Stability in Syria

USA President Donald J. Trump is a strong leader who rightly prioritizes stability in Syria. However, without minority rights there will be neither stability nor peaceful coexistence. Israel’s alliance with the regional majorities, ”minority” communities of Syria is as ironclad as the US alliance with Israel. The Druze and the Kurds de facto already rule themselves and the Alawites and other regional majorities, i.e. Alevis, Nizari Ismailis and Christian regions deserve no less. Syrian Salafi Jihadist leader Ahmed Shara’a overtly advocates a political system in Syria akin to that currently in place in Iran. This is not a recipe for stability, it will inevitably cause instability in the region and beyond. To be clear, Israel’s policy on Syria has not destabilized the country. Israel could easily have destabilized Syria if it wanted to, but that is certainly not the policy of Israel as Jerusalem seeks a stable, democratic and federal Syria. Mr. Shara’a is a wolf in sheep’s clothing who shamelessly and hypocritically pretends to be ”moderate” because his regime is weak. Both Syria and Lebanon require federal systems where the regional majorities are all granted territorial self-determination. This is how stability and peaceful coexistence is achieved in the Levant and thus crucially serves American interests in the region and beyond.