Strategic Assessment

After over a year of internal unrest and oppressive violence against the civilian population, Syria recently saw the implementation of an official ceasefire, followed by the deployment of UN observers to guarantee the actual cessation of hostilities. However, an analysis of the history of the protests and the ongoing violence within Syria reveals both the tenuousness of the current ceasefire as well as the precariousness of Syria’s political future. This article looks at Syria following implementation of the ceasefire, explaining the roots of the current predicament, assessing possible developments, and analyzing the potential impact of the ongoing crisis on the region, with a specific focus on Israel. Finally, it discusses the role of the international community in mitigating the violence and facilitating a political resolution to the crisis.