What needs to change for a Syrian leader to be prepared to make peace with Israel?
That requires a Sunni ruler. As an ‘Alawi, Asad is especially suspect, for his community historically has been indifferent or even positively inclined toward the Zionist enterprise. For example, six ‘Alawi notables, possibly including Asad’s grandfather Sulayman, signed a petition to Léon Blum in June 1936 which expressed solidarity with the Zionists in Palestine. (“Those good Jews brought civilization and peace to the Arab Muslims, and they dispersed gold and prosperity over Palestine without damage to anyone or taking anything by force.”) This sort of thing is hard to live down. Asad has to be more Catholic than the pope, more Sunni than the Sunnis. A Sunni leader would have a wider menu of policy options. I am not predicting peace with Israel, but it is something he could much more readily engage in. Will the Lebanese pay the price if Damascus reaches an agreement with Israel? The two issues are hardly related. The Syrian government has since the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war i
