Increasing Isolation

Of the three Arab nations clobbered by Israel in last June's brief war, the one that got off easiest was Syria, whose terrorist raids on Israel had sparked the whole conflict. Syria lost the least territory and the fewest men, was left saddled with the smallest refugee burden and, to its everlasting discredit, came out with much of its military armor untarnished by combat. With hardly a pause, the Syrians thus took up their prewar belligerence right where they had left off. If anything, the Baathist Party members who rule the country have become more brazen; even Egypt's Nasser cannot match them for extremism. They have not only cut themselves off completely from the West but are increasingly isolating themselves from other Arab nations, and even from their own people.

"Foreign Frivolities." Last week the government-run Damascus radio declared that "the land that has been taken away from us by force can only be recovered by force" and accused Israel of preparing another aggression against Syria. Laborers in Damascus dug roadside trenches in anticipation of an aerial bombardment from Israel.

Wall posters depicted a gargantuan Arab crushing a tiny Israel beneath his boot. Khaki was the predominant color among the milling crowds in the souk (bazaar). Most of those in the street seemed to be either policemen, soldiers, or members of one or another of Syria's plethora of paramilitary organizations, ranging from the "Volunteer People's Army" to the Futtawa youth corps.

In a xenophobic frenzy, the Baathists have banned all Western newsmen and tourists, along with such Western imports as neckties, cigarettes and refrigerators, which are now called "foreign frivolities." Education Minister Suleiman Al Khish is pursuing a policy that he calls "foreign cultural evacuation." The regime is doing away with most French and English classes in Syrian schools. It has just taken control of Syria's 885 private schools, many of which are church-run, thereby evoking the combined wrath of the Moslem Mufti of Damascus and the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Syria. It has also "nationalized" the textbooks in these schools to make sure that they contain a proper dosage of socialist doctrine.

Baothist Brinksmen. Most Syrians are fed up with the Baathists and tired of the endless propaganda barrages. Both at home and abroad, the trio of ruling Baathist generals, led by Salah Jadid, find themselves with more foes than just the Israelis. In Lebanon, exiled Syrian politicians, including former Premier Amin Hafez--whom the Baathists overthrew last year--meet regularly to plot a return to power. Jadid has lately been at odds with the civilians through whom he rules. Chief of State Noureddin Attassi, who is believed to favor a somewhat more conciliatory policy toward Israel, recently walked angrily out of a conference with the generals. In a Cabinet shake-up this month, Jadid gave four comparatively minor jobs to moderates, but actually consolidated the control of the most important posts in the hands of his Baathist cronies.

Not even the Russians, who have replaced 60% of what military equipment Syria did lose in the war, are happy with their Baathist friends. Privately, Soviet diplomats worry that the Baathist brinksmen may provoke another blowup in the Middle East. De spite their disclaimers, there is no doubt that the Syrians assist El Fatah terrorists who are at work in Israel-occupied West Jordan. Once again, the Fatah are fleeing from Israeli police into Jordan, thus inviting Israeli retaliation against the Jordanians, whom the Baathists want to provoke into a more militant policy. Israeli General Haim Herzog warns that Israel will have no part in this ruse but, if provoked too much, will "extirpate this sickness at the source"--meaning Syria.

In their last triumph of the war, the Israelis seized Syria's Golan Heights, from which the Syrians had regularly fired upon Israeli territory, and could easily have gone on to Damascus. Now, with Israel firmly encamped on the heights and showing no disposition ever to return them to Syria, the road to Damascus is open even wider than before.

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