“Our drawback just isn’t with Israel,” Governor of Damascus Maher Marwan, appointed by the brand new administration in Syria, tells NPR. “We do not need to meddle in something that may threaten Israel’s safety or every other nation’s safety.”
Emin Sansar/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs
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Emin Sansar/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs
DAMASCUS, Syria — The newly appointed governor of Damascus has referred to as on the USA to make use of its affect to push for cordial relations with Israel.
In a wide-ranging interview with NPR, Governor Maher Marwan, 42, stated that Syria’s new authorities didn’t need to search battle with Israel, which has been hanging strategic navy installations in Syria for the reason that regime of former President Bashar al-Assad fell earlier this month.
“Now we have no concern in the direction of Israel and our drawback just isn’t with Israel,” Marwan stated. “We do not need to meddle in something that may threaten Israel’s safety or every other nation’s safety.”
Sitting in an enormous workplace in central Damascus, furnished with Syrian arabesque picket chairs and colorfully painted partitions, Marwan, carrying a go well with and tie, greeted the NPR crew. He solely shook palms with the male members of the group.
The governor stated it was comprehensible that Israel was involved when the brand new Syrian authorities took energy, due to sure “factions.”
“Israel might have felt concern in the beginning,” Marwan stated. “So it superior a bit, bombed a bit.”
Along with Israel’s strikes on navy installations, it additionally has seized elements of the Golan Heights, stoking fears in Syria of annexation.
And but Marwan referred to as Israel’s concern “pure.”
Israel and Syria have by no means had diplomatic ties. They share a border however have been in a state of struggle since Israel’s founding in 1948. The 2 nations have fought a number of wars over the a long time, and journey between them has been forbidden.
A cautious response from Israel
“That is excellent news … very, very exceptional,” Uzi Rabi, a senior researcher on the Moshe Dayan Middle for Center Jap and African Research at Tel Aviv College in Israel, stated of Marwan’s remarks to NPR.
Rabi stated the overture is noteworthy contemplating Syria’s historic opposition to Israel’s existence, and displays the pragmatism of Syria’s new management: it should rehabilitate the nation and can’t afford a struggle with Israel.
Marwan stated his views represented these of the town of Damascus, and the political opinions of his boss – Syria’s de facto chief Ahmed al-Sharaa – and the overseas ministry.
Sharaa – the chief of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which led the offensive that toppled the Assad regime on Dec. 8 – has beforehand stated that he doesn’t need battle with Israel.
HTS is a delegated terrorist group by the USA and has roots in al-Qaida, although the group broke away years in the past.
Syria’s de facto chief Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with an Iraqi official in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 26. Sharaa has stated he doesn’t need battle with Israel.
Izettin Kasim/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs
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Izettin Kasim/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs
A U.S. delegation met with Sharaa in Damascus final week and introduced {that a} $10 million bounty could be lifted off the Syrian chief’s head.
Marwan referred to as on Washington to share HTS’ message with Israel.
“There exists a individuals who need peace and never disputes,” Marwan stated.
A U.S. official who was not approved to talk publicly in regards to the matter instructed NPR that the U.S. relayed HTS’ message, however that Washington has not urged both nation in any route.
In a press release to NPR, Israel’s response was unequivocal.
“Israel is taking measures to make sure that the safety of its residents is maintained,” the assertion from the Overseas Ministry stated. “We advise the worldwide neighborhood to keep in mind that Syria’s new ruling energy seized massive elements of Syria by drive. It was not democratically elected. It has long-standing historic ties toal-Qaida. That is an extremist Islamist regime that merely moved from Idlib to Damascus.”
The assertion added: “The USA has not pressured Israel to behave otherwise.”
Rabi stated Israel’s cautious response displays a “lack of confidence” within the viability of peace after the Hamas-led assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. However he predicted Israel would possibly interact in dialogue with the brand new Syrian management by confidence-building measures within the coming months, resulting in “semi-normalization” of relations by safety cooperation alongside the border.
”You can seem like a idiot if you’ll say, ‘Hey, every part is okay. Peace is on the desk. Let’s go for it,'” Rabi stated. “Time will inform, however that is simply form of a sign of how issues are being modified within the Center East for the great.”
A message to People
Marwan stated his primary message to the folks of the USA is one in all peace.
“As a Syrian folks, we’re peaceable,” he stated. “We aren’t warmongering traditionally.”
Marwan blamed the Assad regime for creating what he referred to as “gaps” between the U.S. administration and the Syrian folks.
“These gaps must be crammed in order that the 2 folks may be pals and we are able to accomplish issues which might be useful to each nations,” he stated.
Marwan stated the area ought to be taught from previous U.S. expertise of struggle in locations like Afghanistan and Iraq, saying it “would not work.”
“Struggle begets struggle, struggle begets hate, struggle begets evil, struggle begets destruction,” he stated.
He emphasised that he wished the American folks to know that there isn’t a “animosity” between the 2 nations.
“The USA is a grand nation, and is on the helm of all nations, for which we now have nice respect and appreciation for, and has experience that we need to make the most of,” he stated.
Marwan stated that the USA and Syria wanted one another.
“Any illogical political or navy battle will rob us of all mutual advantages,” he stated.
“We solely maintain respect and appreciation” for the U.S., he stated.
Governor as activist
Marwan hails from an elite Damascus household and grew up in a rich neighborhood within the capital. He stated he fled to Idlib in 2011 after being harassed by Assad’s safety forces for collaborating in protests that erupted throughout Syria as a part of the Arab Spring uprisings throughout the Center East. Assad’s violent clampdown on the peaceable protests triggered Syria’s 13-year civil struggle.
Marwan graduated with a level in Islamic legislation from Idlib College and spent a decade working in administration at varied companies. There he stated he felt “burning” to alter Syria.
“We wished to free Syria from the safety iron fist in opposition to the Syrian folks,” he stated. “Safety must be felt amongst all folks, to not really feel concern.”
Marwan stated that the previous regime raised a wall between it and its folks.
“We used to say, ‘We really feel concern from Syria’ — now we are saying, ‘We concern for Syria,'” he stated.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
Marwan stated he was interested in HTS as a result of they had been “organized, had a plan, and an idea to save lots of Syrians.”
He referred to as HTS a mission with out precedent. With time, he argued, the group developed the maturity to distinguish between who was an enemy and a buddy, and what wanted to be completed to construct a rustic.
Marwan stated he had by no means personally joined al-Qaida and was happy when HTS minimize ties with the terrorist group.
“Al-Qaida would not symbolize the Syrian folks or its aspirations,” he stated.
The largest challenges forward
The primary problem for the federal government now that the Assad regime is gone is constructing belief between the folks and their governmental establishments, Marwan stated.
“Individuals have an previous view that establishments are useful for the regime and never for them,” he stated.
One among his massive challenges, he stated, is to struggle corruption. Most civil servants earned a non-living wage, he stated, forcing them to rely on facet incomes from bribes and items.
“To vary this, you could increase the standard of life, by rising wages, offering employment alternatives, enhancing investments and attracting buyers,” he stated.
Marwan stated Syria additionally faces a frightening geopolitical problem. For this, he blames the Assad regime.
“The earlier regime exploited our essential geographical location to learn different nations, like Iran, and Hezbollah’s militias,” he stated.
This generated an enormous skilled hole for Syrians, Marwan stated. Among the many 550 workers on the governor’s workplace, he stated, solely two knew how one can use a laptop computer.
Harnessing the ability of those that had been a part of the previous regime is important for the soundness of the area, he argued, and must be supported by the worldwide neighborhood, particularly the USA.
Extra reporting by Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv.
