Dim Amor

Israel's Foreign Ministry yesterday (November 14, 2025) issued a strongly-worded message against Syria following reports of an event organized in the country to mark the events of October 7. The message, published on the ministry's official X account, targets Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, accusing him of lies and duplicity.

"Syria's president, al-Julani, speaks of a 'new Syria,' but at the same time his Culture Ministry is inviting the public to a national party marking the October 7 massacre – the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, celebrated there under the name 'Al-Aqsa Flood'", the Foreign Ministry's post stated. The ministry added in an unequivocal message: "Anyone who celebrates a massacre – wants more massacres, not change".

The post comes against the backdrop of reports about an event organized in the Arab country by the Syrian Culture Ministry, bearing the Islamic name "Al-Aqsa Flood" – the name Hamas gave to the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were murdered and over 250 hostages were abducted to the Gaza Strip. The fact that an official government ministry is inviting the public to an event marking the attack comes, according to Israel, in complete contradiction to the narrative the Syrian president is trying to promote in the international arena.

Al-Julani, who came to power in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, has tried to present himself as a moderate leader seeking to lead the country to a new era of peace and stability. He has met with international figures and sent reassuring messages to the American administration led by Donald Trump, emphasizing his desire to promote stability in the Middle East and open a new chapter in Syria's relations with the world.

However, the planned event, promoted by the Syrian Culture Ministry which reports directly to the new government, raises major questions about the credibility of this narrative. Israel views the event as evidence that this is not a "new Syria" but rather a "new enemy" – a regime that replaces the Assad regime but maintains the same deep hostility toward the State of Israel and ideological support for acts of massacre against Jews.

The event demonstrates a deep gap between the diplomatic messages conveyed by the Syrian regime and the reality on the ground.

The Foreign Ministry's post constitutes a clear warning to the international community, and especially to the Trump administration, not to be impressed by external messages of moderation and change. Israel claims that the new Syrian regime is openly lying to the United States and the West, presenting a double face: a narrative of peace externally, and support for terrorism internally.

As Syria attempts to emerge from years of devastating civil war and rebuild its relations with the West, the planned event could pose a significant obstacle to the new regime. The Israeli claims, if proven accurate, could harm al-Julani's ability to mobilize international support and present himself as a legitimate alternative to the extremist regimes that operated in the country in the past.

Photo: AP