I missed a discussion of Lebanon, which you seem to think should be an object lesson of why the Israelis should regard giving back disputed territory as a good idea
As seen in Lebanon, just giving up the stolen land can have good effects.
I don't know where you get your facts from. You seem to be under the impression that there is peace on the Israeli-Lebananese border. That could hardly be further from the truth. Let's look at your "good effects", shall we?
1. Israel unilaterally withdrew to the Blue Line in May 2000. The UN certifies the withdrawal.
2. Hizbullah's reputation shoots up across the Arab world as the only armed organization that has been able to force an unconditional Israeli withdrawal.
3. Since Hizbullah is a proxy force armed and controlled from Iran (the Iranians spend about $100 million a year on them), the tactic of fighting via such a guerilla/terrorist proxy force also gets a boost.
4. Sheikh Nasrallah, Hizbullah's leader, explains that Israel is really a "spiderweb society" -- looks big and strong, but can easily be swept aside if confronted. No guts.
5. Hizbullah shifts the locus of the dispute to Shabaa Farms (which is internationally recognized to be in Syria) and keeps fighting. Cross border shelling goes on intermittently.
6. Yasser Arafat, encouraged by Hizbullah's triumph, and hoping for similar Iranian patronage (which we know know he obtained), decides to adopt Hizbullah's methods and prepares the Tanzim militia in the summer of 2000. After a riot breaks out following Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount, Arafat orders his troops into the street and the second intifada begins.
7. Hizbullah uses its new-found reputation and influence over Bashar Assad to occupy the former Israeli security zone as its private fiefdom and build a couple of missile lines in Southern Lebanon, about 8,000 missiles so far. Open war nearly broke out last spring, but was temporarily averted when Colin Powell warned Bashar Assad of the consequences. Missile buildup continues, and both sides agree that open war is only a matter of time. Cross-border shelling continues.
8. Both sides read the lessons of Lebanon. Arafat concluded that he could gain territory without concessions by emulating Hizbullah's methods of terrorism/guerilla war. Israel concluded that withdrawal in the face of terrorism brings more terrorism, not peace. A prolonged low-level conflict continues.
Do you still call these "good effects"? |
