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Source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3546206,00.html
Long Road to Syrian-Israeli Peace Accord
[Ynet News] Shai Bazak - Syria cannot deliver the minimal goods required of it: severing its ties with terror organizations and the Iranian influence in favor of normalization with Israel. Meanwhile, Israel has no desire to provide the Syrians with military positions on the Golan Heights, which would again threaten Israeli communities, or to allow the Syrians access to the Sea of Galilee. On the other hand, both sides have an interest in maintaining a sort of pre-dialogue process; that is, an interest in being perceived as though they are aspiring for peace. The supreme interest of President Bashar Assad, a member of the Alawite minority, is to safeguard his regime. The hatred for Israel, the external enemy, enables him to maintain absolute power in his country. The connection with terror groups, Iran, and the Palestinians enables Assad to get along with the Arab world and with his own citizens under the umbrella of hostility to Israel. Peace with Israel will endanger his regime to a much greater extent than an ongoing low-intensity conflict with the "Zionist enemy."