Images of violence in Syria depict shocking scenes, including dead bodies and brutal actions by gunmen. The recent intercommunal violence, resulting in over 600 deaths in Sweida, signifies a deepening rift between U.S. and Israeli perspectives. The U.S. aims for a strong central regime, while Israel expresses distrust of new leadership, especially regarding a former jihadist. In a recent meeting, U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack asserted that federalism is ineffective and emphasized the need for Kurdish and Druze groups to concede to the centralized authority in Damascus.
The latest intercommunal violence, which has left some 600 people dead in Syria's southern province of Sweida, illustrates a fundamental disagreement between the United States and Israel over the nature of the Syrian state. Washington has been pushing for a strong central government in Damascus, but its closest ally in the region fears Syria's new leaders, and has bolstered their domestic rivals.
Barrack made clear that he wants the Kurdish-led enclave in northeastern Syria—which has been holding out for more autonomy, like the Druze in the country's south—to make larger concessions to Sharaa. "There is only one road, and it leads to Damascus," Barrack said.
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