Hezbollah

Damascus is Ready to Talk. Are We?

In a recent interview with John Simpson of the BBC, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad indicated again that he was open to a negotiated peace settlement with Israel, though he expressed skepticism that either Israel or the U.S. was ready to renew talks. "You say in English 'it take two to tango,'" President Assad told the reporter.

Whatever one ultimately feels about the regime in Damascus, ignoring any opportunity for negotiations would be an enormous mistake. Israel, the United States and Syria all have a great deal to gain from renewed talks. So what's stopping us?

by Peter Ryan

A terrible foretaste of furies to come

The brutality of the mutual attacks against mostly civilian urban centres during the war should be seen as a harbinger of the political intensity the region will witness in the years ahead. This may reveal itself sooner than we wish in the American-Iranian confrontation at the UN Security Council - while tensions and polarisation define most other political trends in the region: Internal Lebanese and Israeli politics, Israeli-Palestinian relations, and internal politics in Arab countries whose Islamist and other opposition movements will be emboldened by Hizbollah's experience.

by Rami G. Khoury

Over, for now

The war on Lebanon is over, but only in a manner of speaking. It was an unnecessary war that left in its wake death, destruction and unresolved issues all around.

Listening to the overblown rhetoric emanating from all sides, one doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. From Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's preposterous claim of "unprecedented" accomplishments, to one Arab commentator's horrific pronouncement that "today is a day for celebration and unprecedented joy," - it is all so indecent.

by James J. Zogby

History will judge us all on our actions

Michel Aoun draws upon his experience as former prime minister of Lebanon and commander of its armed forces to advocate the disarming of Hezbollah through political pressure and internal dialogue rather than confrontational militaristic might. He argues that the political negotiations to end the current conflict "will be, in essence, the same solution as the one available today, and which, tragically, was available before a single shot was fired."?

Mistaken path

An Israeli Perspective

Israeli novelist David Grossman explains how even extremist elements in Gaza are ready for a cease-fire and why the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territory has left Israel less capable of responding to other threats.

"This latest clash makes an agreement with the Palestinians even more urgent: The occupation must end, not because it will be 'good for the Palestinians', but rather because only thus will Israel be able to return quickly to a military and diplomatic agenda such a fragile country needs.

"This is the only way the country will have enough energy, will be able to "free up our heads" enough to prepare itself adequately for the existential threats that lie ahead."

US must act to stop Mideast escalation

While Europe expresses concern and the UN sends a delegation to mediate, the US, the only country that can provide needed restraint, has so far appeared to abdicate its leadership role.

The Bush administration showing some signs of being chastened by its international isolation, needs to shake off the last vestiges of its neoconservative thinking, "creative chaos" which it once believed would usher in democracy has instead brought only anarchy. And the fanciful notion that overwhelming violence would defeat all enemies and be a transformative force has, instead, only yielded more violence and anger in its wake.

Clearly a new direction is required.

by James Zogby

Perpetuating the cycle of violence

Speaking about the situation in Gaza, D. Ahmad Abu Tawahina of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme characterises the Palestinian psychological environment as "terrifying" and "traumatising". Israel's policies are "creating a health and environmental disaster".

Israel is waging "psychological warfare" against Gazans. "Life becomes unpredictable. No one can avoid involvement. No one can hide. Trauma is caused by these uncontrollable, unavoidable and uncontainable factors. People cannot develop coping strategies. They have a feeling of helplessness which induces depression. Israel is driving the whole community into a pathological state, paralysing Palestinians."

by Michael Jansen