By NIR BOMS, SHADI MARTINI

Syria and Israel have the rare opportunity to reshape their relations and progress toward peace.

With only two years separating their official births, Israel and Syria have never known a time when they weren’t at odds. Since 1948, the Syrian Arab Republic participated in every major war against the State of Israel, proudly raising the flag of resistance.

Even after signing the 1974 armistice agreement, Syria aligned itself with Iran and Hezbollah, continuing its aggression against Israel through Lebanon and acting as a base for Tehran’s proxies. However, Syria reached a historic turning point on December 8 with the fall of president Bashar al-Assad’s regime and his subsequent flight to Moscow, raising critical questions about Syria’s future, domestically and in terms of regional and international relations.

The new administration in Syria quickly sought to reassure the world and its neighbors, including Israel, that it would not pursue further conflict. Instead, it sought to introduce a pragmatic agenda focused on power-sharing, minority rights, and economic development, which are critically needed in a war-torn country.