Syria’s interim President, Ahmed Shara, requested protection from a US-backed private security company during the upcoming Arab League Summit in Baghdad.

A government source, speaking to Shafaq News Agency, revealed that Syria’s interim President, Ahmed Shara, had requested security guarantees from the US to attend the Arab Summit in Baghdad. It was stated that Shara specifically asked for protection to be provided by a private American security company.

The source stated, “Baghdad offered various security guarantees to ensure Ahmed Shara’s participation in the summit, but the Syrian administration finds them insufficient.” It was expressed that the Syrian side is concerned about a potential attack in Iraq and therefore requires US assurance.

It was reported that Qatar played a mediating role in the meeting between Shara and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and supported Shara’s visit to Iraq, but does not have a security company operating in the country.

It was also stated that Iran’s silence regarding Shara’s visit to Iraq has made the Damascus administration uneasy, and it was emphasized that Shara’s participation in the summit is entirely dependent on security measures.

Iraq had sent an official invitation to Ahmed Shara to attend the Arab Summit. This invitation caused widespread political debate in the country. Shara was one of the thousands of foreign fighters who entered Iraq via Syria after the 2003 US invasion. He was arrested by US forces in 2005 and remained in prison until 2011. Upon his release, he returned to Syria in 2011 to establish the Syrian branch of ISIS, commissioned by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS who was killed in 2019. Jolani, who founded the Nusra Front in January 2012, declared allegiance to Al-Qaeda in April 2013 but announced his separation from Al-Qaeda in July 2016, gradually transforming his organization into Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The Assad regime was overthrown as a result of attacks led by HTS, which began last December.

In the memory of many Iraqis, the systematic attacks by the organization Shara was part of, which began after the 2003 US invasion, remain fresh. The Iraqi branch of Al-Qaeda, to which Shara was affiliated at the time, is remembered for numerous attacks, particularly targeting the Shia population. Hundreds of civilians lost their lives in bombings in Shia-majority areas such as Najaf, Karbala, and Sadr City, and the attack on the Askari Shrine in Samarra in 2006 deepened sectarian conflict. Due to this history, Shara’s invitation to Baghdad creates significant sensitivity in Iraq, especially among Shia groups.

There is an arrest warrant issued for Shara by the Iraqi judiciary in late 2024. Additionally, an Iraqi member of parliament filed a criminal complaint against Shara last week.

However, Iraqi legal expert Mohammed Jumaa stated that Shara currently holds the status of a head of state and therefore possesses immunity under national and international laws. Jumaa used the phrase, “Therefore, past accusations are now invalid.”

The ruling Coordination Framework bloc in Iraq left the decision-making authority regarding whether to invite Shara to the prime minister during its last meeting. While the bloc did not officially oppose the invitation, some components explicitly stated their opposition.

The Arab League Summit, scheduled for May 17, will be the first summit hosted by Iraq since 2012.

Despite the Chief of Staff’s warning that it could endanger hostages held in Gaza, the Israeli Security Cabinet has approved the plan to expand the occupation in Gaza.

According to news from Israeli state television KAN, the Security Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, approved the plan involving the gradual expansion of attacks on Gaza.

According to reports in the Israeli press, the plan is expected to be implemented only after US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region next week. Until then, ceasefire negotiations with Hamas are reported to continue.

According to officials, the plan presented by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir includes the gradual occupation of Gaza, the Israeli army establishing permanent control in the region, directing the civilian population to southern areas, and intensifying attacks on Hamas. Furthermore, preventing Hamas’s access to humanitarian aid is also part of the plan.

According to KAN‘s report, the first phase of the plan will focus on a specific area of Gaza, and then the operation will be expanded to other areas. The conflicts are expected to last for months.

It is stated that in areas captured by ground attacks, Israeli soldiers, unlike in previous operations, will not withdraw after the conflicts and will continue the occupation in these areas.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza was also discussed at the meeting. The Israeli Security Cabinet claimed that “there is currently sufficient food” in Gaza, while also approving the option of sending humanitarian aid to the region “if necessary.”

The Cabinet also accepted the proposal involving the restructuring of the humanitarian aid distribution system to prevent aid from falling into Hamas’s hands. According to the plan previously announced by The Times of Israel, the Israeli army will withdraw from large-scale distribution and storage duties; aid will be delivered directly to the people of Gaza by international organizations and private security companies. Israel believes that this method will make it more difficult for Hamas to transfer aid to its militants.

