Part 4/9:
Werime addressed these concerns by contextualizing the Israeli actions within the long-standing conflict involving Syria's ruling Assad regime. Historically, Syria under Bashar al-Assad has been characterized by brutal repression and a complex mosaic of minority and majority communities, often caught in sectarian and ethnic tensions. The minority groups such as the Alawi sect—of which Assad himself is a part—and the Druze have often navigated Assad's authoritarian control to ensure their survival.