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Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Syria at a crossroads
Syria today stands on the cusp of a transformative chapter in its modern history. More than seven months after the ousting of Bashar Assad, the country has sworn in a new transitional government led by President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, marking a significant departure from decades of autocratic rule. The new leadership has promised inclusivity and reform, appointing a diverse Cabinet that, for the first time, includes women and representatives of minority groups. One such appointment, Hind Kabawat as minister of social affairs, signals a break from past patterns of exclusion. The regional response has been swift and, in many ways, optimistic. Arab capitals, once divided over how to deal with Damascus, are now reengaging with renewed purpose. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have announced debt relief and economic assistance packages. Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan have exchanged high-level visits, while Qatar has signaled conditional openness pending progress on political inclusivity and refugee return. Meanwhile, the UK has reestablished full diplomatic ties with Damascus and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in May met his Syrian counterpart in Antalya, Turkiye. These moves reflect a broader recalibration in regional politics. Rather than isolating Syria indefinitely, Arab states are now betting that constructive engagement may offer a more effective route to stability. But this raises a crucial question: Will normalization catalyze real reform or simply entrench the status quo under a new name? There are reasons for cautious optimism. The new Syrian government, backed by a coalition of opposition groups and civil society figures, has laid out a transitional roadmap that includes constitutional reform, the decentralization of power and the phased return of refugees in cooperation with UN agencies. Local reconciliation efforts are underway in formerly besieged areas like Deraa and Eastern Ghouta, while independent media outlets have cautiously resumed operations under a new press law passed in March. Internationally, Syria's foreign policy posture is also shifting. Damascus has signaled openness to rejoining global institutions and has expressed an interest in negotiating a framework for peace with Israel — though talks remain in their infancy. Meanwhile, the Syrian Democratic Forces have agreed to a partial integration with the Syrian army under a unified military command, part of a broader security sector reform process that is seen as key to long-term stability. Despite these steps, deep skepticism remains. Critics argue that without meaningful accountability for past atrocities, normalization could whitewash systemic abuses and undermine the pursuit of justice. Families of detainees and victims of war crimes have voiced concerns that the Arab League's embrace of Damascus may have come too soon — before meaningful progress on human rights is achieved. Arab states are betting that constructive engagement may offer a more effective route to stability. Hani Hazaimeh Moreover, the country's economic recovery remains fragile. Syria's infrastructure is shattered, unemployment is high and inflation has driven much of the population into poverty. Billions of dollars in reconstruction aid are needed, but many Western governments are conditioning support on further political liberalization and the protection of civil liberties. There is also concern that regional powers may prioritize stability over reform — engaging with Damascus to curb foreign influence or to stem refugee flows, while turning a blind eye to domestic stagnation. The challenge, therefore, is to ensure that normalization is not an end in itself, but a lever to drive real change. The future of Syria is not just a Syrian question — it is a regional imperative. A stable, sovereign and inclusive Syria could help contain cross-border militancy, revitalize trade corridors and restore a degree of political coherence to the Levant. But if normalization merely restores a rebranded autocracy, it risks perpetuating the conditions that led to Syria's implosion in the first place. Arab states now face a delicate balancing act: how to engage constructively with Damascus while insisting on measurable progress toward political transition, the rule of law and reconciliation. The international community, for its part, must continue to support Syrian civil society, empower local governance and advocate for the rights of refugees and displaced persons. Syria's return to the Arab fold presents both an opportunity and a test. If managed responsibly, normalization could offer a lifeline to a country ravaged by war, helping it rebuild institutions and reclaim its place in the region. But if approached with complacency or driven by narrow geopolitical interests, it risks legitimizing stagnation and silencing the voices of those who demand dignity, justice and freedom. Syria is at a crossroads. What happens next will determine whether it finally steps onto the path of national healing or remains trapped in a cycle of broken promises.
