As the U.S. continues to engage Syria in an effort for stability in the Middle East, an article from INNS last November by Tel Aviv University Prof. Eyal Zisser deconstructs the recent peace negotiations undertaken between Israel and Syria. Since the Second Lebanon War, both Syria and Israel anticipated increased tension along the border, with Israeli aircraft even penetrating into Syrian airspace to destroy an alleged nuclear facility. Along this backdrop, both countries also began negotiations through Turkish mediators, thereby signalling at least some desire to resume a peace process. Regardless of the overtures of peace from both countries, Zisser asserts that the leadership lacks the political will and motivation needed for the actualization of a real peace deal in the near future. He writes:
“Yet despite the renewal of indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria, there are no signs of a breakthrough that will lead to a peace agreement between the two countries and direct them away from the path of confrontation they have pursued for generations. The difficulty in achieving such a breakthrough stems first and foremost from a lack of a genuine vision of peace, along with determination, persistence, and most of all personal and political strength among Syrian and Israeli leaders, as well as in the US administration Indeed, while the Syrian president has made many lofty statements about his wish for peace with Israel, it is questionable whether Bashar al-Asad has the will and the determination to execute a significant political process with Israel, with all that entails, as did Egyptian president Anwar al-Sadat.”
