ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Thursday slammed what he said were "attacks by Syrian regime forces" against the Kurdish population in northern Aleppo, urging the international community and Western countries to take action, saying they “owe a debt of honor to the Kurds” for their role in defeating the Islamic State (ISIS).
In a statement on X, Tel Aviv’s top diplomat said that “attacks by the Syrian regime’s forces against the Kurdish minority in Aleppo are grave and dangerous,” adding that “the international community in general, and the West in particular, owes a debt of honor to the Kurds, who fought bravely and successfully against ISIS.”
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which serve as the de facto military authority in northeast Syria (Rojava), have for years been the main on-the-ground partner of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, playing a crucial role in the territorial defeat of the extremist group in Syria in 2019.
The Kurdish-led forces have also been responsible for securing the two main camps housing ISIS remnants in Rojava - al-Hol and Roj - and have carried out ongoing operations to root out the group’s sleeper cells, which have acted as lone wolves, launching dozens of attacks on SDF positions in Syria since the group’s territorial defeat.
The Israeli Foreign Minister further condemned what he described as the “systematic and murderous repression of Syria’s various minorities,” saying it “contradicts the promises of a ‘new Syria.’
“Silence on the part of the international community will lead to an escalation of the violence by the Syrian regime,” Sa’ar concluded.
Syrian state forces and the Kurdish Internal Security Forces (Asayish), responsible for securing the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo, have been engaged in intense fighting in the two districts since Tuesday. Both sides have traded blame and reported casualties, the majority of whom are civilians.
This is not the first time Tel Aviv has criticized Damascus for what it described as violations against Syrian minority groups.
In early March, Sa’ar slammed Syria’s interim authorities as “a bunch of jihadists that previously controlled [Syria's northwestern] Idlib [province] and forcefully seized other parts, including Damascus,” adding that this “doesn’t give them the right to initiate hostilities against minorities, whether it be the Druze, the Kurds, or the Alawites.”
Speaking at a press conference, he then emphasized that “it is important that the new rulers in Damascus respect the rights of minorities.”
Importantly, the Israeli condemnation comes at a critical moment, as Damascus and Tel Aviv have recently held rare talks and announced on Tuesday the establishment of a US-supervised communication cell.
The two sides had resumed negotiations on Monday after a four-month pause, Syrian state media reported, noting that the Washington-mediated talks focus on de-escalating tensions along their shared borders and involve senior diplomatic and intelligence officials.
The meeting held in Paris was followed by a joint statement from the three countries on Tuesday, which said that Israel and Syria “have decided to establish a joint fusion mechanism - a dedicated communication cell - to facilitate immediate and ongoing coordination on intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement, and commercial opportunities under the supervision of the United States.”
The statement added that Washington "commends these positive steps and remains committed to supporting the implementation of these understandings."
A statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said that during the meetings, Tel Aviv “emphasized the importance of ensuring the security of its citizens and preventing threats along its borders,” and reiterated “its commitment to promoting regional stability and security, as well as advancing economic cooperation for the benefit of both countries.”
“It was agreed that the dialogue will continue to advance common goals and ensure the safety of the Druze minority in Syria,” the statement added.
Last updated at 10:40 am.
