Suwayda remains in stasis as US signals differences with Israel on Syria
Summary
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s comments on Suwayda suggest Washington favors Syrian government control over the governorate, while Israel is seen as backing a Druze armed group linked to local leader Hikmat al-Hijri. The article describes a gap between President Donald Trump’s effort to build ties with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Israel’s actions and security demands in southern Syria.Key Facts
- Suwayda is a majority-Druze governorate in southern Syria where the government does not have full control.
- Barrack discussed Suwayda in a Friday interview with Australian X personality Mario Nawfal.
- The National Guard, a Druze armed group linked to Hikmat al-Hijri, has been accused of receiving Israeli support and pursuing separatist aims.
- The article says Israel has seized land in Quneitra and other areas, bombed Syria’s Ministry of Defence, and carried out incursions in southern Syria since Bashar al-Assad’s government fell in December 2024.
- The United States has gradually rebuilt relations with Damascus since Assad’s fall.
- Protests against the Assad government began in Suwayda in 2023 and continued until its collapse in December 2024.
- Deadly sectarian violence followed fighting between Bedouin tribes and Druze in Suwayda in July 2025.
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