Ceasefire in Syria, and Trump in 'no rush' to talk to Iran
On today's episode of Trending Middle East:
Who are the Druze and why are they being targeted in Syria?
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This episode features Danny Makki, reporting for The National from Sweida; Nada AlTaher, Senior Foreign Reporter; and Hamza Hendawi, Cairo Correspondent.
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The National
4 hours ago
- The National
UN Security Council members disagree on when to lift Syria sanctions
A potential dispute is widening among UN Security Council members over sanctions on Syria, with some opposing a US-led drive to lift all restrictions on Damascus. President Donald Trump last month ordered an easing of sanctions on Syria but as some US measures require an act of Congress to be wiped, several Security Council designations remain in place. The US sees full and immediate sanctions relief as vital to stabilising and rebuilding Syria after a 14-year civil war ended in December with the removal of president Bashar Al Assad. His defeat was led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), which once had ties to Al Qaeda and has been on the US sanctions list since 2014 - though its designation as a foreign terrorist organisation was revoked this month. Several HTS members including Syria's interim President Ahmad Al Shara remain subject to a travel ban, frozen assets and other measures. The US this week urged the Security Council to review its sanctions on Mr Al Shara and HTS, saying changes were necessary to support Damascus in its fight against terrorism, including ISIS and Al Qaeda-linked groups. Dorothy Shea, acting US ambassador to the UN, said Washington was working with council members to address the Syria-related sanctions, stressing the government in Damascus had demonstrated a commitment to combat extremist threats. The 36th UN report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team said that while no operational ties between HTS and Al Qaeda had been observed, some member nations raised concerns that other members, particularly those in tactical positions or absorbed into the newly formed Syrian army, remained ideologically loyal to Al Qaeda. Ms Shea called on the Security Council to adjust its sanctions so 'the Syrian government can prevail in the fight against terrorism, while keeping the most dangerous and unrepentant actors designated". The report estimated more than 5,000 foreign 'terrorist fighters' remain at large in Syria, posing a threat to regional stability. 'Member states noted the complexity of the issue and expressed concern that efforts to legitimise foreign terrorist fighters may regularise their status in the Syrian Arab Republic without reducing their threat,' the report notes. Some foreign terrorist fighters – in particular those from Central Asia- retained 'external ambitions' and were dissatisfied with the interim government's approach. Several council members, including Russia, China and France, advocate a more measured approach to lifting sanctions, with Beijing the most vocal. 'China's main issue with delisting HTS remains the question of foreign fighters, specifically the presence of Uighur nationalists in Syria, whom they consider an issue of national security concern,' Maya Ungar, a UN analyst at the International Crisis Group, told The National. 'Russia, France and other European countries remain concerned about foreign fighters as well, as there are European, Chechen and Central Asian fighters active in Syria." She noted any compromise on foreign fighters that satisfies the Chinese on the issue is also likely to end up satisfying Russia and France as well. Mr Trump has embraced Mr Al Shara's presidency and during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May he said he would end all sanctions on Syria. But only the US Congress can repeal the Caesar Act, legislation from 2019 that sought to punish the Assad regime. In Washington, recent violence in Syria is fuelling a debate in Congress about whether it should repeal the Caesar Act in full, or adjust it so restrictions can be lifted only if Damascus meets human rights and other benchmarks. Republican Representative Mike Lawler this month introduced a bill that would amend the act to allow it to be waived if the Syrian government is not targeting civilians, among other provisions. The Syrian Emergency Task Force, which works to help build democracy in Syria, urged US legislators to vote against Mr Lawler's bill and push for a clean repeal. Because the Caesar sanctions were placed against the Assad regime, they should by definition be lifted without conditions, Mouaz Moustafa, the task force's executive director, told The National. 'Lifting those sanctions does not mean the US can't sanction Syria, or individuals or groups or whoever in Syria that commits any crimes against any minority,' he said. The Caesar Act currently has a temporary and renewable waiver but Mr Moustafa said the US has a moral obligation to scrap the legislation once and for all. He said using Caesar as leverage over Syria's new government threatens to destabilise Syria and risk further civil war. 'Caesar is not the way to hold the Syrian government accountable for any mistakes it may make, or has made,' Mr Moustafa said. 'Caesar was about Assad. Assad is gone.'
The National
5 hours ago
- The National
US special envoy Steve Witkoff to travel to Israel as hunger grips Gaza
The US special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Israel on Thursday, amid increasing international outcry over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Mr Witkoff "will meet officials to discuss next steps in addressing the situation in Gaza', a US official confirmed. The death toll from Israel's military campaign has now surpassed 60,100 and images of starving children have fuelled anger and concern in many western countries, including the US. President Donald Trump this week conceded 'real starvation' was taking place across Gaza. 'I see it and you can't fake that,' he said. 'We have to get the kids fed.' Hopes for a ceasefire and hostage release deal were dashed last week when Israel and the US walked away from negotiations after receiving Hamas's response to their proposal. Mr Witkoff accused Hamas of acting in a 'selfish way' and not in 'good faith". 'We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,' he said. Washington has yet to say what those alternatives are.
