Tag Archives: Kurds

02Jul/25

Why al-Sharaa’s success in Syria is good for Israel and the US?

By Itai Melchior and Nir Boms/ Atlantic Council

Israel’s approach to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has become more assertive, driven by security fears that were intensified by the trauma of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. For Jerusalem, the emergence of the interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s transitional government is a double-edged sword that could serve as an opportunity for strategic realignment, but also poses latent threats.

Although al-Sharaa’s rise has rightfully generated considerable concern given his jihadist background, the new Syrian government’s first six months has had notable positive developments. This includes the presentation of a pragmatic agenda that has emphasized power-sharing, minority rights, and economic development.

Further bolstering his international standing, al-Sharaa secured broad sanctions relief from the United States after a meeting with President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia.

The US president’s recent executive order lifting Syria sanctions, signed on June 30, states that “the United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors.” al-Sharaa also assuaged fears about potential nuclear activity after he offered full cooperation and access to the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency after a visit by the agency’s Director General Rafael Grossi in early June.

Although al-Sharaa has made several moves that should reassure Israeli decision makers: refraining from engaging with Hamas, expelling factions of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Hamas, arresting two senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad figures, and trying to thwart smuggling operations between Iran and Hezbollah across Syria—they appear unconvinced.

Continue reading
22Jan/25

Damascus’ Jihadist Ruler : Regional Implications

While one important governmental transition ended yesterday, having global implications, another one with regional repercussions is still ongoing, and there is a connection between the two. The new, post-Assad regime in Damascus under Ahmed al-Shara is still being organised, with simultaneous efforts being undertaken in foreign policy as well as domestic realignment. Al-Shara and his lieutenants have met with Arab and European counterparts from Berlin to Paris to Gulf capitals. Al-Shara himself changed his attire, from battle fatigues to a suit and tie. But can a Jihadi predator truly change his spots? This will probably become known only after the Trump administration unveils its Mideast policy, part of which will relate to Syria.

Joining us for the discussion: Panel:

Dr. Nir Boms : Research fellow, Moshe Dayan center , Tel Aviv University

Host : Jonathan Hessen : Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute and Host of TV7 Israel News

Analyst : Amir Oren : TV7 Editor at Large and Host of Watchmen Talk

BG (Ret.) Relik Shafir : former IAF Commander and Chief of the IDF Cyber Staff

20Aug/19

Turkey vs Syria, amid international scrutiny

https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/18738/?episode-id=AbmWiodW9Xk

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to invade northeastern Syria and establish a so-called ‘safe zone’ by force, unless the United States follows on a pledge to scale-back the presence of the pre-dominantly Kurdish SDF alliance, a local composition of Syrian militias that are backed by Washington. This has become a major bone of contention among several causes for dispute between the Erdogan government and Trump Administration.
Panel:
-Jonathan Hesse, host.
-Amir Oren, analyst.
-Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, research fellow Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.
-Dr. Nir Boms, Research fellow, Moshe Dayan center at Tel Aviv University.

01Jun/08

Inside Syria’s Gulag

By Nir Boms
FrontPageMagazine.com | May 26, 2004

On May 11, in accordance with the Syria Accountability Act, President Bush imposed new political and economic sanctions on Syria. The Syrian government, not surprisingly, was quick to condemn this move, calling the sanctions “unjust and unjustified,” and portraying Syria as a “democratic country that fights terrorism.”

While this sort of pro-democracy rhetoric has been a staple of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s four-year tenure, the story of Aktham Na’eesah-a lawyer, activist, and the recent laureate of the prestigious “Ludovic Trarieux” award for his distinct human rights work-provides a glimpse into the Syria’s “democratic” reality. Continue reading