Israel-Syria Peace Deal Imminent?

Well, "imminent" is probably a little too hopeful. But add up all the informal gestures, private talks, private shuttle diplomacy going on, and even public pronouncements by Israel and Syrian leadership ... and you've got to think that prospects for some genuine negotiations between these two warring countries is a distinct possibility.

Latest report says that Israeli government has convey to Damascus its willingness to "give up" the Golan Heights in an peace deal.

Whilst this may have been patently apparent to many outsides as necessary step for peace to prevail, do not discount the deep abiding attachment many Israelis have for the Golan Heights --- sometimes described as Israel's playground. It's natural beauty is phenomenal, and for a hiking-mad country like Israel, its terrain, springs, waterfalls, rivers and mountains have been the scene of millions of vacations over the years.

Lets also not forget the strategic value of the Heights.... they don't call them the "Heights" for nothing.

An eventual deal will probably include, in my view, three elements:
(1) Complete demilitarization of the Golan Heights. Early warning systems - of both countries - could stay. Some residual international force could also remain (the UN blue helmets have been keeping the peace on the Golan for decades.)

(2) Israel to relinquish any sovereign claim to the Golan, and Syrian sovereignty to be affirmed.

(3) Some arrangement - lease-back? Bi-National Park? - to allow Israelis to continue to enjoy travelling to the Golan, and perhaps even maintaining farmlands and wineries on it too.

In my view, peace needs to be cemented by people - former enemies - interacting, not just their leaders proclaiming peace is at hand. Therefore I'd suggest adding a fourth element - perhaps not seen as critical, but in my view just as important for the long-term

(4) Create bi-national economic/industrial cooperation zones on the Golan Heights. Allowing collaboration and partnership between Arabs and Jews and Druze, and Syrians and ISraelis on a variety of money-making ventures ---- the Peace Dividend.