Letter: Assad’s death blow for peace

Thursday, June 15, 2000 | 9:37 a.m.

Unfortunately, I doubt that Syria will sign a peace agreement with Israel any time soon. His successor will be too busy on other fronts consolidating his rule, and we would be hard pressed to agree to conditions which his father had refused. Such a move could easily destabilize his rule. The truth is that Israel lost a golden opportunity to make peace with Syria.

If Arafat dies before a peace agreement is signed, the same would be true of the Palestinian track as well. Any future successor of Arafat would not have the moral authority to give concessions which Arafat now refuses. So his death, like the death of Assad, would in reality be another roadblock to peace.

NIZAR ABU-JABER

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