In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, have agreed to a ceasefire following a wave of Israeli airstrikes on Damascus earlier this week.
The announcement was made on Friday by Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Washington’s lead envoy on Syrian affairs. He confirmed that the ceasefire is supported by key regional players, including Turkey and Jordan.
“We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and, together with other minorities, build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbors,” Barrack stated on social media platform X.
The ceasefire follows a series of Israeli strikes targeting the Syrian capital, including military installations such as the army headquarters. Israel said the action was aimed at protecting the Druze community after violent clashes erupted between Druze and Bedouin groups in Sweida, a southern Syrian region.
The power shift in Syria came after Sharaa’s Islamist forces overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad — a longtime ally of Iran — in December. Some analysts interpret Israel’s recent military action as an effort to further weaken its long-standing adversary during a period of political transition.
Meanwhile, the United States reiterated its stance on the issue, stating it did not support Israel’s airstrikes despite its close alliance with the country. Earlier this week, the U.S. brokered a deal prompting the withdrawal of Syrian government troops from Sweida in an effort to de-escalate tensions.
The ceasefire marks a critical step toward restoring stability in Syria, a nation long fractured by civil war and external interventions, with hopes now resting on broader cooperation among regional and ethnic groups.
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