Watan-Israeli National Security Minister and far-right political figure Itamar Ben Gvir incited calls on Wednesday evening for the assassination of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, marking the second threat from a senior Israeli official within 24 hours.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Ben Gvir wrote:“The horrific images from Syria prove one thing: those who are jihadists remain jihadists. They should not be negotiated with.”
He added, “The only solution with the Syrian president is to eliminate him.”
In an appeal aimed at Israeli Druze communities, he added:“I love the Druze in Israel, and I embrace them warmly. I say to them: we must strike the head of the snake,” referring to President Al-Sharaa.
Just two days earlier, on Monday evening, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli also called for the assassination of President Al-Sharaa, accusing him of being a “terrorist and brutal killer.”
These comments come amid a sharp military escalation, as the Israeli army conducted airstrikes on approximately 160 targets in Suwayda and Daraa provinces in southern Syria, and central Damascus on Wednesday. The strikes killed one person and injured 18 others in the capital, according to Syrian state sources.
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President Ahmed Al-Sharaa assumed leadership in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024, amid growing chaos and civil-military fragmentation in the country.
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The recent tribal clashes in Suwayda between Druze and Bedouin groups, along with government intervention, have triggered internal Druze opposition and external Israeli political reactions, particularly given the strong Druze presence in northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights.
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Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, is known for incendiary rhetoric and previously advocated for expulsions of Palestinians and harsh measures against dissent within Israel. His calls for assassination mark a new diplomatic low, risking international backlash and potential violation of international law.
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The open call for assassination from two Israeli ministers also reflects a growing consensus among Israel’s far-right that Syria, under its new leadership, poses a renewed threat, especially given its alliance with Iran and Hezbollah and ongoing chaos in southern provinces bordering Israel.
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The Israeli air campaign, coupled with ministerial incitement, suggests a coordinated policy shift toward military and political destabilization of post-Assad Syria.
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