Disagreements continue among political leaders in Israel regarding the expansion of the Gaza operation. According to Kanal 13‘s report, Chief of Staff Zamir stated in his presentation to the cabinet that there is a risk of losing hostages if a large-scale operation is launched in Gaza. Zamir, saying “We may not be able to reach the hostages in a comprehensive operation,” pointed out that the two main goals of the war, destroying Hamas and rescuing the hostages, could conflict.

In a statement from the Forum formed by hostage families, it was emphasized that the Chief of Staff’s warning should concern all Israeli people, stating, “There can be no victory achieved without rescuing the hostages. Losing the hostages would be Israel’s defeat.”

It is reported that the Israeli army has called up thousands of reserve soldiers in line with plans to expand the occupation in Gaza, but a significant portion of these soldiers may not respond to the calls due to “war fatigue.”

Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir announced yesterday that call-up orders have been sent to tens of thousands of reserve soldiers by the army. Addressing the soldiers, Zamir used the expressions, “Our goal is to bring back our hostages and defeat Hamas. In this direction, we are increasing the pressure.”

According to a report by the newspaper Haaretz, based on unnamed military sources, as part of the expansion of the occupation, reserve soldiers will replace regular units on Israel’s northern border and in the West Bank.

The report stated, “The vast majority of reserve soldiers will serve on the northern border and in the Gaza Strip, replacing regular units that will be redeployed to intensify operations in the Gaza Strip.” It was noted that many commanders and soldiers had reported, even before receiving call-ups, that they were not considering participating in the next conflict due to “fatigue.”

Nearly 1000 pilots and reserve soldiers, some retired from the Israeli Air Force, had issued a statement calling for an end to the attacks on Gaza.

Following increased tension in areas inhabited by Druze in southern Damascus, Israel conducted a second airstrike in Syria, again citing attacks on the Druze community. This time, the target was the vicinity of the Syrian Presidential Palace.

Recent days in Syria saw this second Israeli air raid after groups linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) attacked Druze in the Jaramana and Sahnaya areas, which are heavily populated by Druze in southern Damascus.

Reports indicated that the Israeli army’s target was the area near the Syrian Presidential Palace, which was also described as the official residence of Syria’s interim President Ahmed Shara (Abu Mohammad al-Jolani).

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued a joint statement declaring the attack was “a clear message to the Syrian regime.” Their statement included the phrases, “We will not allow military force to be sent to southern Damascus or any threat against the Druze.”

In a separate statement, Defense Minister Katz remarked, “When Ahmed Shara wakes up in the morning and sees the results of the Israeli airstrike, he will understand that Israel is determined to prevent harm to the Druze in Syria.” Katz further stated that the Syrian administration “should allow the Druze in Sweida and Jabal al-Druze to defend themselves and prevent radical elements from reaching the villages.”

The Israeli army had previously conducted an airstrike on Syrian territory on April 30 for similar reasons.

Tension had escalated after a voice recording, allegedly belonging to a Druze cleric and containing insults against Prophet Muhammad, circulated on social media. Protests in Hama and Homs featured slogans like “Cut off the heads of the pig Druze,” although Druze leaders had denied the recording belonged to them.

Despite this denial, clashes erupted on Monday (April 28) after HTS-linked groups were reportedly directed to the region, resulting in over 100 deaths in the ensuing violence.

Yesterday, it was announced that Sahnaya Mayor Hussein Varur and his son Haider Varur were killed. The Druze community held the Damascus administration responsible for these murders, which occurred immediately after a ceasefire in the region was announced.

The spiritual leader of the Syrian Druze, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, urgently called on the international community to intervene, stating that “massacres are being documented.” He asserted, “International military intervention is now required to stop these crimes. All institutions and organizations should not ignore this brutality inflicted upon our people.”

Separately, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce condemned the acts of violence and hate speech targeting the Druze community in Syria.

Bruce urged the Damascus administration to end the violence against the Druze, hold those responsible accountable, and protect all civilians. The US spokesperson warned that “sectarianism threatens Syria’s stability” and called for “a government that protects, integrates, and represents all of Syria’s communities, including ethnic and religious minorities.”