Peace with Security: Israel's Minimal Security Requirements in Negotiations with Syria
Reviewed by William B. Quandt
Schiff has now done for the Golan Heights what he did for the West Bank and Gaza: spell out clearly and convincingly what Israel's minimal security needs are in the context of a peace settlement. The author is a respected military analyst, so his views carry weight. He supports the essential "land for peace" bargain of U.N. Resolution 242, insisting only that water sources be protected and that the Golan be effectively demilitarized. If these conditions are met, he favors evacuating Israeli settlements, which he deems to have no military value in any case. In contrast to the arrangements on the Egyptian-Israeli front, the Golan offers less room for creating a wide buffer zone, so the security arrangements will have to be fairly elaborate, including an actual Israeli military presence for a period of time. Although he favors an American role in helping to monitor any agreement, he does not want American forces on the ground. All in all, a very important monograph that can actually contribute to the ongoing negotiations.
