Enab Baladi – Omar Alaa Eldin

July 16 was no ordinary day for many Syrians, as the events in Suwayda, which began on July 12, took a turn that led to Israel’s involvement in the clashes. Israel targeted symbols representing the Syrian state, from government forces to the General Staff building in Damascus and the Presidential Palace, ultimately resulting in the withdrawal of government forces and the assignment of local factions to maintain security in the governorate.

The transitional Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa delivered a speech on July 17 explaining the reasons behind this decision and providing clarifications regarding the situation in Suwayda.

The events in Suwayda began after a violent dispute between local groups, triggered by incidents of robbery and assault against civilians in the Suwayda countryside, prompting the intervention of the Ministries of Defense and Interior.

On July 19, al-Sharaa gave another speech, stating that the recent developments in Suwayda represented a “dangerous turning point,” and he claimed that the intense clashes between these groups nearly spiraled out of control if not for the Syrian state’s intervention to de-escalate the situation.

Local factions loyal to Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri became involved and directly clashed with forces from the Ministry of Defense and Interior. The clashes included violations committed by both government forces and these factions against civilians, further escalating the fighting. Tensions intensified further when Israel intervened by bombing positions of the General Security Forces in the area.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented the deaths of at least 321 Syrians—including 6 children and 9 women (one of whom died from a heart attack after receiving news of her grandson’s death)—and more than 436 others were injured to varying degrees, between July 13 and 18 in Suwayda.

On July 16, the Syrian government and the Religious Leadership of the Druze Unitarian Community reached an agreement to cease fire and delegate security responsibilities to local factions in Suwayda. However, Sheikh al-Hijri rejected the agreement, calling on “the youth defending our land and honor” to continue fighting against what he described as “armed terrorist gangs.”

Following the government’s withdrawal, local factions launched retaliatory attacks against Bedouin tribes in Suwayda, prompting tribal mobilization across many Syrian regions. Tribal fighters then headed to Suwayda and began armed clashes with the local factions.

Enab Baladi observed widespread violations committed by local factions, government forces, and tribal fighters during the days of confrontation.

From Negotiations to Confrontation

Muwaffaq Tarif, the Druze spiritual leader in Israel, and Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri both called for Israeli intervention against government forces. Al-Hijri addressed U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking them to save Suwayda from what he called “the oppressive and tyrannical ruling clique,” saying, “We can no longer coexist with a regime that knows only fire and iron in its rule and only oppression and abuse in its authority.”

After Tarif’s statement, Israel targeted the General Staff Building in Umayyad Square in Damascus and areas near the Presidential Palace, causing civilian casualties, according to the Syrian Ministry of Health.

In his televised speech on May 17, President al-Sharaa stated, “The Israeli entity, which has always sought to undermine our stability and sow discord among us since the fall of the former regime…”

He added that this “entity” aims again to turn “our pure land into a perpetual arena of chaos, through which it seeks to dismantle our national unity and weaken our ability to move forward in reconstruction and recovery.”

Al-Sharaa argued that Israel “relentlessly uses all methods to foment strife and conflict, ignoring the fact that Syrians, throughout their long history, have rejected all division and disintegration.”

No Free Normalization

Salam Kawakibi, a Syrian researcher and writer, said that President al-Sharaa’s reference to Israel as “the entity” is a reassuring indication that talk of free normalization with the occupying state is inaccurate.

Kawakibi told Enab Baladi that despite the pragmatic nature of the new Syrian policy, awareness of Israel’s goals remains firm, and its attempts to divide Syria and fuel internal discord have become clear, regardless of any peaceful gestures.

Meanwhile, Syrian journalist and political writer Darwish Khalifa said the use of the term “entity” is a “clear signal” that any negotiation track with Israel could be frozen if Tel Aviv continues its hostile attacks, most recently the targeting of the General Staff building and the vicinity of the Republican Palace in Damascus.

In his televised speech, al-Sharaa said, “Possessing great power does not necessarily mean achieving victory. Triumph in one arena does not guarantee success in another. You may start the war, but it’s not easy to control its outcome.”

Kawakibi interpreted this statement as being directed at Israel, which “possesses great power and has triumphed in other arenas.”

The statement’s latter part—about choosing the timing of war—serves as a veiled threat that al-Sharaa’s forces could prevent Israel from dictating when the war ends.

As for negotiations with Israel, despite pressure from Arab powers and the U.S., Kawakibi believes that such talks will take time, especially given the presence of an “expansionist far-right” in Israel that is unlikely to return even a meter of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Political analyst Hassan al-Nifi stated that Israel aimed to capitalize on events in Suwayda to send a message to the new Syrian leadership by bombing the General Staff building in Damascus—namely, that Israel can prevent the establishment of a Syrian state and derail any reconstruction or recovery efforts.

According to al-Nifi, Israel wants al-Sharaa to accept its conditions fully.

He added, it’s as if Israel is telling al-Sharaa: it’s not enough to refrain from claiming the Golan Heights—you must also accept that the southern areas, including Suwayda, Daraa, and Quneitra, be demilitarized zones, where residents act as “border guards” for Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar conditioned normalization with Syria on keeping the Golan, but an official source told Al-Ikhbariya Syria on July 2 that such statements about peace agreements with the Israeli occupation are premature, and that new negotiations can only be discussed after Israel fully adheres to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and withdraws from the areas it has penetrated.

