Syria and Israel Are Finally Talking
Syria and Israel are talking — and this time, it is face to face. The two longtime adversaries, who have had little official contact over the decades, are reportedly engaged in dialogue to calm tensions...
Druze
Trump’s Syria Opportunity
Syrian president Ahmed al-Shara will need to show commitment to stabilizing the country and integrating its regions, while the United States may find it has more leverage now by embracing Damascus.
Op-eds
Lebanon Should Take a Cue from al-Sharaa – and Talk to Israel
A joke has it that Syria’s self-proclaimed president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, offered to build a Trump Tower in Damascus to make up for the two New York towers that Al-Qaeda, al-Sharaa former organization,...
Op-eds
Abraham Accords Are Focus of Reported Israel-Syria Talks
Latest Developments Israeli, Syrian Officials Meet: Israel is reportedly holding talks with Syrian officials, even raising the possibility of Damascus joining the Abraham Accords — a series of bilateral...
Flash Briefs
Can Syria’s New Government Protect the Country’s Minorities?
Syria cannot hope to rebuild itself if it fails in preventing sectarian tensions from erupting into wide-scale violence.
Op-eds
Israel renews airstrikes in Syria as sectarian violence flares
Israel carried out several rounds of airstrikes in Syria between April 30 and May 3 that targeted an area near the presidential palace in Damascus and various sites containing military assets. Israel conducted...
Op-eds
‘Clear Message to the Syrian Regime’: Israel Conducts Airstrike Near Syrian President’s Palace as Druze Minority Faces Attacks
Israel Will Protect Syrian Druze: Israeli warplanes bombed a target adjacent to the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus on May 2 as attacks on the Druze minority have continued....
Flash Briefs
‘Warning Operation’: Israeli Drones Strike Pro-Government Forces Clashing With Druze Factions in Syria
Israeli Officials Reiterate Pledge to Protect Druze: Israel has conducted drone strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, targeting Sunni extremists who attacked members of the Syrian...
Flash Briefs
Clashes erupt between Druze militias and pro-government forces in Syria
Sectarian tensions are flaring again in Syria after a series of clashes erupted in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, a diverse area home to Druze, Christian, and Muslim communities. Reports indicate...
Op-eds
Naim Qassem explains Hezbollah’s vision for the future in first long-form interview
On March 09, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem gave his first lengthy interview to Manar Sabbagh from Al Manar, Hezbollah’s satellite TV station, after assuming his post. Qassem’s predecessor,...
Op-eds
Syrian Interim President Announces New Transitional Government
President Announces Cabinet: Syrian transitional government leader Ahmad al-Sharaa announced a new government cabinet on March 29, filling 22 ministerial positions over the weekend....
Flash Briefs
Who Destroyed Lebanon: Hezbollah or the Banks?
A “bloc” of lawmakers, political parties, media outlets, and non-governmental organizations are peddling a platform that distracts attention from the paramount importance of disarming Hezbollah and...
Op-eds
Syria’s New Leader Is an Autocrat; Will That Be Good or Bad for Israel and Turkey?
Islamist or not, Syria’s self-proclaimed interim president, Ahmad Sharaa, seems like he will do anything to keep power.
Op-eds
Syria’s New Constitution: A Shift Toward Unchecked Presidential Powers
Days before his troops overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Ahmad al-Sharaa said that Syria deserves a political system in which no “single ruler makes arbitrary decisions.” Yet now, as the country’s...
Policy Briefs
Israel widens campaign against former regime military sites in southern Syria
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out airstrikes in southern Syria on the evening of March 17, targeting a number of sites.
Op-eds
‘Historic, Festive Day’: Elated Crowds of Israeli Druze Welcome Syrian Druze Clerics Visiting Israel
First Syrian Druze Crossing in Half a Century: Nearly 100 Syrian Druze religious leaders traveled to Israel on March 14 for the first time in 50 years.
Flash Briefs
‘No Impunity’: Israel Strikes Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Damascus
Daylight Sortie Over Syrian Capital: The Israeli Air Force struck a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) command center in Damascus on March 13. The site, located in the Dummar suburb...
Flash Briefs
What Does Israel Want With Syria?
As Syria faces continued conflict, Israel may be planning a wider confrontation with the new government.
Op-eds
Israel Says Syrian Druze Permitted to Work in Golan Heights
Defense Minister Invites Syrian Druze to Work in Israel: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on March 9 that Israel would permit Syrian Druze to work in the country’s...
Flash Briefs
Israeli defense chief assesses military readiness along Israel’s border with Syria
The new chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, visited northern Israel on March 9 and met with IDF commanders along the border with Syria. According...