Syria

The Arab-Israeli conflict is generally considered a political and military confrontation between Israeli and neighboring Arab countries. Negotiations and agreements between the two sides therefore tend to concentrate on official matters such as diplomatic recognition, security measures, and other formal aspects of interstate relations. Unlike their Israeli counterparts, Arab citizens

Even as attention is focused on the outcome of Syrian-Israeli talks at Wye Plantation, potentially ominous developments are taking place on Syria's northern border, where the regime of Hafiz al-Assad has upped its challenge to Turkey. While tensions between the two states go back a half century, simmering largely beyond

On, July 10, 1995, Samuel Lewis, counselor to the Washington Institute, and Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute, addressed a session of the The Washington Institute's Policy Forum on the status of the peace process and its future development. The following is a rapporteur's summary of their remarks

Tourism offers an opportunity to promote the economic development of the Levant, demonstrate the material rewards of peace, and forge cooperation between Israel and its neighbors. To be economically sound, however, regional cooperation must generate additional tourism, rather than redistributing existing visitors. Foreign governments and international aid agencies can encourage

On January 13, 1994, Dr. Joseph Sisco, undersecretary of state for political affairs in the Nixon and Ford administrations; Dr. William Quandt, member of the National Security Council staff during the Nixon and Carter administrations; and Dr. Richard Haass, senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs at the

Although the uncertain status of the Palestinians lies at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict, without Syria there simply can be no progress in the peace process. In the past, Syria was satisfied with the status quo and saw little need to establish peaceful relations with Israel. With the collapse

The Syrian regime of Hafez al-Assad has in the past year seemed to change direction, first with tentative moves toward liberalization, then by siding with the American-led coalition that fought against Saddam Hussein and, perhaps most dramatically, by acceding to America’s wish to attend a peace conference with Israel. There

Though the impact of the Soviet Union’s “new thinking” has been less dramatic in the Middle East than in other regions of Third World conflict, its effects are nonetheless beginning to be felt. An important development in this regard has been signs of decreasing Soviet support for Syria, the Arab

The foreign hostages in Lebanon are living reminders of the challenge posed to the West by Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed movement of fundamentalist Lebanese Shi’ites. Hezbollah has conducted its operational campaign with a great measure of strategic and tactical savvy. Yet its ideologues understand and represent its struggle as a war