Deepening split between Lebanon and Syria is a senseless waste
Daily Star - Editorial

Yet never before have the tensions been so visible. Syrian leaders have made public accusations that Lebanon has become a haven for conspiracies against the ruling regime in Damascus. And it has become a popular perception among many Lebanese, who have suffered a bloody year of bombings and assassinations, that Syrian operatives, protected by President Bashar Assad, have been carrying out a form of psychotic diplomacy in Lebanon.

What is most alarming is that the tensions have filtered down to the level of ordinary citizens. Yet much of the popular animosity, which manifests itself in everything from demonstrations to basketball games, is the product of government manipulation. Both governments are actively engaged in encouraging their citizens to be wary of their neighbors. The Syrian government now charges exorbitant sums of money for Syrian citizens visiting Lebanon, and inflammatory remarks by leaders in Beirut have made many Lebanese feel wary of visiting the country next door.

It seems like eons ago, when in 2004, a Syrian business magazine published the following remark about the Lebanese: "All they want is a market, and all we want is their expertise." How far both Lebanese and Syrians have drifted away from that sentiment, and how unfortunate it is to have wasted the potential for synergy between two neighboring countries.

Unfortunately, this waste is likely to continue unless both peoples make their state systems accountable to their citizens. Only then can their leaders faithfully represent the shared spirit of the Lebanese and Syrian people.

Thursday, April 27, 2006