FOR A LEBANESE-SYRIAN TRACK: FACE TO FACE
By: Charles Jalkh (Freedom Fighter)

If the current Middle Eastern peace efforts are truly genuine, and the US is serious about bringing final peace and justice to our area, then it cannot ignore that there exists one more conflict than what appears today on the surface. We the Lebanese have a bone with Syria. We are extremely upset about the occupation of our country by the Syrian dictatorship and its imposition of puppet regimes in Beirut.

Peace cannot be accomplished in the Middle East without a Free Palestine, a Liberated Golan, a Free and Liberated Lebanon from both Syrian and Israeli occupations, and last but not least, a Secure and freely breathing Israel. If you miss any of these components, then you only achieve partial justice and peace. You will be planting the seeds for another certain explosion. It is true that the ultimate settlement will not give everything to everyone. But there are fundamentals on which we shall not compromise nor go beneath and they are: Full Independence, Full Sovereignty, and Full Freedom for Lebanon. Anything short of the full withdrawal of the Syrian and Israeli occupation troops, and the restoration of our legitimate constitutional government is unacceptable to us. If the US, Syria, and Israel, try to roll out a peace that ignores the aspirations of the Lebanese people, then we shall revolt, clear and simple. We do not accept a continuing Syrian occupation of our country. Justice and Peace in the ME require that all people get their independence and Freedoms. If couple generations or more later they decide to get closer politically, as the European Union did, then that is possible if and whether decided by the people. But we absolutely reject the annihilation of our identity by the Syrian dictatorship. We ARE NOT Syrians, and we refuse to become a province of Syria. Point Clear.

For the last few years, and because of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon and its appointment of a puppet regime, the world has been brainwashed into the belief that today, in the Middle East, there are only three tracks: Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Israel and Syria, and Israel and Lebanon. The last two have been merged through the Syrian occupation of Lebanon in violation of the Madrid accords.

In fact there is a Fourth Track. Another deadly and persistent conflict that has taken the lives of dozens of thousands; it is the Lebanese-Syrian track. Lebanon has grievances with Syria. The Syrian dictatorship has occupied our country since 1976, bombarded hundreds of our towns and villages into oblivion, killed hundreds of thousands of our people, assassinated and exiled our journalists, spiritual, and political leaders, and exercised a reign of terror against our people through its KGB-like police state.

Syria must rise towards a historical reconciliation with Lebanon. Syria must acknowledge the crimes it committed in Lebanon. Its crimes against humanity. Its terrorism against all nations and citizens of the world. Its genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Lebanese through the Hariri phenomenon.

No one buys the lies about the twin Syrian-Lebanese tracks. We are neither twins, nor Syrians, nor are our tracks a true partnership. We are simply a bargaining chip that Syria is using during its negotiation with Israel. And that is an insult beyond injury that the Syrian dictatorship is inflicting upon our people. Madrid dictated the independence of tracks.

Syria must respect its past signatures before we can trust its new ones. Syria must abide by International laws. The Syrian dictatorship of Hafez Assad has violated Madrid, it has violated UN resolution 520, has violated the Taef accord, the Arab League Charter, and has violated hundreds of cease-fires in its war of aggression against Lebanon. How can you trust Syria and make peace with it now? Has anything changed in Syria for the last 28 years? Clearly, there is a pattern of lies, deceit, and treachery, which goes beyond any civilized standard. A peace treaty with the Syrian dictatorship is only appeasement. You will have a cold and temperamental peace. In the final analysis, the Syrian people themselves will be denied justice and committed to an eternity of damnation.

The next peace phase in the Middle East will make peace between the states and their citizens i.e. achieve true human rights for all. Only then, can true friendships and human compassion be established. Kindness is an absolute must. It does not differentiate between humans or nationalities. It is a standard to be applied to the greatest and smallest of us. That is our next peace goal for our area. But first we must satisfy he lowest level of needs (variation on Maslow), i.e Freedom.

Syria must sit down face to face with Lebanon, withdraw unconditionally, and come out with a clear conscience. Only then can brotherly relations between our nations be pursued. As every passing minute of the current peace efforts proceed without this REAL Lebanese-Syrian track, it reinforces in our mind that the conspiracy against Lebanon is continuing, and it fuels the volcano that is simmering and is ready to explode. The world powers must realize that this time, the Lebanese shall truly revolt. We do not accept to be left behind the train of history. Either you take us in as full players with at least the same rights that the Palestinians are getting. Otherwise, brace yourselves for a Lebanese Intafada, only this one shall be deadlier and more extreme and will spread worldwide.

There cannot be True Peace in the Middle East without a Free Lebanon!

Long Live Free Lebanon