The tragedy of the resurfacing quarrel within Syria's first family is that the most vital component of the country's politics, the people, has been completely disregarded. While the power struggle has intensified, a question must be asked: where do the Syrian people stand in all of this?

Both Hafiz Assad and his brother Rifaat are skilled in silencing opposition movements and individuals. In 1982 both brothers proved to work well together. Hafiz ordered a massive assault on the city of Hama, said to be a strong hold for the Islamic movement. Rifaat swiftly and skillfully carried out his brother's orders, killing thousands of people and razing entire neighborhoods in the process.

But as much as both leaders have in common, they are also at odds. In the mid-1980s Rifaat fled the country when his Defense Brigades' militia was disbanded after it was reported to have challenged President Assad's rule. Rifaat left the county, only to come back four years later and be appointed as Syria's Vice-President. A new confrontation emerged however, when Rifaat was stripped of his title in Feb 1998. Although Rifaat returned to Spain where he spent some of his early exile years, he maintained substantial influence within the northern city of Latakia. In Latakia, Rifaat supporters operate a port, which is known for its international drug trafficking operations.

The Assads' dispute turned violent last month when a governmental force stormed a compound owned by Rifaat in Latakia. Conflicting reports were released from both sides, giving different readings of the outcome of the military confrontation. While official Syrian statements concluded that only two people where killed and few injured, the Arab News Network, a satellite television station owned by Rifaat's son Somer, spoke of hundreds of deaths and many more injured and arrested.

Although the dispute between Hafiz and his brother dates to the mid-1980s, the story appears as a medieval legend, where brothers have fought for the crown.

The danger of the Assad family's conflict however, goes beyond the intensity of the fighting, or the number of victims. The real tragedy is the governing system itself where the people are alienated, oppressed and ignored while the president and his brother fight to determine the next Syrian dictator, Bashar or Rifaat?

Such an embarrassing conflict has risen at a truly a critical time for Syria and the region as a whole. Syria is on the verge of entering consequential peace talks with Israel. Being fully aware of friction with Syria, Israel is expected to maximize its "peace gain" by taking advantage of Syria's unstable regime.

Before leaving the stage, Hafiz Assad is keen to hand down a stable country to his son, Bashar. However, true Syrian stability is in need of more than a mere magic solution, and recovering the occupied Golan Heights is a very important aspect in strengthening Bashar's position. Israel is cleverly exploiting Hafiz Assad's eagerness for an expedient settlement. Exploiting the situation is angering Syrian officials who recently criticized Ehud Barak's peace approach. The Syrian Vice President wrote in a Syrian newspaper, "Barak is, in fact, no different from his predecessor in his position regarding the peace process."

Another equally important issue is the fact that Syria is still crippled by the viscous circle of self-serving leaders who govern with iron fists. Syria's human rights record ranks it with the world's worse violators. Yet the Syrian population is known for being largely educated and enlightened and for hosting some of the Arab World's pronounced intellectuals.

Who wins and who loses in the Assad family power struggle is unimportant. What truly matters is the message sent by such conduct. The Syrian leadership, although it is ready to settle with Israel and lobby with the United States for economic ventures, is not yet ready to grant its people the respect and dignity which they deserve. Such a dilemma should be left for the Syrian people, for they are the only ones that can find their way toward the light at the end of the tunnel.