UN Syria envoy: 'fragile' moment in transition process
The UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, warned April 25 of grave consequences for the country's future without genuine political inclusion and urgent economic support for a successful political transition. During a briefing to the Security Council, Pedersen noted the legacies of misrule, conflict and exclusion in Syria, stating:
This means that the situation is inherently still extremely fragile. The vital ingredients to address this fragility are clear: we need genuine political inclusion so that all Syrians can participate meaningfully in shaping their country's political future, along with countering extremism and terrorism; and real support from the international community to give this transition a chance to succeed against great odds.
Despite expanding to a more diverse cabinet, the new Syrian government has yet to achieve full inclusivity, with the Syrian Women's Political Movement expressing concerns about women's political participation. There is currently only one woman among the 22 cabinet members: Hind Kabawat, a Catholic, was appointed as minister of Labor & Social Affairs.
In reference to the recent violence on the coastal region (Latakia), Pedersen urged the new government to ensure that all segments of Syrian society are protected, and to prevent individuals or groups from taking justice into their own hands or committing revenge-driven attacks. The statement noted that such sporadic incidents continue to persist.
Pedersen commended the regional support to Syria, which has enabled its debt repayment to the World Bank, as well as the UK's lifting of sanctions. But Syria's economic situation remains dire, with dwindling humanitarian aid posing a major threat.
Following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, the new Syrian interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, announced the formation of a "caretaker government," set to last until March 2025. In late March, al-Sharaa unveiled a new government to oversee the transition. Al-Sharaa proclaimed: "We are witnessing the birth of a new phase in our national process, and the formation of a new government today is a declaration of our common will to build a new State."
From JURIST, April 27. Used with permission.
More sectarian fighting in Syria
Fighting erupted on April 29 between Syrian security forces and armed groups in provincial Damascus, leaving several people dead, including members of the security forces. The clashes in Jaramana, a city with a significant Druze population, come days after an audio recording attributed to a man from the Druze-majority province of Suweida went viral, in which insults are directed toward the Prophet Muhammad. The recording sparked waves of protests in several cities, which escalated to the armed attacks in Jaramana. Druze leader Sheikh Marwan Kiwan was accused of being behind the recording, but he denied any involvement and described it as "fabricated." (TNA)
Syrian-American Jews visit Damascus synagogue
A group of Syrian-American Jews prayed in a synagogue in Damascus on April 29, the second such visit following the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. The trip comes after local community leader Bakhour Chamntoub said unknown assailants broke into and desecrated the tomb of a 17th-century rabbi in Damascus last week.
Visiting Rabbi Henry Hamra led prayers at the Faranj synagogue in Damascus' Old City. His father Yusuf Hamra was reportedly the last rabbi to leave Syria, one of thousands of members of the Jewish community to depart in the 1990s. They had both visited from the United States in February.
Victor Kamil, a Syrian Jew from New York, said this latest trip sought to "prepare the synagogues, to prepare the community here for people at least to start visiting," expressing hope that an improvement in the situation in Syria would encourage returns.
The group also prayed at the Damascus tomb of 17th-century Rabbi Chaim Vital, Kamil said. Community leader Chamntoub said April 25 that unidentified individuals "dug up the ground next to the grave in search of antiquities," adding that local authorities had inspected the site and vowed to find those responsible.
The Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States said it was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the desecration. "We urgently call on the Syrian government to immediately secure Jewish holy sites, synagogues and cemeteries and ensure their safety," the statement added. (AFP)