“It behooves the Israeli prime minister to call Assad on his latest statements so that it resonates genuinely in Syria the way Assad fraudulently resonates in the Palestinian Territories. If Assad wants peace, let him make peace with his people first.”
Washington – May 23, 2009 (Farid Ghadry) – Statements of peace made by democratic leaders are taken at their face value because they resonate with the respect we all share for the Rule of Law in a civilized environment. However, statements of peace made by violent men who have no respect for laws and mankind in general makes you squirm with repugnance.Consider the statements made by Baschar al-Assad, which to our surprise, traveled the planet in lightening speed. In response to the overtures for peace negotiations without any pre-conditions offered by the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Assad said: “The failure of the peace process so far has clearly shown that Israel is the obstacle How can a state that was founded on illegal occupation and continues to murder the original inhabitants work toward peace?“Regardless whether we agree with that statement or not, we are first Syrians and not Palestinians. Our interests lie in seeing a free Syria before we see a free Palestine.
Within that context, when it comes to Syria, Assad has occupied the whole country illegally and Assad continues to murder any of its inhabitants at will. This after using torture against the innocent and the hapless. For him to rhetorically accuse others what his family has been practicing against 20 million Syrians for over 45 years must be highlighted internationally the way he highlights his fake support for Palestinians he is more than happy to kill and terrorize when it suits his interests.
It behooves the Israeli prime minister to call Assad on his latest statements so that it resonates genuinely in Syria the way Assad resonates fraudulently in the Palestinian Territories. If Assad wants peace, let him make peace with his people first. War is a combination of weapons and words; Israel has yet to use words to console Syrians, for both of our interests, and catch Assad off-guard.
He further stated that: “How can a country that has chosen the most extreme government in its history be a partner for peace?“. Our question is “Would have Israelis chosen a government to protect them when you chose to arm Hamas and create a ghost town out of Sderot?.” But then, Assad wants an Israel to engage in extreme politics because that is the only way he can take the podium to make statements against a peace certain to remove him from power.
Today, in his opening speech to all 57 foreign ministers of the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference), Assad did not miss the opportunity to stir extremism by claiming that “Israel is Obstacle to Peace” and that peace must include regaining Arab lands occupied by Israel. Never mind that the peace Assad seeks has but one goal: To re-occupy Lebanon; and never mind that all of Syria is occupied by Assad. Before we free the Golan Heights from Israel, Syrians must free the Syrian government from the Ba’ath Party. Before we free Palestine from Israel, Syrians must free all of Syria from the Assad family.
The new Israeli government must vocalize what is too obvious for Syrians. Assad’s propaganda captures the imagination of ignorant Arabs against Israel and surprisingly, Israel’s propaganda is mute when it comes to capturing the Syrian imagination against the miserable lives they live under the Assad rule. It is not too late, Israeli prime minister can make an appearance on al-Arabiya for a direct message to the Syrian people in response to occupation and peace.
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