Shebaa Farms

Quite a few new geographic designations have been created in the Middle East to accommodate the lexicon of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Some (the Golan Heights, South Lebanon) are sensible, others reflect a new reality (the Gaza Strip, the West Bank), and some, like the Shebaa Farms, are simply absurd. For the uninitiated, the Shebaa Farms are a small sliver of land encompassing fourteen small farms and located along the border of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Lebanon, on the western slopes of Mount Hermon. According to international lawyers, the land is Syrian, as is the rest of the Golan Heights. However, according to both Syria and Lebanon, the land was freely given to the latter in 1951. This position is maintained by Syria as a way of coopting Lebanon into the Syrian-Israeli conflict. The less-than-reputable World Tribune.com reports today (in a story picked up by Drudge) that Condoleezza Rice is trying to convince Israel to give the piece of land back to Lebanon. Its strategic value is dubious, while its political value is obvious: a peace offering to Lebanon to show goodwill and deflate some of Hezbullah's rhetoric. Given Ariel Sharon's willingness to evacuate Gaza, I assume that the only question in Shebaa is when - not if - Israel should leave. The gesture is so small and inherently meaningless that it will have only a brief impact. Israel is no doubt saving it for the opportune moment, which might well be only when Lebanon is willing to reopen relations with Israel. That day will hopefully come sooner rather than later, and if the two truly reopen relations, it could cause unprecedented growth and good feeling throughout the region.