Bedouin

Suwayda’s Struggle

Syria’s Druze are trapped between Israeli protection and Damascus’s rule.

The Illusion of Representation in Syria’s New Parliament

Outside Syria’s parliament building in Damascus, lawmakers filed past the stone façade for the chamber’s first session since Bashar al-Assad’s fall. Inside, the freshly minted lawmakers stood to...

Jordanian Warplanes Strike Drug Traffickers in Southern Syria, Where Damascus Exerts Little Control

In an operation codenamed “Jordanian Deterrence,” Amman’s fighter jets carried out strikes on at least five separate locations in the Syrian governorate of Suwayda on May 2, targeting “sites belonging...

Qatar Influence Operations: Unmasking a Suspected Network

Preventing Violence in Southern Syria Depends on Damascus and Jerusalem Reaching an Agreement

“Israel must maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria,” President Donald Trump said on December 1, amid rising tensions between the two countries. On November 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)...

Unsolved Murder of Bedouin Couple Fans Sectarian Flames in Syria

Syria seems to be inching back towards fracturing. On November 23, unknown individuals killed a husband and wife from a Sunni Arab Bedouin tribe in Homs Province. Authorities found slogans written at the...

Violence Among Israeli Arabs Threatens All of Israel

Fares Abu Fani was shot to death last week in Kafr Qara in northern Israel. The 29-year-old was the 187th Israeli Arab to die from violent crime this year.

Tom Barrack’s diplomacy of optics: Fast deals, fragile peace

Tom Barrack’s high-speed diplomacy in Syria and Lebanon backfired, fueling instability, alienating allies and deepening mistrust across the region.

Profiles of militias in newly formed Druze national guard in Suwayda, Syria

On August 23, armed factions in the Suwayda province, Syria announced the formation of a national guard under the leadership of the Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al Hijri, the most prominent...

Syria Is No Longer a Narco-State, But the Captagon Trade Rolls On

Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa pledged to dismantle his country’s massive illegal drug trade when he took power in December, but the dangerous amphetamine captagon is still flowing. On September...

Can Syria’s New Leaders and U.S.-Backed Forces Unite to Defeat ISIS?

US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a delegation to Syria that met with Syria’s transitional President, Ahmed al-Shara’a, on...

For the First Time in 25 Years, Syria Acknowledges Direct Talks With Israel

Israel and Syria are talking — and for once, no one is denying it. Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani met with an Israeli delegation in Paris on August 19, the Syria’s official news agency announced....

Druze City Offers Syria’s Leader Yet Another Challenge

Things are not getting any easier for Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his fractured country. On August 18, hundreds of Druze demonstrated in the city of Suwayda — where they make up the...

Sunni Arab tribes mobilize against the Syrian Democratic Forces

Several Sunni Arab tribes in northeastern Syria, an area that encompasses 30 percent of Syrian territory and is currently under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have called...

Turkey Signs Military Accord With Syrian Government

Latest Developments Military Memorandum Signed: Turkey’s Ministry of Defense has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Syria for the training of Syrian troops and military...

Violence Resurges in Syria After Armed Groups, Kurdish-Led SDF, Clash With Government Forces

SDF Clashes With Troops: The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) claimed on August 4 to have repelled an “attack” by “factions affiliated with the Syrian Transitional...

Choose the Druze

Syria’s endangered minorities deserve protection

Syrian Druze are not entitled to self-determination, and Kurds cannot yet pursue secession

Syria is a patchwork of identities, par for the course in a region where novel nationalities vie with tribe and religion for the citizenry’s loyalty. For most of the country’s history, the Assad family...

The Risks of Israel’s Druze Policy

Picking and choosing between Druze leaders will prove counterproductive.

‘Firm and Supportive Stance’: Saudi Arabia to Invest $6.4 Billion in Syria

Billions From Riyadh: Saudi Arabia announced on July 24 new investments in Syria totaling $6.4 billion. The deal was confirmed at a conference in Damascus by Saudi Investment Minister...