We were just talking about how Syria resisted efforts to get sucked into empty cycles of negotiations and manipulated into concession in return for unfulfilled promises. Case in point is the statement made yesterday by Foreign Minister Walid Almuoalem, whose head is seen here on Ariel Sharon’s body, that Syria will not resume peace talks with Israel unless the Jewish state is committed to withdrawing from the occupied Golan Heights.

Walid al-Moualem was responding on Friday to an offer by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, who two days earlier said that he was ready to resume the talks with Syria immediately but indicated that he would not make any commitments on land first.

“If Israel does not honour these requirements then there is no point of conducting useless negotiations,” Moualem said.

“Negotiations will be futile if there is no true Israeli will to make peace and no US involvement. We will not go back to wasting time,” he told Syrian state television.

Indirect talks between Syria and Israel, which were being mediated by Turkey, were formally suspended in December during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.

While the Palestinian Authority leadership would have fell for this PR move as if it has great potential, or as if Israeli and American administrations would return kindness and if you keep offering them every thing on a silver platter with your Arab hospitality, they would eventually agree to a just solution, equal rights, and return of lands and refugees, the Syrians once again smell bullshit, and they have no problem calling it.

As a matter of fact, Almoualem is one of the toughest Arab negotiators, along with Egypt’s Amr Mousa, the Israelis have been up against; so they developed personal hostility towards him. Since his last name means “Teacher,” the frustration of the Israeli team with his demand for respect as a nemesis was often characterized in the media by referencing poet Ahmed Shawqi’s lineقم للمعلم وفه التبجيلا كاد المعلم ان يكون رسولا . (Rise for thy teacher and pay him due respect, for a teacher approaches the status of prophets).

His president, Bashar Alassad, seen here looking like Mr. Mackey, chimed in today, reaffirming why they don’t play well with others… Not that they don’t wanna play, just don’t like being pushed around.

Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria, has restated his country’s willingness to achieve peace in the Middle East.

But he has described Israel as “a major obstacle towards peace”.

He made the comments in his address to a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Damascus on Saturday.

“For Syria and for all Arabs, peace is a strategic goal that we will achieve one day,” al-Assad told at least 50 foreign ministers attending the meeting in the Syrian capital.

“Peace must include the regaining of Arab territories held by Israel.”

He also expressed the need to remain alert about Israeli motivations.

He said Arabs need to ask the right question, namely: Is it possible for a state “that was founded on the illegitimate basis of occupation and the killing of Palestinians and Lebanese over decades – is it possible for it to be seriously pursuing peace?

Related posts:

1. Syria Vs. Lebanon: The Eni Meeni Mini Mo Of Peace Talks
2. What about Syria?
3. A Political and Economic Holdout
4. Syrians For A Free Syria: A New Opposition Government in Exile
5. Syria Tastes the Sweetness of Revenge On Israel… Kind Of