Syria, Jordan, US Unveil Suwayda Roadmap Amid Rejection

Syria, Jordan and the United States unveiled a roadmap in Damascus to restore stability in Suwayda, weeks after sectarian violence left more than 250 dead and displaced more than 160,000. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani said the plan includes “holding accountable those who attacked civilians, continuing humanitarian aid, compensating victims, restoring services, returning abductees, and deploying police to protect roads”

The agreement, signed by al-Shibani, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and US envoy Tom Barrack, affirms that Suwayda is an integral part of Syria and that its residents are equal citizens. It also outlines steps for local reconciliation involving Druze, Christian, Sunni and Bedouin representatives. “We want Syria to stabilise, recover and rebuild after years of destruction and suffering,” Safadi said

The roadmap contains key points referring to the recognition of Syria’s sovereignty over Suwayda: 

• As-Suwayda Governorate is an integral part of Syria and has no future outside it, and the people of the governorate are Syrian citizens with equal rights and duties with all Syrians.

• US and Jordan welcome the affirmation by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al- Sheibani of his commitment to ending the crisis through a solution that guarantees Syria’s unity and preserves all the rights of the people of al-Suwayda Governorate as Syrian citizens.

• The United States, in consultation with the Syrian government, will work to reach security understandings with Israel regarding southern Syria that address the legitimate security concerns of both Syria and Israel, while emphasizing Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Jordan will support this effort, including through joint meetings.

Hijri-backed Supreme Legal Committee Rejected

However, the Hijri-backed Supreme Legal Committee in Suwayda rejected the initiative, saying the Syrian government “cannot be both accused and judge” and denouncing Syrian courts as politicised. The committee accused Damascus of blocking genuine accountability for massacres and abuses, undermining reconciliation.

Tensions remain heightened by Israel’s involvement. Despite ongoing talks, Israel continues to occupy Syrian territory and, according to Syrian officials, supports separatist militias in Suwayda. The Syrian government has accused Israel of fuelling unrest through strikes on Syrian forces and backing factions that destabilise the south.

US envoy Barrack acknowledged challenges ahead, saying confidence-building “takes inches, centimetres and decades to build and can be lost in an instant”. While Damascus has welcomed the joint effort, local opposition and Israeli intervention risks complicating the fragile roadmap.

Israel and Syria

Israel–Syria tensions loom large over the Suwayda roadmap, threatening to undermine the fragile accord. While the United States pledged to work with Damascus and Tel Aviv to reach security understandings with Israel that respect Syria’s sovereignty, the reality on the ground remains fraught. Israel continues to occupy the Golan Heights, recognised internationally as Syrian territory, and has launched repeated strikes on Syrian forces, including in Suwayda. Syrian officials accuse Israel of backing Hijri-aligned separatist militias and exploiting sectarian rifts in the south. Although Israeli leaders have floated the idea of a demilitarised zone in southern Syria, Damascus insists that such proposals amount to infringements on its territorial integrity. This unresolved friction casts doubt on whether the Suwayda initiative can move forward without addressing Israel’s military posture and its role in the governorate’s instability.