The concern expressed in this objection is mostly something Syrians will have to answer by and for themselves. What does it mean to be a “puppet”? Syria is a sovereign country and it shall decide about its future directions whether or not it signs a peace treaty with Israel. It seems like the biggest concern is that Syria will not be able to side with the Palestinians if it becomes an ally of Israel and the US, or that it would have to ditch its alliance with Iran and the Hizballah.

Israel certainly expects that Syria will cease arming groups such as Hamas and Hizballah as part of a peace agreement, yet perhaps a path of compromise is possible that will result in a win-win situation for both Israel and Syria, which does not require ditching existing alliances. Under such a compromise Syria will not lose its old friends, but will act as a bridge, or a moderating force, to bring all these past-enemies into the fold of a political conflict-resolution process. For example, under one possible peace agreement scenario, Syria will cease arming Hizballah and would instead help it integrate more fully into the political system in Lebanon as a political party. Syria will also help in the formation of a Palestinian unity government and will use its influence over the Hamas movement, to steer it in the direction of resolving the conflict with Israel under the two-state formula.

Provisions in the implementation of the Israel-Syria peace agreement could be made to ensure that the implementation of Israeli retreat from the Golan heights, as well as normalization of relations, are all dependent on the progress across all fronts: moderating of Hamas and Hizballah, and progress of Israeli-Palestinian peace. This will ensure that all sides are happy with the peace treaty and nobody is made a puppet of the other side.