A man carrying a Syrian flag at the border between Lebanon and Syria on the day of the fall of the Assad regime, Dec. 8, 2024. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Syria wants “state-to-state relations with Lebanon” and has made “concessions” regarding the wounds inflicted by Hezbollah, President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Sunday during a 20-minute briefing to the Arab press on Lebanon’s situation. He said that there can be “no river of fire” or “geographic curse” between the two neighbors. These statements could come as a surprise, especially since the new Syrian leadership had so far shown little interest in restoring ties with Lebanon — despite visits to Damascus by former Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his successor, Nawaf Salam.What’s even more surprising is the overture toward Hezbollah, given that Sharaa has made no secret of his hostility toward Iran and its regional proxies, instead promoting Syria’s Umayyad identity. In fact, his rise to power was seen by Hezbollah as a genuine disaster....
Syria wants “state-to-state relations with Lebanon” and has made “concessions” regarding the wounds inflicted by Hezbollah, President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Sunday during a 20-minute briefing to the Arab press on Lebanon’s situation. He said that there can be “no river of fire” or “geographic curse” between the two neighbors. These statements could come as a surprise, especially since the new Syrian leadership had so far shown little interest in restoring ties with Lebanon — despite visits to Damascus by former Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his successor, Nawaf Salam.What’s even more surprising is the overture toward Hezbollah, given that Sharaa has made no secret of his hostility toward Iran and its regional proxies, instead promoting Syria’s Umayyad identity. In fact, his rise to power was seen by Hezbollah as...
Rubio condemns Iran's 'outrageous' attacks on Kuwait
