Syria has no other alternative than political flexibility if it wishes to outlive the current predicament the Syrian regime finds itself in after the issuance of Detlev Mehlis' report on former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri's murder. Writing in the Egyptian daily Al Ahram, Morsy Attalla said that the Syrian regime should show flexibility; the current international alliances would make a Syrian or Arab confrontational attitude a huge mistake.
The writer said that flexibility does not mean surrendering to the American conditions but reaching a common ground with the US. The American administration desires a political solution with Syria even as the threat of military action is common American policy in the region, said Attalla, adding, however, that there are some lobbies in the American administration that desire to attack Syria and replace the current regime under the argument that stabilisation in Iraq hinges on creating a new Syrian regime.
In order to prevent more US pressure, Syria has to respond positively to some of American conditions, said the columnist. For instance, he said, Syria could play a positive role in paving the way for the peace process in Palestine. Moreover, Syria has the ability to control its borders with Iraq, as required by international legislation.
Concerning Lebanon, Syria must fully cooperate with the UN investigation team into the murder of Hariri, for, revealing the truth is to Syria's advantage, as claimed by Syrian officials. Syria has the chance to end this crisis peacefully if it acts rationally under mounting American pressure, even though some in the American administration do not desire a peaceful solution for this crisis, concluded the writer.
Mohamad Al Jamaly said in the Syrian daily Al Thawra that the initial report of the UN investigation team into the assassination of Hariri contains dangerous and unfair accusations against Syria, without showing solid evidence that Syria was behind Hariri's murder. The Mehlis report is part of the American and Israeli conspiracy against Syria and the whole region, said the writer, adding that the UN report came at the time when the US pressure on Syria was mounting. The American administration desires to use the report as justification for attacking Syria and reshaping the region in a manner that serves its interests there.
Jamaly added that the report cannot be seen but as a document paving the way for the implementation of American and Israeli plans in the region. After the publication of the UN report, the American administration began to urge the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution against Syria, claiming that Mehlis' report implicated Damascus in the assassination of Hariri, even before the final report of the international investigation team was complete.
It is clear, therefore, that the US is launching an international campaign against Syria based on deceptive accusations, just as it did before occupying Iraq, said the writer, urging the UN Security Council not to believe the American mendacity as the US plans will lead the region into an even darker future.
Concerning the Palestinian situation, Ali Al Garbawy stated in the London-based daily Al Hayat that the recent developments indicate that Israel doesn't want a stable Palestinian political system, but works to undermine it.
Stability in Palestine would put international pressure on Israel, as Ariel Sharon's government won't be able to claim that there is no Palestinian partner to conduct peace negotiation with.
Continued chaos in the Palestinian territories is in Israel's favour, as it prove that the Palestinians cannot be partners in any peace process and their leadership is not capable to control the situation. Thus, Israel does not want calm in the occupied territories, and thus tries to escalate the situation by continuing its assassination policy, in order to make the Palestinian groups respond to these attacks and thus perpetuate the circle of violence, said Garbawy.
The writer asserted that when Palestinian groups respond to the aggressive Israeli policies and acts, the Israeli government calls upon the Palestinian Authority to disarm the factions and dismantle the infrastructure of the militant groups. The PA believes that the only way to disarm the militias is by paving the way for the different groups to participate in the coming parliamentary election. However, aware that the success of the Palestinian elections would lead to a stable political system and put an end to the existing chaos, the Israeli government is trying to undermine the elections through several ways.
The writer said that Israel is trying to escalate the security situation by assassinating and arresting Palestinians; it also initiated an international campaign against Hamas in order to prevent its participation in this elections. The writer stated that holding parliamentary elections is essential to establishing a new Palestinian political system based on democracy, that would prevent the region from returning to violence.
Tension in the Palestinian arena has grown after the suicide attack inside Israel carried out by the Islamic Jihad; the PA condemned the attack, while the Islamic Jihad argued that it has the right to defend itself and respond to the Israeli massacres against its leaders.
The Dubai-based daily Al Bayan stated that the PA condemns the attacks against Israel as they undermine the political process and put more obstacles on the road to establishing a Palestinian state. The daily said that the Israeli government takes advantage of the conflict between the PA and the weapon-holding factions to increase tension in the Palestinian society and launch more attacks against the Palestinians.
The daily argued that the PA and the Palestinian parties must agree upon a new national agenda and a united stance vis-?-vis the aggressive Israeli attacks in order to prevent a civil war. The daily went on to say that the terms of the ceasefire are not right, as Israel could end the calm through the assassination of Palestinian leaders, which, in turn, invites Palestinian response. Thus, a new Palestinian strategy must be adopted as the current political chaos harms the Palestinian people's aspirations.
By Thamer Abu Baker
© Jordan Times 2005
