Where I Stand: No Golan for Syria’s Assad

Thursday, June 20, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

THE MAKEUP of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet tells us that he has stuck with the right-wing and religious party people who elected him. Syrian President Hafez Assad now must realize that, if he really wanted peace, he should have settled the Golan Heights issue with Netanyahu's predecessors, Rabin and Peres. The new Cabinet put together by the Likud leader assures us that the Golan is no longer on the bargaining table.

Newly appointed Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai told me in January of his strong opposition to any deal giving up the Golan Heights. Just a couple of years ago, he was the general responsible for protecting northern Israel, including the bloody Lebanon border and the Golan Heights. During the winter of 1992, I visited his command post, which was covered with several feet of snow. His military briefing of the entire situation was most impressive.

Six months ago, during our last meeting, he was no less impressive. He believes that the Golan Heights are needed for military maneuvering room in case of another war. Mordechai also talked about the control of water in that area and reminded me there isn't one Syrian now on the Golan. Only Israeli settlers will suffer if the land is given up.

Also appointed to the new Cabinet is Avigdor Kahalani as internal security minister. Kahalani broke away from the Labor Party and formed the Third Way Party. Why? He disagreed with Labor's position of possibly giving up the Golan for peace with Syria.

Even the new minister for Agriculture and Environment is a hard-liner. Minister Rafael "Raful" Eitan, a paratrooper war hero, is the leader of the right-wing Tsomet Party. I spent an evening with Eitan on his farm several years ago and have read his book. He's a tough guy with a large measure of intelligence thrown in when he makes decisions. He served as agriculture minister under the last Likud government and is truly a man of the soil. He still wants more Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and I'd be hesitant to even discuss with him the trading of the Golan for anything.

Then there is the old war horse, Ariel Sharon, who had so much to do with Netanyahu's election that the prime minister had to create a special post for him. If he accepts this superministry position, Sharon will be responsible for defense industries, government land, railroads and roads in Gaza and the West Bank. This is a lot of power for a warrior who hates Yasser Arafat and still publicly refers to him as a murderer and butcher.

I have come to know Sharon and see no possibility he will change his views. There's no way he would even consider giving the Golan back to Assad and, because of his own bloody combat experience in Lebanon, the border terrorists are also on his black list. He was minister of defense when Israel invaded Lebanon. Although Sharon wants more power, he will probably have to settle for what has been offered and will become a disgruntled Cabinet minister.

During my years of working and writing in Israel, I've had the opportunity to develop a sensitivity for the feelings and beliefs of many leaders. Although several of my past predictions have been wrong, I still can't see any chance for the Jews to give Jerusalem or any part of it for a Palestinian capital. Of course, I could never have imagined Rabin and Peres shaking hands with Arafat and withdrawing from the West Bank and Gaza. They did.

Maybe someday, an Israeli prime minister and government will put the Golan on the peace table as a bargaining chip. I'll bet my 401(k) savings it won't be Netanyahu and his new Cabinet.

Yesterday, Syrian radio programs were whining about Netanyahu's attitude regarding the Golan Heights. The Syrians say he is practicing the "law of the jungle" and want Washington to pressure him to reverse his stated policies. Washington and Damascus should realize that pressure won't work, and Netanyahu gave them his answer when appointing his Cabinet.