Europe must play part in protecting Syria's minorities says Israeli FM, as Israel sends aid

Record ID: 1983266

  • Title: Europe must play part in protecting Syria's minorities says Israeli FM, as Israel sends aid
  • Date: 13th March 2025
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (MARCH 13, 2025) (AGENCY POOL) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FLAGS OF GREECE, CYPRUS AND ISRAEL ON GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGE GERAPETRITIS GREETING ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER GIDEON SAAR ON ARRIVAL, SHAKING HIS HAND AND ENTERING MINISTRY GERAPETRITIS AND SAAR SHAKING HANDS INSIDE GERAPETRITIES AND SAAR SEATED GERA
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Druze Israel Saar Syria
  • Location: ATHENS, GREECE
  • City: ATHENS, GREECE
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe
  • Reuters ID: LVA001858613032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Israel has sent humanitarian aid to Druze communities in its neighbour Syria over the past few weeks, its foreign ministry said on Thursday (March 13), in a further sign of backing for the minority group.
    Israel has been urging support for the Druze following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December and his replacement by the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
    Following Assad's ouster, Israel carried out extensive airstrikes on Syrian military bases and moved forces into a U.N.-monitored demilitarized zone within Syria, in what it has said was a defensive and indefinite measure.
    "In an operation conducted over the past few weeks, 10,000 packages of humanitarian aid were thus far delivered to the Druze community in the battle areas of Syria," the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement.
    The packages included basic goods including oil, flour, salt and sugar, and were mostly delivered to the southern province of Suwayda, the ministry added.
    Israel has expressed deep mistrust of the new Syrian government, describing Ahmed al-Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement as a jihadist group. HTS was affiliated with Al Qaeda but later renounced the connection.
    Four sources told Reuters last month Israel was lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and decentralized, including by letting Russia keep its military bases there to counter Turkey's growing influence in the country.
    "Europe must play a part in protecting Syria's minorities. It must remain watchful of Turkey's policies in the region and beyond," Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said at a press conference alongside his Greek and Cypriot counterparts in Athens.
    (Production: Deborah Kyvrikosaios)
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