Lebanon’s Peace and Israel

Saleh implies that but for the previous presence of the U.S. and the current presence of Israel the “Lebanese” would have resolved their 14-year-old civil war. He then postulates that if the U.S. were able to pressure Israel into leaving southern Lebanon (the security zone) the Arab League would quickly be able to bring about a resolution to the conflict.

Saleh undoubtedly overestimates the power of the Arab League, an organization which only recently readmitted Egypt. He appears to have forgotten that Egypt was expelled from the Arab League because it made peace with Israel.

There are still 20 Arab states which are still technically “at war” with Israel who are members of the Arab League. One must, therefore, question the motives of Saleh in suggesting that the Arab League proposes to meet with the parties in Saudi Arabia. If the situation is so unstable as to preclude meeting within the territory itself how can anyone expect Israel (or any other state) to put its security at risk on the bare hope that the Arab League can bring about a resolution?

Hosni Mubarak, president of Egypt, is fully aware of the fact that peace is dependent upon Israel having safe borders and a stable government. Peace is as much in Egypt’s interest as in Israel’s or anyone’s, yet Saleh proposes conduct which could seriously destabilize the region by inviting armed incursions into Israel’s northern borders.

The proper course of action has to be for the parties in Lebanon (the Lebanese) to work together to form a government that is truly representative of all the factions; a government that can then guarantee secure borders to all its neighboring states. Only when the Lebanese have created such a government will its neighbors be able to relax, the desires of the Arab League and Saleh to the contrary notwithstanding.

SANFORD I. MILLAR

Los Angeles