The Golan Heights Peace Park

The collapse of the regime of Bashar al-Assad has opened new possibilities for Syria and Israel. The new Syrian leadermAhmed al-Sharaa, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, seems to be trying to present a new face to the world of Syria not in conflict with Israel and not part of the Shia axis aligned with Iran. Israel is taking necessary precautions of eliminating any potential threat from Syria by preemptively destroying weapons caches, the Syrian air force and air defense systems, chemical weapons and other military targets. Israel has also crossed into the 235-square-kilometer demilitarized buffer zone that was established in the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria, which concluded the Yom Kippur War, and has been manned for decades by UN peacekeepers. Israel has also entered into sovereign Syrian territory beyond the buffer zone.  This a provocation that goes beyond caution and has the potential of leading to military responses that could be avoided. 

There is logic to the Israeli steps in sending a clear message to the Syrian regime that Israel is prepared to use all military means at its disposal to prevent Syria from endangering Israel. This is an important message, but perhaps there is a better way of determining if the new Syrian regime is a potential partner for future normalization and perhaps even peace. Before pursuing war, perhaps it is better for Israel to offer some steps that could lead to positive developments in the potential relations between the two countries. 

Perhaps we can learn some lessons from other parts of the world in this regard. In 1997 South Africa President Nelson Mandela, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and Dr. Anton Rupert created a plan to rewild southern Africa and to do that cross boundary between countries. Together they created the Peace Parks Foundation that set out on a mission that became Africa’s largest nature conservation initiative. With an initial focus on bringing Heads of State together to create transboundary landscapes called “Peace Parks”. Early successes saw the creation of 10 transfrontier conservation areas. This placed 11.3 million hectares of land under conservation. The Israel-Syria context is of course different from the African case and their successes of creating Peace Parks, but perhaps we can be inspired by the basic idea of cross boundary zones which foster peace and designated such an area as one that would serve both sides and provide opportunities for mutual benefit. 

Peace Parks has evolved over the past 27 years, continuously adapting to maximise impact, drawing on valuable lessons learned along the way. My proposal to Israel and to the new Syria is to transform the 235-square-kilometer buffer zone between the two countries into a new Peace Park. This zone of peace would have open borders from both sides with border and security checks being taken by each country prior to entering the zone. Nationals from both sides would be allowed to enter the Peace Park after security checks and would return on to their own side. International monitors and verifiers could be added to the security clearances until more trust is developed between the two sides. The two sides would have to agree on security arrangements for the area of the Peace Park on equitable terms enabling an agreed upon number of armed police personnel to patrol the Park and ensure security for all of the visitors. Agreements on the economic development of the Peace Park would have to be reached in order to provide facilities for visitors to the park area that would also enable both sides to profit equally from the zone. Tourism is a vital component for the financial sustainability of the Peace Park and perhaps outside investors could be encouraged to help to develop the area as well.  Both sides should be interested in ecotourism to preserve and conserve the unique topography and ecosphere of the area. I don’t think that either side would like to see over-development of the area that would destroy the amazing natural scenery, but some level of development can be agreed to. 

The creation of the Golan Peace Park would be a measure in developing constructive cooperation between Israel and Syria and could provide opportunities for Israeli and Syrian citizens to engage positively immediately reducing fears and suspicions existing from decades of animosity and war. The challenge of both sides working together would be to create a sound joint business environment by the advancement of nature-positive inclusive businesses that would promote sustainability and peace. The Israel-Syria Golan Peace Park would make a genuine contribution to peace and prosperity by reducing conflict between the two countries and by creating a safe and secure space for communities promoting peaceful coexistence between the two countries. 

The writer is a political and social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to peace between Israel and her neighbors. He is a founding member of “KolEzraheiha - KolMuwanteneiha” (All of the Citizens) political party in Israel. He is now the Middle East Director for ICO - International Communities Organization, a UK based NGO.