Israel holds peace talks with Syria – On the politics of kiss and tell – and why they’re going to blow it
The announcement of peace talks between Israel and Syria gave me the shivers. Not because I don't want the two to finally achieve peace. The problem isn't the talks - it's the announcement.
As I trawl through both Syrian and Israeli comments on media sites (for example user comments to articles in Syria News and Ha'aretz, [sorry - both in the original]), the raw responses show the same old cynicism on both sides and a basic mistrust: of the other side, of the process and of the politicians. It's the old scepticism of even a chance of peace, battered into the region's peoples by years of disappointment.
And every now and again, between the disparaging comments, someone would say: maybe this time, just maybe...
And 'maybe just maybe' indeed, except, the chances of anything happening this time around have just been reduced dramatically - and all because the politicians had to kiss and tell.
According to Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper, negotiations have been ongoing for over a year. In the eyes of many cynical Israelis, the reason for the announcement today was a wounded Prime Minister Olmert, trying to shift the attention away from allegations of his involvement in dodgy money transfers.
But here is the real problem: No matter the opinions and views either side, whenever there is any shred of a chance for dialogue, you can guarantee someone will escalate the situation to ensure it dies a death. Radicals in Israel and Syria wouldn't want hostilities to end. Iran, the sponsor of Hizbullah in Lebanon, certainly would not like its ally, Syria, to reach even a semblance of peace with Israel - and no one is better placed than it to inflame the situation around the Lebanese-Israeli border. Enemies of peace will fall over themselves to sabotage this effort. They are ten-a-penny in the Middle East, and I forsee Katyusha rockets landing near Kiryat Shmona and Palestinian escalation any day now.
When Egypt's Anwar Al-Saddat made his historic visit to Israel in 1977 to open peace negotiations with Menachem Begin's government, the surprise tactic was part of the momentum. The two nations watched with amazement as two gutsy leaders did the unthinkable. The world was stunned. No doubt significant preparation and covert negotiations prepared the ground for the event, but it had all been done on the hush, and rightly so. Peace was achieved through diplomacy, not PR.
On this occasion, I think it's safe to say that peace has lost a round. I just hope that something would be achieved - or that maybe, just maybe, I'll be proven wrong.