Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam said that the region faces two problems: the Arab-Israeli conflict and its repercussions, including regional conflicts and their entanglement with the interests of some international powers, and the problem of economic and social development.
Speaking to a delegation from the French Defense College during their meeting in Damascus yesterday, the Syrian Vice President mentioned another factor increasing the complexity of the situation in the region and driving it towards further instability: the American threats to Iraq. He pointed out that the pretexts used by the United States are unrealistic. When discussing weapons of mass destruction, Iraq is mentioned, while Israel, which possesses nuclear weapons, is not.
Khaddam blamed Israel for obstructing the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, and 425 and for insisting on not withdrawing from the occupied territories. He said that despite the ongoing negotiations with Israel until February 1996, they were unable to achieve the desired peace. The Israelis refuse to withdraw from all Syrian territories and impose unequal conditions that conflict with Syria’s sovereignty over its lands, even though an agreement was reached in 1995 with Rabin in which he accepted withdrawal beyond the lines of June 4, 1967.
The Syrian Vice President added that the entire world, except for the United States, is convinced that Sharon’s government is not interested in peace with the Arabs. He noted that television screens show daily the immense Israeli military power striking and destroying Palestinian cities and villages that do not possess military means to respond. He said that Israel responded to the Arab peace initiative adopted by the Beirut Summit by invading Palestinian cities and villages and committing massacres that remind the world of Nazi atrocities.
Khaddam stated that what has enabled Sharon’s government to continue its aggressive policy is the unlimited American support, European hesitation, and the international community’s inability to take measures to stop Israeli aggression. He pointed out that the campaign led by Washington after the events of 9/11 gave the impression that it was directed against Muslims and that the only beneficiary of the conflict between the West and the Arab and Islamic worlds is Israel, despite the fact that all Arab countries condemned the events of 9/11 immediately after they occurred.