In the eight months since Ahmed al-Sharaa took power in Syria following the collapse of the Assad regime in December, there has been a great deal of hope that this new administration can bring peace and unity to Syria. However, the Sharaa government has shown worrying signs of regression, with reports of massacres against religious minorities and an ongoing lack of democracy. Sharaa himself is the former sanctioned leader of HTS, which was Al Qaeda’s one-time affiliate in Syria.
In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview, Qutaiba Idlbi, the new Director for the Americas at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, joins ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ from Damascus to answer Mehdi’s questions on the future of democracy in Syria, the new government’s plans to rebuild the war-torn country, and its relations with Israel, Russia, and the United States.
Mehdi pressed Idlbi, in particular, on whether there will be accountability for Syrians who have suffered in the past at the hands of Sharaa or HTS.
“All people who have suffered actually from crimes within the last 14 years should get accountability,” Idlbi said, confirming that his government is considering a South African-style ‘truth and reconciliation’ process. “I think the question is how do we provide accountability, but at the same time ensure that there is a path forward, a stable and prosperous path forward for all Syrians.”
Mehdi and the Foreign Ministry official also spoke about the prospect of Syria normalizing relations with Israel in the midst of the ongoing Israeli attacks on the country, including the most recent air and ground raid outside Damascus that killed six Syrian soldiers.
“Israel is a threat against Syria’s national security,” Idlbi said, “There is clearly no partner on the other side that is interested right now in pursuing peace and stability in the region. When there is a partner, or if basically that government is interested, they need to show that by stopping attacks on Syria.”
Idlbi also commented on the historic nature of President Sharaa’s upcoming visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. “This will be the first time for a Syrian president to participate in the high-level week of the U.N., since the establishment of the U.N. 80 years ago.”
Paid subscribers can watch the full interview to hear Idlbi talk about the controversial nature of his president’s visit to New York, how he has come to work for a leader with a record like Sharaa’s, and why Sharaa is delaying presidential elections for the next four to five years.
Free subscribers can watch a 4-minute preview. To watch the full conversation, consider upgrading to a paid subscription and supporting the work we’re doing at Zeteo.
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