Creating a state of belligerency : a study of armistice negotiations between Israel and Syria in 1949

Abstract

This study focuses on how the armistice agreement between Israel and Syria was reached in 1949 in the aftermath of the first Arab-Israeli war. Crucial issues with regard to how this agreement was reached have never been carefully studied. Considering that the armistice negotiations between Israel and Syria were the most protracted, lasting from 5 April to 20 July 1949, it is most important to ask why these negotiations took so long. No less importantly, since peace negotiations could not start until the Israeli-Syrian armistice negotiations were concluded, this question is of major importance. Since the Israeli-Syrian armistice agreement has not been replaced by a peace agreement, it is crucial to study issues related to the armistice, in order to get a better knowledge of the current non-existing relationship between Israel and Syria. To get the parties to sign an armistice agreement, the UN postponed crucial issues related to the contested area. These issues were to be settled in a final peace agreement. However, since the peace talks failed, the UN actually created a state of belligerency between Israel and Syria. Issues that were left open caused further friction between Israel and Syria in the long term.