The new Syrian government are jihadists; normalisation legitimises them

The position holds that Syria's new government are jihadists in disguise, and that normalising relations with them legitimises extremists. Its advocates use terms such as rebranded al-Qaeda and jihadist takeover, and point to sectarian violence against minorities including Alawites, Druze and Christians as evidence of what the government is.

The position is voiced by outlets from Israel: 12 on the transition in Syria after Assad and on international recognition and normalisation with the new Syrian government, and three on the rebuilding of the Syrian state, where they say jihadists are in government now. Israel's defence minister, Katz, said Israel will not leave the buffer zone in Syria as long as jihadist threats remain.

The competing position holds that the post-Assad transition is legitimate and that foreign forces should withdraw and let Syrians govern themselves. The events of recent months run in several directions: the United States removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, Syria's president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, told the UN that peace with Israel is possible but that the Golan Heights will remain Syrian, Israel struck a Syrian airbase and drew criticism from Turkey and the United States, and Israel's Mossad chief met Syria's foreign minister in Jordan to ease tensions.