NEW YORK — Any rapprochement between Israel and the Palestinians beyond a temporary ceasefire seems rather improbable at the moment. However, the Golan Heights' and Shebaa Farms' territories contested between Israel, Syria and Lebanon could spearhead a peace process in the Middle East now actively pursued by the Obama administration.
A peace agreement with Syria and Lebanon could energize the process and lead to peace in the region.
The Golan Heights, which was Syrian territory before Israel captured the region during the 1967 Six Day War, holds considerable strategic military importance in the region. In addition, whoever occupies it controls a large portion of water for the Jordan River watershed, which provides about 15 percent of Israel's water supply.