Middle East Negotiations

The land-for-peace negotiations formula has proven to be an unmitigated disaster - with Israel giving up tangible land for intangible promises of peace that have been all too easily broken. Today, Hizbullah has taken this formula one step further. Responding to the UN and US demand to disarm, Hizbullah has proposed that if Israel gives the Shebaa Farms to Lebanon - despite the fact that even the UN has ruled that this territory belonged to Syria - then they might be prepared to discuss disarming. I have very little doubt that the UN and Europe will seize this new formula and force Israel to withdraw from Shebaa Farms so that Hizbullah can move in there. I also have very little doubt that once Israel is forced to withdraw, Hizbullah will come up with another demand, and then another, and then another. Appeasement always works in the same way.