In his speech, al-Sharaa said, “We are not afraid of war—we have spent our lives confronting challenges and defending our people. But we have prioritized the interests of Syrians over chaos and destruction,” noting that assigning local factions to manage Suwayda “spared the country from sliding into a new wide-scale war that could derail its recovery from the devastating conflict.”

International Efforts to Halt Open War

In his July 17 speech, al-Sharaa stated that the Defense and Interior Ministries had begun an extensive deployment in Suwayda as part of efforts to restore security and de-escalate tensions in the area. He claimed these efforts succeeded in restoring stability and expelling unlawful factions, despite Israeli interference.

Al-Sharaa said Israel’s targeting of civil and government facilities exacerbated the situation and pushed it toward full-scale escalation, claiming that “were it not for effective mediation from the U.S., Arab countries, and Turkey, we would be facing one of two options”:

Open war with the Israeli entity, at the expense of the Druze and Syria’s stability.
Allowing Druze dignitaries and religious leaders to regain reason and prioritize national interest over those seeking to tarnish the reputation of the proud people of Jabal (Suwayda).

Addressing the Druze

In his first speech, President al-Sharaa specifically addressed the Druze, stating they are “an integral part of the fabric of this nation.”

He continued, “Syria will never be a place for division, fragmentation, or the sowing of discord among its people. We assure you that protecting your rights and freedoms is among our top priorities.”

He expressed his rejection of any attempts to draw the Druze into foreign alliances or sow division within Syrian society.

Researcher Salam Kawakibi said the direct address to the Druze from the Syrian president was “necessary but insufficient.”

Kawakibi told Enab Baladi that it would have been more appropriate to offer condolences to the victims’ families and show empathy for the civilians who suffered what he called “horrific crimes.”

Political writer Darwish Khalifa believed al-Sharaa warned the Druze community not to count on Israeli support, as such a gamble would not always be in their favor, and shifting regional dynamics could alter alliances and enmities, placing them in conflict with Syrian society and Arab peoples, and damaging their reputation.

In his second speech, al-Sharaa emphasized that the Druze community should not be held responsible for the actions of al-Hijri and his armed groups, according to political analyst Hassan al-Nifi, speaking to Enab Baladi

Al-Nifi stated that the president sought to say this war would not change the government’s position toward the Druze, who are a fundamental component of Syrian society.

In his second address, al-Sharaa claimed that “narrow interests” of some individuals in Suwayda diverted the path, and “separatist ambitions” emerged from figures who sought foreign backing and led armed groups that committed acts of killing and abuse, even though the Syrian state had always supported Suwayda.

Tribes and the Israeli Response

The ‘tribal mobilization’ triggered by attacks from al-Hijri’s factions on Bedouin tribes in Suwayda led to widespread chaos, proving to all that the only solution lies in the presence of the Syrian state. This created the conditions for the agreement announced by the U.S. envoy on July 19, especially given the tribes’ presence in Jordan and Iraq, Syrian political analyst Hossam Taleb told Enab Baladi.

In his second speech, President al-Sharaa thanked the tribes for their “heroic and noble stances,” describing them as a “shield against internal and external threats” and an effective tool in preserving the country’s unity and stability.

He said, “Arab tribes have always symbolized the noble values and principles that drive them to rise and support the oppressed,” while acknowledging their need to defend themselves independently during recent challenges, but stressed that their role does not replace the role of the state.

Israel responded to al-Sharaa’s speech about the tribes. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar posted on X on July 19, stating that al-Sharaa’s remarks amounted to “support for attacking jihadists.”

According to Sa’ar, that support was evident in al-Sharaa’s praise of Bedouin tribes as “symbols of noble values and principles,” while blaming the victims—the “Druze minority that was attacked.” Sa’ar claimed al-Sharaa framed the events with conspiracy theories and accusations against Israel.

Sa’ar argued that the international community must “guarantee the safety and rights of minorities in Syria” and “make Syria’s reintegration into the international community contingent on protecting those minorities.”

Political analyst Hassan al-Nifi noted that although al-Sharaa praised the tribes, he emphasized that their role does not replace that of the state.

A Message with International Implications

In both speeches, al-Sharaa repeatedly highlighted the role of American, Arab, and Turkish mediation in de-escalating the situation in Suwayda.

Analyst Hassan al-Nifi believes al-Sharaa’s reference to these mediators in the July 17 speech was to underscore that “Israeli aggression continues, and that halting this aggression is a regional and international responsibility.”

Al-Nifi believes Israel’s ongoing attacks threaten not only Syria but the entire region, as all parties mentioned by al-Sharaa would be affected by a full-scale Israeli war on Syrian territory.

He suggests that al-Sharaa may have intended to send an “indirect thank you” to the countries that helped stop the Israeli assault on Syria.

In the July 19 speech, al-Nifi notes that although al-Sharaa made fewer references to Israel, his thanks to the United States can be interpreted as an acknowledgment that Washington pressured Israel to reach an agreement.