Israel and Syria have reached an agreement on a ceasefire in the conflict that broke out in the Syrian province of Suwayda between the Druze and the Bedouins. The United States acted as a mediator in the agreement. About this reported special representative of Washington in Syria, Tom Barak.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, with the support of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, agreed on a ceasefire,” Barak said.
He clarified that this initiative has already been supported by Turkey, Jordan and a number of other countries of the Middle East.
“The United States calls on friends, Bedouins and Sunnis, to lay down their arms and, together with other minorities, build a new and unified Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with their neighbors.” – added the diplomat.
The escalation in southern Syria began on July 13 with clashes between Druze and Bedouin tribes. On July 15, Syrian troops entered the city of Suwayda, which became the reason for Israeli strikes on government forces in Damascus.
Turkey condemned Israel’s actions in southern Syria and called for support for the efforts of the Syrian authorities to restore security in the region. In connection with the aggravation of the situation, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on July 17.
The Druze are a distinct Arabic-speaking ethno-religious group living in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. In Syria, their number is about 700,000, making the Druze the third largest religious-ethnic minority after the Kurds and Alawites.