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
UK recognition of Palestine 'highly likely' after Israel's furious reaction
Britain has boldly made its move on recognising a Palestinian state but the question remains, will Israel listen? It is less than likely that Israel will seek to fulfil the four conditions that Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out on Tuesday, in his major foreign policy reversal, as it has vehemently criticised the British move. But academics have told The National that there is a chance that the major change in UK foreign policy could influence the Israeli government's decisions. More importantly, with a number of countries moving towards recognition, including France, it could have an impact on Donald Trump's thinking. The US President, it is argued, is the only leader who can sufficiently influence Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. UK recognition of Palestine as a state is now 'highly likely' to happen in September as Israel will not meet the conditions set out, Sir William Patey, co-chairman of the Labour Middle East Council, told The National. While he believed that recognition should have been made without conditions, it would at least give the Palestinians 'some hope that the international community has not gone soft on a two-state solution, even if one is not immediately in prospect'. Sir William, who is a former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, believes that Britain acting together with France and Saudi Arabia, could help 'end the carnage and to move things forward in a more positive light'. 'But they are up against the two most intransigent set of people that we've ever seen in the Middle East, Hamas and the most right-wing Israeli government that ever existed,' he added. President Sheikh Mohamed on Wednesday received a phone call from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer when he praised Mr Starmer's statements regarding Britain's intention to recognise the Palestinian state. He also stressed the priority of reaching an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and continuing the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave. Israel rejection Mr Starmer's conditions demand that Israel ends the starvation in Gaza, achieves a ceasefire with Hamas, refrains from annexing the occupied West Bank and commits to the two-state solution, otherwise Britain will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Israel's immediate response was to utterly reject the proposal with Mr Netanyahu condemning Mr Starmer's position as one that 'rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism' and could ultimately threaten Britain. Co-operation on the conditions therefore seems unlikely, especially with a host of others pitching in, including former hostage and dual British-Israeli citizen Emily Damari, who said the UK's new policy would not 'advance peace – it risks rewarding terror' and sent a message 'that violence earns legitimacy'. There is also little hope from the Israeli opposition, with Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, stating that Britain's position 'does not advance the two-state solution – if anything, it distances it'. Eyes on Trump The words are strong but ultimately all eyes will be on Mr Trump's reaction. 'Many people, even in Israel, really hope that this time Trump will be the one who will say, 'game over, no more war', and that it will put an end to the fighting,' said Dr Michael Milshtein, head of Palestinian studies at Tel Aviv University. The Israeli peace activist Gershon Baskin, who has close contacts with Hamas, agreed that 'everything is dependent – the war in Gaza, the hostages and agreements – on what Donald Trump does and nothing else'. 'If he tells Netanyahu to end the war, the war ends,' he added. 'If he tells Israel they can stay in Gaza, they'll stay in Gaza. If he says 'you got to get out of Gaza', they'll get out of Gaza.' He cited the Israeli government's rapid U-turn on aid after Mr Trump expressed dissatisfaction over the images of starving Gazan children as the far reach of this influence. So far, Mr Trump has been equivocal, stating he had 'no view' on the issue and did not vehemently object to it. 'I guess Starmer is doing the same thing as [French president] Macron, and that's OK. It doesn't mean I have to agree,' he said before departing Scotland on Tuesday. Pressure building But others see this as a longer-term shift that goes beyond Mr Netanyahu's time in office. Recognition is needed to 'kick-start a process' that would 'reach over the head of the Israeli government to the Israeli people' showing that 'this is the way forward', suggested MP Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of parliament's foreign affair committee. She told the BBC that Britain would remain 'long-term allies' with Israel but would not do so 'with this far-right government' and it is now down to Mr Trump to 'lean on' Mr Netanyahu Allied with France's decision last week to recognise Palestine, alongside the Netherland barring entry to Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the UK's move could influence the US position. Just as Israel's population has been affected by images of starving Palestinians broadcast by its popular Channel 12 news, those same pictures are influencing Americans. 'People speak here about an international tsunami against Israel, that the gathering of American and European pressure on Israel can really have a massive impact,' said Dr Milshtein. 'Things can change' But what makes Mr Netanyahu highly unlikely to accept the British conditions is that the moment he agrees a ceasefire it will entail an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and his coalition government will almost certainly collapse. 'But everything is very dynamic, so things can change,' said Dr Milshtein. 'Right now it is Trump's opinion and let's see what will happen with that. He has already surprised us when he spoke about starvation in Gaza so it can happen again.' Bronwen Maddox, director of the Chatham House think tank, argued that Palestinian recognition would be an 'an unequivocal statement' that Britain views that as the only way to a secure future. 'The alternative to the creation of a Palestinian state is conflict without end, one that jeopardises Israel's security,' she added.
