How Israel’s Prisoner Execution Law Could Affect Syria-Israel Relations

As tensions escalate in the Palestinian territories and controversial Israeli decisions return to the forefront, regional files are once again becoming intertwined, reconnecting Syria to the conflict with Israel, not only through geography but also through politics and popular sentiment.

The Israeli Knesset’s recent decision to approve the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners did not remain confined to Israel’s domestic arena. It quickly reverberated across the Syrian street, where demonstrations took place in several cities and camps, expressing rejection of the decision and reaffirming the centrality of the Palestinian cause in Syrian public consciousness, despite the profound transformations Syria has experienced in recent years.

In response to these protests, Abu Obeida, spokesperson for al-Qassam Brigades, praised the demonstrations held in Syrian cities and camps in support of Palestinians, expressing appreciation for the mobilization and saying its echo had reached the Gaza Strip, a sign of the importance of Arab popular support in sustaining the Palestinian cause.

Reactions did not stop there. An armed group in the town of Zakia (in rural Damascus, near Quneitra) declared a “general mobilization,” calling for confrontation with Israel following Israeli forces’ control over parts of southern Syrian territory.

This popular and military response comes at a sensitive moment, as the political and military files between Damascus and Tel Aviv intersect, especially amid Israel’s continued control over areas in southern Syria and growing talk of undeclared understandings, or attempts to reset the rules of engagement between the two sides, whether through international mediation or unstable field arrangements.

Although these developments may appear separate on the surface, they essentially reflect a deep connection between what is happening in the Palestinian territories and the trajectory of the complex relationship between Syria and Israel. Israeli political decisions cannot be separated from their regional repercussions, nor from their direct or indirect impact on any potential negotiation track, especially regarding areas in southern Syria that have seen field changes in recent years.

In this context, questions are emerging over the extent to which these developments could affect the future of understandings between the two sides, and how they may be reflected in sensitive files, including military presence, lines of control, and the possibility of reintroducing sovereignty issues over areas that have undergone field shifts, amid a changing regional reality and still unsettled equations.

The Syrian street and Israeli politics

Political writer Firas Allawi told Enab Baladi that the latest developments could affect the nature of the relationship between Syria and Israel amid escalating tensions and growing public engagement.

He said the Israeli right wing may seek to exploit these developments in the context of its relationship with Syria, noting that the scale of this impact remains tied to the fate of any existing or potential negotiation track between the two sides.

He added that the Israeli right may use the demonstrations seen in Syrian cities, alongside positions issued by the Palestinian al-Qassam Brigades, to strengthen its domestic standing, especially as Israel prepares for a post-war political phase, including any possible electoral contests.

He also noted that these developments could be used as a pressure card by Israeli governments against Damascus by promoting the presence of threats originating from inside Syria, which, from the Israeli perspective, could justify different forms of intervention or escalation.

At the same time, Allawi said that, despite their connection to a cause that holds a central place for the Syrian public, these developments may carry negative political repercussions for the Syrian government, particularly if they are exploited by hardline right-wing currents inside Israel in a way that complicates any potential de-escalation or understanding between the two sides.

Between public opinion and political interests

In his reading of the reaction to the latest developments, Wael Alwan, a researcher at Jusoor for Studies, told Enab Baladi that what Israel is doing in the Palestinian territories carries a “provocative” character at the level of public opinion, whether in the Arab region or the wider Islamic world, making popular protests against it unsurprising.

Alwan stressed the need to distinguish between official positions and popular positions, noting that governments move according to complex political considerations tied to intersecting interests and regional and international alignments, which shape the nature of their official stances.

By contrast, he said governments cannot ignore public sentiment, which is influenced by nationalist, religious, and humanitarian factors, making popular engagement present even amid more pragmatic state-level calculations.

Syria’s position on Israel

On March 31, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa took part in a dialogue session at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, where he addressed Syria’s position on Israel.

Al-Sharaa stressed that Syria had faced negative treatment from Tel Aviv, saying efforts at dialogue and discussion had aimed to reach points of agreement, but had collided with changing circumstances at the last moment.

He added that Syria’s situation is closely tied to Gaza’s, and that it has suffered as the people of the Strip have suffered, while also noting that the main goal had been to preserve a balanced Syrian position and avoid escalation from the outset.

Arab condemnations

Egypt condemned the approval of the law on executing Palestinian prisoners, saying it represents an unprecedented escalation and undermines fair trial guarantees, while describing the legislation as “void” and as entrenching a systematic discriminatory approach.

It said the law constitutes a blatant violation of the rules of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.

Al-Azhar also strongly denounced the law, describing it as a “desperate attempt” to give legal cover to and justify the “crimes of the occupation” against Palestinians.

In a statement, it said legalizing the killing of prisoners reflects a state of “savagery and moral collapse of the Zionist entity and its violation of all human values,” in its words.

It also expressed deep dismay at the “collapse of the international legal system” and its inability to confront the codification of criminality, calling on rights organizations to shoulder their responsibilities to stop these measures, which it said trample international norms.

In Jordan, the Foreign Ministry condemned the law as “racist and illegitimate,” and called on the international community to compel Israel to halt its invalid decisions targeting the existence of the Palestinian people.

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry said the law contradicts international legal rules that prohibit imposing control over occupied territories through legislative frameworks imposed by the occupying power.

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