Illusion of Peace
The Oslo Accord, and before it the Camp David and Wadi Araba agreements, have proved to be disastrous for the struggle against the Zionist occupation. The “requirements” of these agreements have been successively followed. The opportunities for the successes of continuing national liberation struggle are wasted. More lands of Palestine and Arab were lost after these agreements. Now the countdown has begun for the remaining 27,000 square kilometres of Palestine. Now there is establishment of alliance and normalisation with power of occupation. It is happening with the encouragement of certain Palestinian and Arab apparatuses which have made their defences easy prey for a historical enemy.
It is now apparent that this is no more an issue of concern for Arabs, and it does not even affect their internal matters. The relationship with Israel is driven by the regimes’ calculations and interests and the peoples have nothing to do with it. The Arab public opinion is that the so-called peace with Israel did not bring prosperity to them. Instead, this “peace” was one of the obstructions in the way of reforms in the dominant political systems. The Arab people and the free people of the world will continue to consider the Palestinian issue the most sacred and just cause, which should continue to be supported until the complete victory of its people. This is something which the regimes could not and will not do, neither for the benefit of their own people nor for the Palestinians.
(by Majid Al-Sheikh in Al Araby Al Jadeed)
Are Syrians Left Alone?
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad did not fall. It’s OK. Let’s get ready for coexistence with him if he changes, or at least appears as if he has changed. This is what the international players are thinking today. Assad painted his tanks blue in the end of 2011 to tell the Arab Committee that it belongs to the police. The committee did not notice this that he is the master of this game. He keeps changing as long as he is comfortable with it.
For half a century, the Assad regime has been accustomed to adapting to any circumstances. It has no objective other than staying in power. During the period of alliance with the socialist camp, he had a famous slogan: “There is no life in this country except for progress and socialism.” At that time, his first declared national mission was to fight the Zionist enemy. Later, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Assad altered his political goals, to respond to the requirements of the new phase. After that strategic balance with the enemy became a slogan for a long period. Assad used the option of strategic peace. Then, at the international and regional levels, he did not mind sending his army to be part of the international coalitions during the war to liberate Kuwait. The changes in the Assad regime and its ability to adapt are not matched by any other regime’s pragmatism. He has the highest readiness for any situation of international or even regional emergencies. He is ready to pay any price for his staying in power and he will not be disappointed by the international community, which in turn is willing to support any obedient dictator.
(by Malek Daghestani in Syria TV)
Compiled and Translated by Faizul Haque