Condemnations have grown after protesters in Syria targeted the UAE Embassy in Damascus.
“The US-UAE partnership on all fronts remains of critical importance to the Middle East… Syria’s bold reengagement with the region has been a defining chapter - one worth protecting. We urge Damascus to safeguard all diplomatic missions and to continue the courageous work of reconciliation,” US Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack posted in a statement.
Syria has argued that any offensive actions and remarks by the protesters “do not represent the Syrian people or their values.”
The reason for the sudden protests was not clear. Reports that appeared to sympathize with the activists said the protesters were pro-Palestinian. Middle East Eye, which is critical of the current Syrian government, claimed that the protests had “spilled over into anger directed at the UAE, with demonstrators targeting its embassy over the country’s support for Israel amid the ongoing 'genocide' in Gaza.” It was not clear why the protests targeted the UAE over an issue related to Israel.
The Syrian government has attempted to have amicable ties with Israel since the fall of the Assad regime. The Assad regime backed Hezbollah and was an ally of Iran. The new government of Ahmed al-Sharaa opposes Hezbollah and Iran. However, Israeli officials and politicians have often condemned Sharaa, even threatening to kill him.
Sharaa was recently on a trip to Germany and the UK. In the past, when Sharaa was out of the country, there has been a tendency for officials in Syria to lose control and let incidents unfold that have harmed Syria. This has happened in the past with attacks on Alawites and Druze.
According to Middle East Eye, “dozens gathered outside the UAE embassy on Friday, some chanting ‘the Zionist embassy’, according to a Reuters witness.”
According to this report, “the protest formed part of wider demonstrations across Syria in response to Israeli policies towards Palestinians, which have fueled outrage across the region.” The UAE has peace with Israel and is part of the Abraham Accords. The spark for the protests was reported to be a new death penalty law being pushed in Jerusalem. Protests of this kind are rare in Syria.
Outrage in the Gulf over the attack has been clear. “Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman condemned the riots and attacks that targeted the UAE embassy and the headquarters of the head of mission in the Syrian capital, Damascus,” Al-Ain media reported in the UAE.
“The Kingdom of Bahrain expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the riots, attacks, and sabotage attempts that targeted the headquarters of the UAE Embassy and the headquarters of the head of the mission in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and the accompanying unacceptable insults that affected the national symbols of the state, in flagrant violation of all international laws and norms,” the report said.
Furthermore, “Kuwait expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the riots and attacks that targeted the UAE Embassy and the headquarters of its head of mission in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and the accompanying violation of the sanctity of diplomatic missions,” Al-Ain added.
“The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement that targeting diplomatic missions constitutes a violation of international law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, calling for holding the perpetrators of these acts accountable and ensuring that they are not repeated.”
Qatar also expressed its condemnation. Qatar has been a close friend of the new government in Damascus. “The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement that targeting diplomatic missions is a flagrant violation of international law, stressing the need to hold the perpetrators of these acts accountable and ensure that they are not repeated,” Al-Ain noted. Oman also slammed the attack.
Meanwhile, Gulf News noted that “Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, has said that attacks on embassies and diplomatic missions constitute a serious violation of international law and reflect shortcomings in the security environment of the countries where such incidents occur.” Gargash is often outspoken on policy trends in the Gulf.
“In remarks following the targeting of the UAE diplomatic mission in Damascus, Gargash said the actions of a small extremist group pursuing a rejected agenda came despite the fact that the UAE hosts a large Syrian community that lives and works in safety and stability,” Gulf News added.
Syrian FM Shaibani aims to restore UAE ties
The Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani has sought to patch things up. He emphasized the country’s strong and friendly relations with the United Arab Emirates. He posted on X, saying Syria has a solid relationship with the UAE “based on mutual respect and constructive cooperation.”
SANA state media in Syria said “the Syrian Foreign Ministry on Friday reiterated its rejection of attacks or attempts to approach embassies and diplomatic missions in the country. The ministry underlined that diplomatic premises are protected under international law and conventions, serving as symbols of relations between states and peoples.”
The controversy represents a rare rebuke for Syria in the region.
