By: Ariella Haviv

In the labyrinthine alleyways of Damascus’s Old City—where centuries of history lie layered like sediment beneath each stone threshold—the arrest of Salim Hamdani has reverberated far beyond the narrow shopfront he long occupied. Hamdani, a Jewish merchant and one of the last remaining members of Syria’s once-thriving Jewish community, was detained recently by Syrian authorities on suspicion of engaging in the illegal trade of antiquities, according to recent report by KAN News, the Israeli public broadcaster. The incident, rare in both its subject and symbolism, has exposed the fragility of minority existence in post-war Syria and complicated the government’s efforts to recast itself as a guardian of pluralism and cultural coexistence.

Hamdani’s arrest, carried out quietly yet laden with historical resonance, occurred amid heightened scrutiny of Syria’s cultural heritage sector. Authorities allege that the charges are strictly administrative and legal in nature, relating to violations of antiquities laws that regulate the excavation, possession, and sale of historical artifacts. According to sources cited by KAN News, the case is not connected to Hamdani’s religious identity. Yet in a country where the Jewish population has dwindled to a vanishing point—and where Jews have long occupied a precarious place within the national narrative—such assurances have done little to quell unease.

Once home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world, Syria has witnessed the near-total erosion of that legacy over the past seven decades. Damascus, Aleppo, and Qamishli were once vibrant centers of Jewish life, renowned for their synagogues, schools, mercantile networks, and religious scholarship. Political upheaval following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, followed by decades of authoritarian rule, persecution, and restrictions on movement, steadily drove Syria’s Jews into exile. The civil war that erupted in 2011 delivered the final blow, scattering the remnants of the community across the globe.

Today, only a handful of Jews are believed to remain in Syria, most of them elderly, and nearly all living in Damascus. Against this backdrop, Hamdani’s arrest has assumed an outsized symbolic weight. For observers, it is not merely the detention of an individual accused of a regulatory offense, but a moment that encapsulates the vulnerability of a community reduced to near invisibility.

According to KAN News, Hamdani is a shop owner in the Old City, an area dense with archaeological significance and subject to stringent heritage protections. Syrian antiquities law is among the most restrictive in the region, reflecting the country’s immense archaeological wealth—and the widespread looting that accompanied years of war and instability. Unauthorized handling or sale of artifacts, even those acquired decades earlier, can result in severe penalties. Syrian officials maintain that the law applies equally to all citizens, regardless of faith or background.

Yet equality before the law does not always translate into equality of consequence. Analysts note that arrests involving minority figures, particularly Jews, are exceedingly rare in Syria—not because violations do not occur, but because the community is so small and so closely monitored. That reality has heightened sensitivities surrounding Hamdani’s detention, with supporters warning that even a procedurally lawful arrest may carry unintended political and psychological repercussions.

The timing of the incident has further complicated matters. In recent months, Syrian authorities have embarked on a cautious campaign to rehabilitate the country’s international image, emphasizing religious coexistence and cultural preservation as pillars of national recovery. As part of this effort, officials have extended symbolic gestures toward the Jewish diaspora, including invitations to visit ancestral sites and public statements affirming respect for Jewish heritage. Most notably, the government recently issued a license to a newly established organization dedicated to safeguarding Jewish historical sites in Syria, an initiative reportedly led by members of the Syrian Jewish diaspora.

These overtures, while limited in scope, were widely interpreted as an attempt to signal openness—particularly to Western audiences—and to counter Syria’s long-standing reputation for repression. Against that narrative, Hamdani’s arrest appears discordant, raising questions about whether gestures of tolerance are being undercut by the realities of governance and security enforcement.

KAN News reported that concern has spread rapidly within the tiny Jewish community that remains in Syria, as well as among Syrian Jews abroad. Efforts are reportedly underway, both inside the country and internationally, to secure Hamdani’s release or at least ensure that his case is handled with transparency and proportionality. Advocates emphasize that while antiquities laws must be upheld, the exceptional status of the Jewish community demands heightened sensitivity—particularly given the historical trauma that has shaped its relationship with the Syrian state.

For many in the diaspora, the case has revived painful memories of arbitrary arrests, property seizures, and restrictions that once defined Jewish life in Syria. Even if the charges against Hamdani are substantiated, critics argue that the optics of the arrest risk reinforcing longstanding fears rather than fostering trust.

The Syrian government, for its part, faces a delicate balancing act. On one hand, it must assert control over cultural heritage and demonstrate that no individual is above the law. On the other, it seeks to cultivate an image of inclusivity and reconciliation at a moment when international legitimacy remains elusive. The detention of one of the country’s last Jews threatens to unravel that carefully constructed narrative, inviting skepticism about the sincerity of official rhetoric.

Observers note that minority communities in Syria—whether Christian, Druze, Alawite, or Jewish—have long been subject to shifting political calculations. Their treatment often reflects broader strategic priorities rather than consistent legal principles. In this sense, Hamdani’s arrest is less an isolated incident than a window into the complexities of post-war Syrian governance, where law enforcement, symbolism, and international messaging frequently intersect.

As Syria emerges from more than a decade of devastating conflict, questions of identity, memory, and belonging loom large. The preservation of Jewish heritage sites, the invitation of diaspora Jews to return—even briefly—and the public acknowledgment of Jewish history are steps that carry genuine potential. But such gestures require continuity and credibility to be meaningful. An arrest that unsettles the last vestiges of Jewish life risks undermining those efforts, regardless of intent.

KAN News has emphasized that the situation remains fluid, with investigations ongoing and diplomatic channels quietly engaged. Whether Hamdani’s case will culminate in prosecution, release, or a negotiated resolution remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the episode has already left an indelible mark—both on Syria’s remaining Jews and on the global community watching closely for signs of genuine change.

In a city that has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, the fate of one elderly shopkeeper may seem a small matter. Yet in the context of Syria’s fractured social landscape, Salim Hamdani’s arrest stands as a poignant reminder that history is not only preserved in artifacts and monuments, but in the lives of those who remain to bear witness.