USIP: MAPPING PEACE BETWEEN SYRIA AND ISRAEL

Frederic C. Hof has just produced a new document commissioned by the United States Institute of Peace’s Center for Mediation and Conflict Resolutionthat lays out a roadmap for how to resolve the tense issues separating Syria and Israel over the Golan Heights plateau and small tracts in the Jordan River Valley.  Hof argues that the Jordan Valley-Golan Heights Environmental Preserve, which attracted attention during earlier peace talks could help to protect sensitive and stressed water resources in the valley and on the heights and could facilitate easy access by civilians.  This preserve would provide a good platform for practical bilateral cooperation. and could serve as a constructive, confidence building start to the implementation phase of the agreements reached between Israel and Syria. 

“Hof reminds us at this critical juncture that Syrian requirements for a peace settlement can be squared with Israeli needs.  This can have ramifications for the overall peace process in the Middle East.”  —Daniel Kurtzer of “Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace.” 

Here is a summary of the report.

Question to the Blogosphere:  Do you think that successful implementation of agreements between Israel and Syria could increase the possibility for peace in other parts of the Middle East?  Did these negotiations attack the core issues dividing Israel and Syria?  Do you think the Preserve idea could serve as an issue through which Israelis and Syrians could build lasting relationships?  How much cooperation is needed on environmental issues?  How is the relationship between Syria and Israel different from Israel’s relationships with her other neighbors?  Can environmental preserves and mutual concerns like water supply help resolve conflicts or even prevent them?  What are some other examples of mutual concerns resolving or preventing conflict?