.
What has actually happened here is a recognition of Israel’s good-faith moves in the recent past. They pulled back from Gaza, moved back from settlements in the West Bank, they have absorbed a considerable number of attacks with little or no response. In response, the attacks on Israel have no diminished and this has, in turn, diminished any logical support for any further measures by Israel. At some point the other side needs to responsibly uphold their side of the bargain and they haven’t. This is what has been recognized and that is very important because it also recognizes that Israel may not be expected to engage in any further displays of good-faith until there are some reciprocal show of integrity from the other side.
In other words, each time Israel abandoned a settlement or pulled back from land, they have banked political capital. What they see now is the interest from that capital in the reaction by the other Arab countries in the region. It is now time for Hamas, PIJ, Fatah, and Hezbollah to show that they can also act like responsible adults.
By crosspatch, Sunday, 23 July , 2006 @ 6:49 pm
“In response, the attacks on Israel have no diminished and this has, in turn, diminished any logical support for any further measures by Israel”
Sorry that was a bit disjointed. I ment to say “In response, the attacks on Irael have not diminished and this has, in turn, diminished any logical support for further conciliatory measures by Israel.
By crosspatch, Sunday, 23 July , 2006 @ 9:43 pm
Interesting article from jpost. Seems the terrorists might be feeling a pinch!