(Ha'aretz) Moshe Arens - The artificial borders of Iraq and Syria delineated in 1916 by Britain and France are artificial constructs. In the Golan Heights, the border between British-mandated Palestine and French-mandated Syria was determined by British-French negotiations in 1923 that altered the lines defined by the original Sykes-Picot Agreement, moving the Golan Heights over to the Syrian side of the border. Israel is not going to abandon the Golan Heights. The enclave will not be turned over to the terrorists of the Islamic State, al-Qaeda or the Nusra Front, or whoever survives the Syrian bloodbath. The notion that arbitrary borders delineated by outside powers will in time become permanent fixtures is surrealistic. In time that will be recognized by all. The writer served as Israel's Minister of Defense three times and once as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
2016-05-06 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive