I WONDER IF THE MEDIA WILL DEMAND THAT THE ADMINISTRATION FOLLOW THIS DEMAND FROM THE BAKER REPORT ON IRAQ?

Arutz Sheva - IsraelNationalNews.com
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Baker Report Demands Israel Give Away Golan Heights Thursday, December 7, 2006 / 16 Kislev 5767Only a number of days after the UN passed a resolution calling Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem illegal, former US secretary of state James Baker demands Israel leave the Golan Heights.The comprehensive report, which primarily addresses the situation in Iraq, was prepared by Baker and a former Democratic congressman, Lee Hamilton. It states that if the United States does not take a more leading role in the Mideast Israel-Arab conflict, there is no hope of America achieving its goals in the region.According to former Israeli UN Ambassador Dr. Dore Gold, the report indicates the American involvement in Iraq is going to diminish in the coming two years. He called the American demand that Israel retreat from the Golan Heights worrisome.The Golan Heights was liberated by Israel in the June 1967 Six Day War and has since become an integral part of the State of Israel. It serves a strategic value, permitting Israel the upper hand regarding a possible Syrian invasion, as was the case in 1967. The Baker-Hamilton report calls for a peace conference mimicking the Madrid model, a regional summit that would be aimed at solving the conflict between Israel, the PA (Palestinian Authority), Syria and Lebanon. In addition to an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan, the report calls upon Israel to recognize the establishment of a Palestinian state. America demands Syria halt its interference in Lebanon’s affairs, as well as ceasing its pro-terrorist policies, working to assist ongoing Hizbullah anti-Israel operations in southern Lebanon. The Baker-Hamilton report calls on Israel to withdraw from the Golan in exchange for a comprehensive peace treaty with Damascus, a treaty that would enjoy American backing in addition to White House security guarantees intended to compensate for the loss of the strategically vital Golan.The issue of ongoing Iranian efforts to build a nuclear weapon was not by any means the focus of attention in the report, calling on Tehran to comply with the demands of the international community and cease nuclear enrichment efforts.Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is opting to avoid commenting in depth on the report, stating he does not view the report signaling a change in American policy in the region.Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk a-Shara expressed his country’s willingness to enter into peace negotiations with Israel, stating such a move is welcome. A-Shara stated Damascus is willing to reach an agreement with Israel with the understanding the Golan Heights must be returned to Syria as part of such an agreement.Former National Security Advisor Giora Eiland stated US President George W. Bush is caught between a rock and a hard place, explaining that while the US government is anxious to bring an end to the Israel-PA conflict, Mr. Bush is not seeking to make any major changes in Washington’s relationship with Israel.Uzi Dayan, another former national security advisor, stated that the report will have a direct bearing on American strategy but there is no need for concern in Israel. He added that what should concern Israelis is the “lack of vision and leadership”.