The Arab View: Syria the Only Arab Threat to Israel

Syria's close ties with Iran and its support makes it "the only Arab country that could pose a threat to Israel," veteran Jordan-based journalist Osama Al-Sharif wrote in the popular Arab News. He reminded readers, "As Israel ponders the catastrophic lessons of its 2006 war on Lebanon, it becomes clear that the threat of Hizbullah cannot be contained so long as Syria remains its primary backer."



He wrote that the renewed interest in Syrian-Israeli peace talks represents a strategic change in Israeli policies but also may be a ploy to put negotiations with the Palestinian Authority negotiations "on the back burner--indefinitely." If the peace talks fail on all fronts, he added, "Syrians will wait for another day, while holding firm to their strong cards, but the Palestinians will be busy counting their mounting losses."