Syria

Implementing Security Council Resolution 1701 (Update No. 2)

At a meeting held on August 16, the Lebanese government decided that in collaboration with UNIFIL, the Lebanese army would deploy in the area south of the Litani and in the eastern sector (the region of al-‘Arkub and the Hatsbayia and Marjayoun districts). It also determined that the army would preserve order and security in Read more...

Raising the issue of the Sheba’a Farms in the proposed American-French Security Council draft resolution for ending the fighting: background information and significance

The issue of the Sheba’a Farms was recently raised again, this time in the American-French proposal for a draft of a Security Council resolution to end the current confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah (August 5, 2006). The proposal calls, among other things, for Israel and Lebanon to support a viable ceasefire based on certain points, Read more...

Agreements, arrangements and understandings concerning Lebanon to which Israel was involved during the past 30 years – background, data, lessons and conclusions.

Summary, conclusions and lessons of thirty years of agreements, arrangements and understandings in Lebanon. Read more...

Syria as a strategic prop for Hezbollah and Hamas

Syria, along with its ally Iran, is consistently supports Hezbollah and the Palestinian terrorist organizations to attain a variety of strategic goals: strengthening the radical Iranian-Syrian axis in the Middle East; weakening Israel by tearing apart its social fabric and damaging its economy; strengthening Syria’s influence in Lebanon; strengthening the radical Islamic forces in the Read more...

Syria as strategic support for Hamas

This Bulletin examines Syria as a provider of strategic support for Hamas, with the abduction of the Israeli soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit and Operation Summer Rains in the background. Read more...

Syria as a major source of anti-Semitic incitement: articles on holocaust denial systematically published in Syrian press during the first half of 2006

Bashar Assad’s regime, as that of his father’s, is riddled with anti-Semitism. This is reflected in public statements made in the past by President Bashar, anti-Semitic articles frequently published on the Syrian media, anti-Semitic television movies such as The Diaspora and The Garden of Death, and the publication of extensive anti-Semitic literature, including the Protocols Read more...

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Syria

Syria is a central factor in the Arab-Israeli conflict and has been in conflict with the State of Israel since its establishment. Syria’s basic position rejects the Zionist idea and views the State of Israel as a foreign element that must be uprooted. Since its establishment, Syria has led the political and military struggle against pre-state Israel and the State of Israel. Syria is demanding that Israel give up its control over an area of about 1,200 square kilometers in the Golan Heights, which was occupied by Israel in 1967. In view of its profound hostility to Israel, Syria has supported the Palestinian terrorist organizations and Hezbollah for many years. Syria was designated as a terrorism-supporting state by the US State Department back in 1979.

Despite repeated attempts since the early 1990s to reach a peace agreement with Syria, an official state of war still exists between it and Israel. These relations have been influenced by the involvement of elements such as the Soviet Union and Iran, Syria’s relations with other Arab countries (Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon) and its relations with the Palestinians. These relations have also been influenced by the fact that Syria perceives Israel’s territory as part of what it calls Greater Syria.

Since early 2011, there has been a civil war in Syria between President Bashar Assad and the forces loyal to him, and rebel organizations with various ideologies and political orientation. The civil war has led to the destruction of the country’s infrastructure, the removal of Syria from the Arab League, and tension in its relations with Sunni countries (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Turkey). Syria’s relations with the United States and Western countries have also deteriorated. On the other hand, the Syrian regime is supported by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, and by Shiite militias supported by Iran.