Syria’s new leadership has reached a landmark agreement with residents and officials in the predominantly Druze province of Al-Suwayda, paving the way for the region’s full integration into state institutions while maintaining a degree of local autonomy.
According to sources cited by Al Jazeera, the agreement guarantees that the provincial police force will be composed exclusively of local residents, primarily from the Druze community. Furthermore, the Syrian government has committed to appointing both a governor and a police commander from among the region’s inhabitants, ensuring a level of self-governance within the broader framework of the Syrian state.
This accord follows the recent deal between Syria’s new government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which saw the integration of Kurdish-controlled military and civilian institutions in northeast Syria into the national administration. Under that agreement, key infrastructure, including border crossings, an airport, and oil and gas fields, have been brought under Damascus’s authority.
The Syrian presidency confirmed the agreement on Monday, with photos showing interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi formalizing the deal in Damascus. Following the signing, Abdi expressed optimism, calling it a “real opportunity to build a new Syria.”
Geopolitical Reactions
While the agreement with the Druze community is seen as a step toward national unity, Israel has reacted with skepticism. A senior Israeli political source stated, “We must wait for the details of this agreement to emerge and see how it affects the Druze. Neither the agreement with the Druze nor yesterday’s agreement with the Kurds changes Israel’s basic posture toward the new government in Syria.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reinforced this cautious stance, warning that Syria’s new leadership, led by former Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) commander Abu Mohammad al-Julani, had not shed its jihadist past. Katz stated, “Al-Julani took off the galabiya, put on a suit, and presented a moderate face. Now he has removed the mask and reveals his true face—a jihadist terrorist from the school of al-Qaida, who commits atrocities against the civilian population.”
Israel has also announced plans to allow Syrian Druze workers to enter the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights for employment, reflecting a pragmatic approach to the changing regional landscape.
A Nation in Transition
Syria’s political landscape has undergone dramatic shifts since December 2024, when insurgent forces overthrew the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad, who subsequently fled to Russia. The current transitional government, under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has sought to stabilize the war-torn nation by integrating diverse factions and addressing the concerns of minority groups.
However, the process remains fraught with challenges. Reports of mass killings targeting the Alawite minority in western Syria have raised concerns about sectarian violence undermining the fragile peace. On Monday, President al-Sharaa acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating that such violence threatens efforts to unify the country after 14 years of devastating conflict.
As Syria’s new leadership navigates these challenges, its ability to secure and maintain agreements like those with the Druze and Kurdish communities will be crucial in determining the nation’s future stability. The coming months/years will reveal whether these accords represent genuine steps toward reconciliation or merely temporary arrangements in a rapidly shifting political landscape.
