Sunday March 22, 2009

I've Been Thinking:

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem appeared on al Jazeera on Saturday.

He was there to counter a popular rumor that Syria and Israel are in the midst of a peace negotiation.

The Syrian foreign minister made his point clearly.
Moallem said, "Syria is in a state of conflict, still at war with Israel and the occupied territories."

He said: "It is natural that Syria will always act to obtain bargaining chips; this, along with its belief that peace cannot be achieved solely through diplomatic channels but also through support of the resistance. Resistance is a legitimate right of the people."

Understanding the message behind hidden in the rhetoric of these carefully worded statements is an essential tool for understanding the objectives of Arab leadership.

Pursuing peace is essential for Israel, but Israel must be aware of where that same objective falls in the priority list of Syria and other Arab countries.

Western diplomats and leaders would also benefit greatly from listening to leaders like Moallem when they speak, in Arabic, to their people.

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