The passing of Syrian President Hafez Assad rids the Mideast of one of Israel’s worst enemies and one of the world’s most callous murderers.
As Syrian defense minister, he launched the 1967 Six-Day War. But rather than driving Israel into the sea, Assad and his troops barely made it back to Damascus, leaving the Golan Heights behind.
But that didn’t deter him from trying to attack Israel again in 1973, with Egypt at his side. Yet he was defeated once again.
In 1976 Assad began his takeover of Lebanon, ostensibly to prevent the country from destroying itself in a civil war. The Syrian troops that moved in never left, and many others followed.
Assad showed just how ruthless he could be in 1982, when he put down a political rebellion in the Syrian city of Hama with troops that slaughtered 10,000 residents, including women and children.
And the scourge of terrorism continued. Assad nurtured Hezbollah, which regularly fired Katyushas into northern Israel and perpetrated attacks against innocent Israelis.
With such a history, it’s no wonder that many Israelis never trusted Assad’s thinly veiled promises of peace.
Some, however, thought maybe he was softening in his old age. But when it came to talk of peace, the man was as calculating as ever. He thought Israel would cede the Golan Heights in order to say the state of war with Syria was finally over.
But Assad’s demands grew, and he offered nothing in return. The peace talks ended as abruptly as they began.
Once again, Assad proved his lack of diplomatic skills. Presumably he’ll be remembered as a military commander, but he wasn’t very good in that role either.
There is no reason to shed a tear for his passing. Syria and Israel’s relationship will probably continue down the same path without him. At least the borders are quiet and will likely remain so. Syria knows that Israel’s army is far superior.
But hopefully Assad’s death will allow for more practical thinking. We can only hope that his British-educated son will demonstrate a greater flexibility and some real diplomacy.
At least, he can’t be worse than his father.