Aftershocks of the Syrian Earthquake and Patriarch Yazigi to Al-Sharaa: Stop the Massacres Immediately / The Yemeni Threat to Open the Red Sea Front Spurs Negotiations to Resume the Agreement

 March 10, 2025

The political editor wrote

Just as the Arab world abandoned tens of thousands of martyrs in Gaza, it has once again forsaken the victims of the massacres on the Syrian coast. Some Arab governments even went so far as to issue statements in support of the regime, framing the events as part of a foreign conspiracy to destabilise it. Were it not for American, British, and German statements denouncing the atrocities as crimes and calling for an investigation leading to the prosecution of those responsible, the regime would not have been compelled to form an investigative committee or denounce the chaos that resulted in the massacres. The regime kept its eyes fixed on Washington, which issued a carefully worded condemnation “The United States condemns the killing of individuals in western Syria by” what it describes as “Islamic extremist terrorists and calls on the transitional administration to hold accountable those responsible for massacres against minorities.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated yesterday, “The United States condemns Islamic extremist terrorists, including foreign jihadists, who have killed individuals in western Syria in recent days.” He reaffirmed that the United States “stands with Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, including Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and extends its condolences to the victims and their families.” Rubio further insisted, “The transitional authorities in Syria must ensure that those responsible for these massacres against minority communities are brought to justice.”

Meanwhile, in European capitals, the speech of Patriarch John Yazigi echoed, as he declared: “The sanctity and dignity of people have been violated, and the chants and slogans being used are fueling division, inciting sectarianism, and threatening civil peace. Many cities, towns, and villages have had their homes burned and their belongings looted”, he said, emphasising that “the targeted areas are home to Alawites and Christians, and among the victims are many innocent Christians”. Yazigi called on President Ahmad Al-Sharaa to immediately put an end to the massacres.

In other developments in the region, negotiations have gained momentum regarding the continuation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement after Yemen threatened to resume naval warfare and impose a blockade on ships heading to the occupying entity if humanitarian aid does not enter Gaza by Wednesday. Israeli sources told Haaretz that negotiations are moving in a direction that could lead to the resumption of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, with terms that include the release of a number of prisoners, followed by an Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor, leading to a permanent ceasefire announcement and a subsequent exchange deal after Eid al-Fitr.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, spoke with Al-Manar about the resistance, the ceasefire agreement, and the occupation’s continued presence in Lebanese territories. He asserted that the resistance will expel the occupation from all seized areas, stressing that this is an opportunity for the state to take the necessary measures to enforce Israel’s withdrawal in accordance with Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement.

Discussing the balance of power between the resistance and the occupation, Qassem acknowledged that Hezbollah had suffered significant damage but emphasised that the occupation had also sustained heavy losses. He questioned why, despite the ceasefire and the resistance’s transfer of control south of the Litani River to the Lebanese state, displaced settlers have yet to return to northern occupied Palestine. The occupation government, he noted, is making extraordinary efforts to encourage their return and offering them aid, while in contrast, southerners in Lebanon have returned to the rubble of their homes despite continued attacks on their villages, with no signs of reconstruction efforts in sight.

Qassem also detailed the circumstances surrounding the ceasefire agreement, clarifying its terms and denying the existence of any secret clauses. He affirmed that the agreement is strictly tied to Resolution 1701 and applies exclusively to the area south of the Litani River.