Golan Heights Apples Seen As Sign Of Peace To Come

Institute For War And Peace:

When Hala al-Safadi bit into the apple, she felt as though she had been instantly transported back to her home town, which she left for good nine years ago.

"They must be from our farm there or from a nearby farm. I can smell my childhood in them," she said.

Read the whole story: Institute For War And Peace

Comments

[newshawk14]

Just a thought, as it really requires an expert on the Golan Heights, but it might be a good idea
if the Golan Heights and some territory from Israel, were used to form a demilitarized international
peace park, like the Glacier-Waterton Peace Park between Canada and the US. My understanding
is that a lot of wildlife has reestablished itself, and Israeli and Syrian scientists could work in
common cause, further restoring the area. Better parks, than battle lines.

[skialethia]

Israelis are always bragging about their so-called Democracy...Ha! This is more like life in the Gulag!

[zaz33]

Despite the title this in my opinion is not a heart warming article. The circumstances alone are disturbing.

Observations -

The Israeli Knesset, about a year ago, passed a law which requires that any land given up by Israel must be approved by a referendum passed by the people. If I remember correctly the last poll indicated that the majority of Israelis are oppossed to giving up the Golan Heights. The Knesset can give up land by vote but the bar is pretty high.

The article stated that Syria was experiencing a drought. Until recent rains, this held true for Israel also
Water will remain an issue.

The Jewish settlers in the Heights are more politically powerful. Their giving up this prized land and water will not be easy.

Peace between Syria and Israel is a tough call for me. Israel would like to have Syria become a puppet state like Jordan and Egypt. Beholding to the US and Israel of course. It would also like to separate Syria from Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.

Iran of course is the big fish. The US and Israel would like to have their way with a potentially weakened Iran. Isolation would make this more likely.

As the article inticated ,Apples may be the road to peace. It's a lot more complicated than that but we can hope.

[YankeeCanuck]

Apples surrounded by land mines and barbed wire a sign of hope?
As it turns out, grapes grow really well there too. Israel has turned sections of the Golan heights into vineyards-- the source of many of the newly touted Israeli wines.
Who wants to drink with Apartheid?

[fredgladys]

Thanks for the info. I won't be buying Israeli wine, and will pass the word around.

[PlayTOE]

On the one hand, the prohibiting a person to attend the funeral of a loved one is harsh

On the other hand, the number of suicide bombings make harsh measures necessary.

[YankeeCanuck]

Yes, suicide bombings are crimes against humanity--since 2001 there have been 52.
There are ways to pursue the individuals who support and encourage these acts.
Destroying the agricultural livelihood, restricting travel in the West Bank, taking over Palestinian lands for illegal settlments (cities, really). Demolishing Palestinians' homes for minor bylaw infractions, restricting water to their towns, impeding their travel in the West Bank, building the Separation Wall and practicing apartheid is not for security. It is a project of unrelenting marginalization and denial of basic human rights. Not to mention the invasion of Gaza, an action against an entrapped civilian population.

[moflard]

All amounting to a prolonged campaign of ethnic cleansing. Which is what the Zionist fathers always intended - they even admitted it.

[PlayTOE]

I have to admit that the harsh measures seem hard ( imposable ) to justify.