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
How Western governments avoid confronting Israel
Flying in the teeth of mass public opinion, governments allergic to getting tough with Israel have deployed a host of tactics to put off implementing any measures that might hold it to account. In doing so, they have been prepared to smash much-cherished ethical principles and norms, as well as international law. Keeping the US administration happy is a cornerstone of the approach of many leaders, no matter how many atrocities or crimes against humanity Israel perpetrates. This has contaminated the entire international system. The most egregious failing is not just to ignore the crimes, but to be complicit with Israel's genocide in Gaza and its regime of apartheid. But the complicity brings additional side effects — notably the trivialization of values most of us hold dear. Above all, this has meant hollowing out the international legal system. The international Court of Justice and International Criminal Court are only respected when ruling against the foes of Western powers. When the latter issued an arrest warrant for Israeli leaders, the US sanctioned the court's key actors. The UK has been an alarming exemplar of this. The actions of the government have trivialized terrorism, racism and antisemitism, while belittling genocide, war crimes and rape. Last week, the British government decided to proscribe as terrorist a pro-Palestine protest group that engages in direct action. It is now a criminal offence to join or to express support for Palestine Action, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. This move came as part of a bill that lumped it together with two genuinely violent neo-Nazi organizations, helping to ensure the legislation passed through Parliament. This came after four members of Palestine Action, protesting against Israel's genocide, broke into a British military base and spray painted aircraft red. Vandalism, yes; criminal, certainly; but hardly terrorism. The farcical nature of the legislation was exposed when police arrested 27 protesters on the day it came into effect. One of them was an 83-year-old female priest. Terrorism should always be treated as a serious offence. Yet those who spray paint buildings and aircraft are now in the same category as those who blow themselves up at pop concerts, for example. Police resources risk being diverted away from genuinely violent groups. This will, by design, have massive implications for the right to protest and the right to free speech. The chilling effect on the movement for Palestinian rights will be Arctic. It echoes the way in which ministers in the previous government described pro-Palestinian protests as 'hate marches.' Racism and antisemitism have also been trivialized and for similar reasons. The weaponization of antisemitism by anti-Palestinian groups has often been echoed in government statements. The weaponization of antisemitism by anti-Palestinian groups has often been echoed in government statements. Chris Doyle A once pretty obscure rap act has become known globally owing to one of its member's chant at the Glastonbury Festival of 'death, death to the IDF.' All death chants are vile, but this soon mutated in headlines into being an antisemitic chant calling for the killing of Israelis, which it was not. The Israeli army has been conducting genocide and war crimes, livestreamed to the world. The British government has voiced more criticism of the BBC for not cutting its live feed of this show than it has of the incitement to genocide by Israeli leaders. Serious acts of antisemitism are all too frequent, such as the arson attack on the oldest synagogue in Melbourne last week. So, when government ministers pitch in to this weaponization, it jeopardizes the fight against real antisemitism. It blurs the line between legitimate political speech and prohibited speech. As for anti-Arab racism, this remains the least discussed and researched form of racism imaginable. This is quite something when the people of Gaza are the victims of genocide and all Palestinians under Israeli control suffer from varying degrees of institutionalized discrimination as part of its regime of apartheid. All this threatens freedom of speech. Add to that the way in which many states or cities have banned pro-Palestinian demonstrations or even the flying of the Palestinian flag. Israel has destroyed every single university in Gaza, but in the US the issue has been reduced to alleged antisemitism on college campuses. It is a deliberate exercise in distraction and diversion. Get the debate on to antisemitism or the nature of protests and the media focus switches away from the real crimes on the ground — every single day, the Israeli military's killing and starvation machine is at work in Gaza. The distraction allows governments to avoid having to answer why they are doing so little to stop Israel. The combination of trivialization and distraction is part of the complicity of these governments. They treat the public as fools, but people are not blind to their leaders' abject moral failure on Palestine.
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Israeli refusal to allow safe entry of aid stalls truce talks, Palestinian sources say
Israel's refusal to allow the free and safe entry of aid into Gaza remains the main obstacle to progress in the ceasefire talks being held in Qatar, Palestinian sources told Reuters on Monday. Developing...
