Monday, April 6, 1998 | 10:45 a.m.
TWENTY YEARS AGO last month, Israel's Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai was an Army colonel leading troops against Palestinian guerillas operating from southern Lebanon. The guerillas had just killed 30 Israelis and then withdrew to hide across the border from northern Israel.
A week later, in its typical knee-jerk reaction, the anti-Israel United Nations passed Resolution 425. Showing complete disregard for the deaths of Israel citizens, the resolution only made demands on that country.
U.N. Resolution 425 reads in part:
* Calls for strict respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized boundaries;
* Calls upon Israel immediately to cease its military action against Lebanese territorial integrity and withdraw forthwith its forces from all Lebanese territory.
No demands were made on Lebanon and things went from bad to worse. Four years later it was Syria in Lebanon and at the request of many Christians, the Israeli Defense Forces, under Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, drove all the way to Beirut. When withdrawing and returning south, Israel kept a nine-mile-deep security zone along its northern borders. Today, Mordechai, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 11 cabinet ministers want to withdraw from the security zone.
Since Israel withdrew to the security zone, Syria has completed its butchering of Lebanese Christians and has full control over that country. The guerillas, now known as Hezbollah or Party of God, have continued their assaults against Israeli towns and farms with rocket attacks. The Hezbollah are supplied by Iran through Syria and the cost of life has been high.
Six years ago, I went to the security zone when Mordechai was commander of the IDF in southern Lebanon. During that trip I reported as follows:
Last week, this northern section of Israel was rocked by 150 Katyusha rockets fired across the border from Lebanon. The border towns of Kiryat Shmona and Metulla bore the brunt of these attacks.
Heavy snows have covered some of the damage done by 122mm and 240mm Soviet-designed rockets. However, the water from melting snow pours through the hole a rocket made in the Kiryat Shmona bus depot. It hit the concrete roof at high noon as people lined up for their tickets and rides. The explosion wounded 15 people with flying concrete and debris. Despite the interruption, the efficient Israeli bus system was soon back on schedule.
One of the casualties was a grade-school girl running to greet her father when he returned home. The grieving parents agreed to be interviewed by me, but I didn't have the heart to ask questions. Sometimes it's just good to listen and let other people ask questions and give answers.
Last year, back in Israel, I was told by several Arabs that all the Hezbollah want is for Israel to withdraw their troops from Lebanon. At the same time the World Lebanese Organization was asking the world to recognize Lebanon's unwanted occupation by Syria.
This week, Israel has agreed to comply with U.N. Resolution 425 but wants the Southern Lebanese Army to be strong enough to patrol its own border and the Hezbollah to quit attacking Israel's towns and farms. So peace is on the way. Don't be foolish, the Hezbollah won't guarantee a cessation of guerrilla activity and Syria refuses to cooperate. The Syrian puppet government in Beirut refuses to negotiate the withdrawal and all shots are still being called by Damascus.
So the killing will continue in northern Israel unless the United States and European countries come down hard on both Syria and Lebanon. Last year, the United States lifted some restrictions on travel to Lebanon and more than three years ago, President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Warren Christopher continued the policies of President George Bush and Secretary James Baker. Clinton met with Syria's Assad in Switzerland and Christopher spent almost as much time in Damascus as he did Washington.
Now's the time to give Iran an opportunity to show its good faith by stopping arms to the Hezbollah. At the same time, we should play hardball with Assad and his Lebanese puppets. Let's cut into the tourist trade returning to Beirut and put strong economic pressure on Syria. Playing the role of the nice guy has done nothing to promote peace in the Middle East. Israel has opened a window of opportunity that responsible nations seeking peace must insist doesn't close until Iran, Syria, Lebanon and guerillas consider the consequences.
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