Rebuilding Statehood Under the Shadow of Air Strikes

Standing at the podium of the United Nations General Assembly for his second address, Ahmed al-Sharaa presented a narrative tailored for foreign capital: a nation emerging from civil war into institutional order and economic normalisation. Yet the former al-Nusra Front commander, who ousted Bashar al-Assad in 2024, found his state-building pitch overshadowed by ongoing military friction on Syria's southern border.

The Syrian president used his address at the Assembly's 81st session to detail the scale of recent external pressure, pointing to 500 air strikes, over 1,200 incursions, and 300 detentions executed by Israeli forces. According to al-Sharaa, these operations directly undermine Syria's domestic security and post-conflict recovery. He demanded an Israeli withdrawal from the strategic, water-rich Golan Heights and urged international enforcement of the 1974 disengagement agreement that established a UN-supervised buffer zone.

The diplomatic arena around the issue remains uneven. While UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the occupation as unacceptable during a July visit to Damascus—the first by a UN chief since 2009—other international moves favor the status quo. Colombia recognized Israeli sovereignty claims over the Golan Heights just last month. Simultaneously, Israel has cultivated closer links with armed factions drawn from Syria's Druze minority, creating additional friction for Damascus as it attempts to consolidate domestic authority.

For al-Sharaa, establishing state control over security is the prerequisite for attracting foreign investment. His government points to key milestones: centralizing arms under official authority, securing the lifting of international sanctions, and rebuilding administrative and military structures. Damascus also cited the safe return of approximately 3.5 million refugees and displaced persons, a shift that eases regional strains and long-standing political tensions surrounding migration in Western nations.

Whether these administrative gains can hold while external military operations continue is the central dilemma for the new regime. Syria's leadership seeks economic opening and international recognition, but a fragile post-war state can hardly function smoothly when its borders remain volatile and contested.

Written by Sandy van Dongen sandy.vandongen@alpineweekly.com