Seizing a Golan chance

ENAR

Israel has had an easy time on the Golan Heights since 1974, when a United States-brokered ceasefire arrangement came into effect and a United Nations observer force deployed in a demilitarized zone between the Israeli and Syrian armies. Israeli settlers moved onto the basalt plateau, planted grape vines and apple orchards and turned the southern slopes of Mount Hermon into a ski resort. In 1981, the territory was formally annexed into the state of Israel, a move that flouted international law but failed to raise much international opposition. Militarily, the Israeli-occupied Golan has been perhaps Israel’s quietest border, with the Assad regime — both father and son — preferring to wage their battles against the Jewish state in Lebanon. Now, the calm may be drawing to a close. In recent months there have been several incidents of cross-border fire from the Syrian side into the Israeli-occupied territory. Most of the