Written by: Aaron Katsman | May 10, 2009
In an attempt at cutting off any thought of an Israeli withdrawal of the Golan Heights as part of any peace deal with Syria, PM Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the Golan Heights will remain in Israeli control.
According to Ynet: “Netanyahu’s remark clarifies that the Turkish-mediated talks held between Damascus and the Ehud Olmert government have been frozen and would likely remain that way. The Syrians are demanding an Israeli declaration on the Jewish state’s willingness to withdraw from the Golan Heights as the basis for any continued dialogue.
The prime minister has said in closed forums that he is ready to hold negotiations with Syria, without preconditions. Before the Knesset elections in February, Netanyahu visited the Golan and planted a tree there as a symbol of Israel’s sovereignty over the area.”
Let’s hope that Netanyahu can stay strong cause as he gets set to meet Prez. Obama, the pressure is sure to mount.
Written by: Aaron Katsman | February 4, 2009
With much of the Middle-East in the midst of a drought that has been going on for a few years, could the prospect of mutual cooperation vis-a-vis water resources and technology, bring about the breakthrough needed for a regional peace? On the other hand, could the need for the much sought after resource, propel the region into war as countries battle over water rights?
I guess only time will tell, but Syria now has joined the parade of countries that are quickly running out of water. The capital city of Damascus is virtually out of water. Citizens are buying water from black market sources at inflated prices, because taps are dry. According to a Ynet report: “The Syrian authorities are aware of the problem and have taken a series of steps over the past few years, including the development of additional wells and the replacement of the piping system in order to prevent leakage and waste. Khalouf said, however, that this wasn’t enough. “If we don’t do something fast, we’ll be facing a catastrophe we have not witnessed for the past 50 years,” Khalouf warned at the conference. Syria has been suffering from a severe drought in the past five years, which have not only hurt private consumers but also the agriculture industry.”
Unlike Israel, Syria’s approach has been to focus on leakage and waste, which is a very short-sighted solution. After all, if more people are using water, and you have economic growth, which also raises usage levels, than you need to find a way to produce or capture more water. Apparently the Syrians have been receiving help from the Japanese government for years on this issue. They are after Japan to fund a $2 billion water transport project to bring in water from the Euphrates River. They need the financial aid because the Syrian economy is in shambles.
The political fallout from all of this is very interesting, and is any one’s guess. Could Syria be setting up Israel to make a claim on the Golan Heights in order to gain access to Israel’s main water source, the Kinneret( Sea of Galilee)? Could Israel technology be brought in to help provide Syria with more water, and thus, increase cooperation between the enemies?
Not sure on either front, but what I do know is that both countries are in desperate need of some serious rainfall.
