The new governor of Damascus in an interview with NPR frankly called on the United States to use its power to promote the proper relationship between Syria and Israel. Marwan’s appeals emerge at a key turning point in Middle Eastern politics since the recent reactivation of tensions in the area.
At 42 years old, Governor Maher Marwan has taken the chair during one of the worst periods in Syria when the regime of Bashar al-Assad has recently crumbled. He has decided to be diplomatic and wants the country to have no quarrel with this neighbor –Israel. In the large room situated in the center of the Syrian capital adorned with peculiar features of the Syrian interior, Marwan says firmly, and a man who is ready to set a new development for Syria.
Marwan ‘Syria’s new government is not looking for unnecessary confrontations particularly with Israel’. He made his statement after Israel has continued to launch attacks in Syria, something that has raised eyebrows since the ouster of Assad’s regime earlier this month.
In his well-insulated, comfortable and well-furnished office, Marwan paints the picture of continuity, non-aggression. Dressed in a typical black tweed suit and tie, he moves formally to receive NPR’s journalists with the necessary formalities, shaking hands only with the male NPR reporters and interviewing formally.
Marwan, noting Israel’s concerns said, “There is nothing wrong with any country having a certain level of concern.” It is easy to understand initial concerns of the state of Israel given our regional context, signifying that its most recent round of military adventures can be viewed as actions borne out of self-defense.
This nuanced understanding seems to include Syria’s broader approach to questions of national security as well.” Syria’s talks are not aimed at Israel as Marwan adds.” We provoke no war, and we have no motive for maligning or threatening the security of any country, including Israel.”
However, Israel’s active behavior, including bombardment of highly strategic military sites in Syrian territory and the capture of patches of the Golan Heights, has raised the prospect of annexation in Syria. The following maneuvers have unfortunately added to the already tense relationships between the two countries.
Highlighting a pragmatic perspective, Marwan describes Israel’s apprehensions as “natural,” acknowledging the historical tensions that have long shadowed both countries. Nevertheless, his public invitation for USA to build a diplomatic relationship with them reflects a transition from warlike deadlocks to possible conversations for peace.
Marwan’s appeals to them have transcended the borders of Syria and have a regional applicability, expressing the urgency for communication and comprehension. He highlights that through making appeals to U.S. intervention, the potential contribution of global powers to destabilization of Middle Eastern peace processes is emphasized and that in the process, chances for the establishment of long-term stability may be created.
Middle East, the area deeply threaded by historical accounts and strategic geopolitics, is at the cusp of change. Today, Governor Marwan’s actions represent a break in the long tradition of fighting and they appear to offer hope that instead of being the foundation of Syrian-Israeli relations, tension and hatred can be successfully substituted by diplomacy.
Marwan’s message is clear: diplomacy should guide the future, and with constructive dialogue, longstanding fears can be alleviated, leading to a harmonious coexistence for both Syrians and Israelis. While the Middle East watches, the world hopes that the US will take the call seriously and use all of the US diplomatic muscle that’s at its disposal to help redraw the map of the Middle East, one talk at a time.
Until then Damascus is a city with voices of hope for peace, under the guardianship of a governor set to guide diplomacy while others explore the path of change and lack of certainty.
