The area is run by religious sects. A good relationship can be here today, and gone tomorrow. In addition, this is why democracy and freedom is such a challenge in the Middle East. Several nations in the area are prospering due to their civil government structures... eg: Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Morocco and to an improving extent Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and a few others, which are being added weekly.
Syria-Lebanon, extending to Carthage in Tunisia and Carthaginia in Spain.
Syria and Israel http://bbsnews.net/bbsn_photos/topics/Maps-and-Charts/israel_lebanon_map.jpg
Syria and Lebanon both gained independence from France; Lebanon in 1943, and Syria, in 1946. French troops withdrew from Lebanon in 1946.
Syria lies between Lebanon and Iraq.
Lebanon
Israel is surround by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria and Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia are hostile
Syria, Iraq, Lebanon.
Lebanon.
There is no one "nearest" country so Syria. Syria borders Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraq. So, in a sense, all these countries are "nearest" to Syria.
Israel and Syria border Lebanon.
In Syria-Lebanon.
The mountain range that runs parallel to the Mediterranean Sea from Lebanon into Syria is the Lebanese Mountains called Mount Lebanon.