Towards a New Middle East

By: Charles Jalkh (Freedom Fighter)

(Fictionally Written around 1998)

"It’s 6:30pm, Friday evening, April 4, another great spring break is in the making. I am taking the family as usual every year on a local trip. At 8:00pm we dine in Phoenicia restaurant, on the beautiful bay of Junieh. Next we leave our car in Junieh and head to the new downtown Beirut central district for an international musical concert. The commute is quick and pleasant using the new Rapid Transit Rail System which gets us from Junieh to Beirut in 15 minutes. The concert lasts until midnight and features International singers and musicians. We then take a walk along the 1.5 mile scenic waterfront "corniche" and enjoy the Beirut Skylight.

Saturday morning is skiing time. We head to Faraya, a ski resort in the Kesrwan area. The trip is via a shuttle bus ran by the resort, hassle free. By sunset, Saturday, and after a refresher stop at home, we head to Israel. The trip takes only 1 hour on the new Trans-MiddleEast Highway which links Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. First stop however in the biblical town of Cana, visited by Jesus, and which has seen tragedies during the old days of conflict. The town has been transformed into a tourist paradise. Beautiful and elegant gift shops line up the ancient town center. We lay flowers at the Cana memorial erected by the joint Israeli-Lebanese committee for friendship.

By 8pm we arrive to Tel Aviv. We had a light dinner in a beautiful café-trotoir (side walk cafe) in the city center then head to a dance club where my kids along with their Israeli, Palestinian, and Syrian friends will dance till midnight. Sunday morning Jerusalem calls us. It used to be said that "most cities of world live by their future except Jerusalem which live by its past". One thing is sure however, the past of violence between Arabs and Israelis has long gone away. Few hours later we are in the warm and friendly Jordanian capital of Amman. The Jordanians are hospitable people. We then visited Petra, the ancient city that was built down into the earth.

We then head north west towards Nathanaya where we swim in the clean beautiful waters of the Mediterranean. Long are gone the days of pollution thanks to regional treaties that have cleaned the environment and allowed the sharing of natural resources. From Nathanaya we drive inland to Mount Hermon where we spend another day skiing in the joint Israeli-Syrian resorts. We then drive down the Golan heights towards the ancient city of Damascus. This city has shed its dark reputation of oppression and brutality years ago since the fall of the Assad dictatorship and its replacement by a democratic regime. We arrive my nightfall and after checking into a hotel, we attend a joint Israeli-Lebanese-Syrian Folkloric musical concert. The next morning we head back home again over the Trans-MiddleEast highway, a mere 45 minutes drive."

Have I lost you somewhere? Oh, I forgot one minor detail. It is the year 2003, and the Middle East has witnessed tremendous changes brought about by the fall of dictatorships, and the rise of democracies and respect for Human Rights.

Chronology of Changes in the Middle East 1998-2003

Lebanon

Lebanon finally regained its independence through the withdrawal of all the Syrian occupation troops facilitated by the collapse of the Syrian Dictatorship. A new republic and constitution was proclaimed. Democracy has been re-established and a secular society has taken shape where all citizens have equal rights and duties regardless of race, color, gender, age, religion, or ethnic origins.

After the fall of the Assad Dictatorship, the new Syrian democratic regime recognized the historical crimes the past regime committed in Lebanon and its 1975-1998 wars of aggression against Lebanon. About 80% of the Palestinians have moved back to the newly formed Palestine state, as well as to other nations as per the 1999 Pan-Arab Treaty which resettled the Palestinian refugees in Arab countries on a population proportional basis.

The Lebanese economy has exploded since. The Lebanese Diaspora as well as international human and capital resources returned and reinvested heavily in the country. Solidere has been reformed and has reimbursed all Beirut old owners for their damages. Under new laws it has become an international construction firm with projects around the globe. The Country Gross National Product has been rising steadily at a 15% annual rate and unemployment fell to 5.4% while inflation remains at 2.3%. The environment is clean. Lebanon has surely become again, the Switzerland of the Middle East.

Syria

The Assad Dictatorship fell in 1999. A Coup lead by Sunnite officers pushed the Assad Allawite regime to its fiefdom in Latakiah. For a while, Syria was divided and ferocious battles were fought between the central government in Damascus and the remnants of the Assad clan. Meanwhile the Syrian forces in Lebanon, confused and divided joined their corresponding factions back in Syria. Immediately a revolt in the Lebanese army reinstated a new republic and all exiled Leaders returned and a new republic was formed in Lebanon. By mid 1999, the new Syrian regime extended its control over all the country and all traces of the Assad dictatorship were erased. Soon after, democracy was declared in Syria under a new constitution. For the first time in its history ever, Syria conducted a democratic election. Syria then apologized to Lebanon for the war crimes committed by the old regime and opened an embassy in Lebanon and exchanged ambassadors. All treaties signed between the old dictatorship and the old Lebanese Puppet regime of the Troika were voided. A new page in the history of the two nations was started based on the respect of the sovereignty and independence of each country. By the end of 1999, Syria signed a peace treaty with Israel. The Golan heights were demilitarized and sovereignty was returned to Syria. Joint Syrian-Israeli collaborative projects have been started and a new spirit of true friendship has taken roots between all the people.

Israel

The Likud government was replaced by a Likud-labor coalition which found it easy to sign a peace accord with the new democratic regime installed in Syria. Israel can now trust Syrians intentions since the Assad dictatorship and its terrorist network have been destroyed. Israel-Lebanese relations are in a Golden Age. Israel also moved to sign a final accord with the Palestinians and allowed the establishment of a Palestinian state. Jerusalem remained united under Israeli political sovereignty but also under Palestinian and international social and religious jurisdictions. The old days of hatred and war have been replaced by peaceful and dynamic relations with all neighbors. Israeli Capital and Technology combined with the many resources of the surrounding friendly nations have transformed the Middle East. GNP growth in the region is in double digits. Unemployment is low and life standards have dramatically risen with the help of a new International "Marshal" plan that has lifted the economies of all the democracies in the regions.

Jordan, Egypt, Palestine

Democracy has been fully established in Egypt and Palestine. A Constitutional Monarchy still exist in Jordan where the royal family is respected by the people. All nations use referendums and free elections. All nations are bound by friendship, economic, and joint security treaties which Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, and the new democratic Iraq have just joined.

Joint Ventures & Treaties

The region has moved to an early model of the European Common Market. Joint ventures in all domains have been undertaken. Environmental, Economic, Social, Infrastructure, Agricultural, and Technology agreements have been executed. The Middle East is witnessing an economic boom and a new birth that remind the world of the phenomenal growth of the old southeast Asia tiger republics and their economic miracle. Weapons of mass destruction have been banned and a gradual disarmament of the national armies has been started in favor of the new regional "mini-NATO" alliance. All countries in the region are now full fledged Democracies."..Et le present serait plein de tout les avenirs, si le passe n’y projetait deja une histoire"

Andre Gide, Les Nourritures Terrestres, 1897.

Finally, at the dawn of the 21^st century, the people of the Middle East have broken free from their old programming, and created a new future for their children. All people are celebrating Peace on Earth.

Memoirs from Lebanon, the year 2003