COMING

...

SUNDAY, MARCH 16

The AMERICA-ISRAEL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF MICHIGAN
MICHAEL H. TRAISON, President

1997 Honors Dinner

at The Somerset Collection (South)
Big Beaver Road at Coolidge
6:30 p.m.

Syrian Slow Motion

KENNETH M. STEIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Honoree:

Mr. Doug Ross

Special Guests:
Honorable David J. Rubin

Economic Minister of Israel to North America

Honorable Arthur Avnon

Consul General of Israel to the Midwest

Honorable Oded Boneh

Mr. Doug Ross

Consul for Economics Affairs,
Government of Israel Economic Mission

Featured Speaker: Mr. Joel Tauber
Past President and National Chairman, United Jewish Appeal

Elegant Buffet dinner • Fine Israeli wines • Sumptuous desserts.
(Dietary rules will be observed.) $97 per person
Entertainment by the sparkling Zamir Chorale of Metropolitan Detroit.

For information, call Toni Holmes at (810) 258-9270
Or fax your reservations to (810) 646-9332.

Please join us for the black tie event of the year!

Reaching The Area's
Most Eligible Customers.

Want to know iat's hip and happening with Detroit's
Jewish young adults and singles? (heck 'fie Scene.' Every
week in The Detroit Jewish Newi

T HE DE T R O

#11%.•°1

122

for more information, coil your account execuiive or
Anne Ward at (810) 354-6060 Ext. 209

b ■ sial•••°/

DETROIT

THE JEWISH NEWS

I

n the June 1967 war, Israel
Israelis cannot afford to make
took control of east Jerusalem, their decision on a coin toss or by
the Gaza Strip, Golan consulting Mrs. Reagan's as-
Heights, West Bank and Sinai trologer.
But let's recognize that
peninsula.
Israeli flags
all of Israel's negotiating
Since then, Arab-Israeli
line a fence
experiences since 1967
negotiations have rested
covered with
have
contained some of
on a central premise: Un-
barbed wire
der what conditions and near the Syrian the same evaluating cri-
feria and procedure. Each
over what period would Is-
border.
rael exchange land for a
decision about an accom-
degree of peace and measure of modation has been preceded, ac-
promised security? (The one ex- companied and influenced by
ception is Jordan, where no sig- public inquiry and years of vig-
nificant land was exchanged for orous debate. No external pres-
peace.)
sure has forced Israel into an
Does the premise hold for Syr- agreement. Each has been vol-
untary, arduously negotiated,
ia as well?
Former Egyptian President and always characterized by
Anwar Sadat wanted all of Sinai starts, stops and beginnings
back. Israel wanted Egypt out of again. Often yesterday's reject-
the circle of Arab states that ha- ed concepts or proposed solutions
bitually attacked Israel. So in are accepted as tomorrow's viable
1979, the two reached a treaty plan.
where Israel returned all of Sinai
But with Syria, will a succes-
and received less than a full sor uphold today's agreement?
peace, but a cold normalization, And what are Israel's disadvan-
a non-belligerent relationship, tages and advantages for Israel?
Mr. Assad is staunch in de-
and Egyptian media abuse of Is-
raelis, Zionists and Jews.
manding that he get all of the
In 1993, the PLO and Israel Golan back. Israelis are not sure
mutually recognized one anoth- about his definition of peace. If it
er. In a series of additional agree- is an Egyptian version, it is a cold
ments, the PLO took physical act.
Syria's media is full of anxiety
control of a third of the West
Bank and Gaza Strip, and 90 that a full peace with Israel —
percent of the population. In ex- open borders, tourism, commer-
change, Israel had PLO promis- cial links, diplomatic relations —
es to refrain from armed struggle open the door to Israeli econom-
against Israel. This, too, has been ic dominance of Syria and ulti-
less than a perfect understand- mately Lebanon. In Damascus,
ing.
this fear is real and not merely
But what about Syria?
an excuse — as is Israel's ques-
Can Syrian President Hafez tion of "Can Assad or his succes-
el-Assad have/get what Mr. Sa- sors be trusted to uphold an
dat received? Is he honest or de- agreement?"
vious? Is he making the right
For the last three months,
noises when he, his vice presi- many reports from Damascus in-
dent and foreign minister say in dicated that Mr. Assad has not
unison that Syria wants to re- been well, that he is grooming his
new the peace process with Is- son to succeed him, and that his
rael based on land for peace? Or, vice president and foreign min-
is the Syrian leadership making ister have had a flurry of meet-
the right sounds but faking sin- ings with Middle East leaders to
cerity while gearing up for guile? intensely discuss the peace talks.
With succession speculation ram-
Dr. Kenneth M. Stein is head of
pant, it's harder than ever for Is-

Emory University's Middle
East Research Program.

MOTION page 124

(