By: Fern Sidman – Jewish Voice News

In a charged and deeply consequential exchange before the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon delivered a pointed rebuke to his Syrian counterpart Ibrahim Olabi, forcefully rejecting assertions that Syria has entered a new era of stability and reform. According to a report on Wednesday at VIN News, the confrontation unfolded during a session dedicated to evaluating the rapidly shifting landscape inside Syria following the collapse of the Assad regime and the installation of an interim government.

The debate, already fraught due to rising concerns over the fate of religious and ethnic minorities in post-Assad Syria, grew increasingly tense as Danon catalogued reports of ongoing violence targeting Druze, Christian, and Alawite communities. Citing what VIN News described as a growing body of evidence of sectarian killings and the proliferation of lawless militias, Danon challenged the Syrian delegation’s narrative of national renewal.

“There is no evidence that Syria has turned over a new leaf,” Danon declared from the council floor. “We cannot speak of a ‘new Syria’ while Druze, Christians, and Alawites are being massacred. Change is proven through actions: stopping the killings, reining in the militias, and protecting minorities.”

His remarks captured the mounting skepticism in Jerusalem regarding the interim government’s ability—or willingness—to curb chaos inside Syria’s fracturing society. As VIN News has noted, Israeli officials have grown increasingly vocal over what they describe as the absence of meaningful protections for vulnerable communities in areas nominally under the authority of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Danon’s comments came just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured a buffer zone adjacent to the Israeli-Syrian frontier, signaling a renewed emphasis on monitoring developments on the other side of the border. That visit underscored Israel’s longstanding position: instability in Syria poses immediate security risks to Israel’s northern communities, and any movement of hostile forces toward the frontier will be met with decisive action.

At the Security Council, Danon reiterated this stance with notable clarity. “Israel will not allow militias on its border,” he said. “We will protect our citizens — all of them. If you want us to believe in your change, show it. Words alone do not build stability.”

The statement reflected Israel’s broader strategic view that the collapse of the Assad regime created both potential opportunities for long-term change in Syria and profound dangers in the short term. Foremost among these risks is the unchecked movement of armed groups across southern Syria, a region of particular concern given its proximity to both Israel and the Druze communities that straddle the border.

Ibrahim Olabi, representing Syria’s transitional government, offered a terse rebuttal at the conclusion of the session, pushing back against Danon’s criticisms while highlighting what he characterized as progress under the interim authorities.

“We have already proven ourselves to the Syrian people, to the countries of the region, and to our allies,” Olabi said. “Has Israel done the same?”

His remarks, as described by VIN News, encapsulated the rising diplomatic friction between Jerusalem and Damascus’s new leadership. While the Syrian envoy attempted to shift attention toward Israel’s regional posture, Danon’s intervention made clear that Jerusalem sees the security and humanitarian situation within Syria as central to any future stabilization efforts.

The rhetorical clash also illuminated a widening gap between Israel’s insistence on concrete, verifiable improvements on the ground and the Syrian leadership’s emphasis on projecting legitimacy and national renewal.

Much of Danon’s argument rested on evidence presented by diplomats, human-rights monitors, and various NGOs documenting lethal attacks against minority populations in territories where central governance remains weak. Reports highlighted by VIN News include targeted killings of Alawite villagers, assaults on Christian enclaves, and violent raids on Druze communities—incidents that contradict the official Syrian narrative of reconciliation and rebuilding.

Since the fall of Assad late last year, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has struggled to impose order. While the transitional authorities have announced a series of reform measures and vowed to establish inclusive governance, significant portions of the country remain under the influence of local militias, tribal factions, and sectarian armed groups. In many areas, minority populations have been left exposed.

Israel’s concern for the Druze communities inside Syria carries both moral and strategic dimensions. Israel’s own Druze citizens maintain strong familial and cultural ties with Druze living across the border. The vulnerability of these communities, especially in southern Syria, has become a flashpoint in Israeli policymaking.

The ceasefire arrangements and monitoring mechanisms established last year, largely brokered by the United States and European partners, were designed to prevent exactly the kind of resurgence in localized violence now being reported. Yet according to the report at VIN News, the IDF has grown disillusioned with the response—or lack thereof—from the international monitoring body tasked with assessing violations.

During the session, Danon noted that Israel had formally reported several instances of militia activity and sectarian attacks in Syrian villages but that these complaints “were not addressed.” The failure of the monitoring system to intervene meaningfully has led Israeli officials to conclude that without more robust enforcement, the agreements will remain symbolic rather than substantive.

Israel’s public emphasis on the plight of Syrian minorities marks a notable shift from past diplomatic patterns. With Assad gone and the regional map in flux, Israel has taken a more pronounced role in highlighting sectarian abuses occurring close to its borders. The report at VIN News noted that this includes not only expressions of solidarity but active intelligence monitoring and humanitarian support where possible.

Jerusalem’s position is rooted in both historical experience and present-day realities. The mass killing of minorities in Syria resonates deeply with Israel’s understanding of itself as a refuge state. Moreover, instability in southern Syria—particularly when directed against Druze populations—has the potential to spill over into Israel’s north, inflaming tensions and destabilizing border communities.

The confrontation between Danon and Olabi at the Security Council has drawn attention to the fragile nature of Syria’s post-Assad transition and the immense regional stakes attached to its trajectory. As detailed in the VIN News report, the international community remains divided on how to interpret the interim government’s progress, with some states urging patience and others—Israel foremost among them—demanding urgent, verifiable protections for at-risk populations.

For now, the situation inside Syria remains volatile. Sectarian grievances persist, armed groups proliferate, and the interim leadership faces an uphill battle in consolidating authority. Israel’s posture, anchored in national security imperatives and a declared commitment to defending regional minorities, suggests that Jerusalem will continue to exert pressure at the UN and beyond.

As more reports of violence emerge and as international monitors struggle to enforce the ceasefire’s provisions, diplomatic confrontations such as Wednesday’s session may become increasingly common. And while Syria attempts to project the image of a rejuvenated state, Israel’s message—delivered forcefully through Danon—is that legitimacy cannot be proclaimed; it must be earned through actions that safeguard all communities within its borders.

In the eyes of Israeli officials, the test of a “new Syria” lies not in declarations at the United Nations but in the lived reality of the Druze, Christian, and Alawite families still caught in the crossfire of a nation struggling to define its future.