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After more than five decades of brutal and repressive rule, dividing the Syrian people and making their country an international pariah, the Assad regime of Syria has finally met its comeuppance. The lion (“assad” in Arabic) has finally been caged. A truly beautiful country of warm and welcoming people, profound cultural riches and tremendous historical importance is finally going to get a chance to show the world what it is made of. The Syrian people have been held back by an evil regime for so long. Finally, they will be able to construct the country they deserve and show the tremendous potential of the Syrian people at the historical and geographical crossroads of the Middle East.

A Syrian revolution that had seemed at its end was briskly revived — to the surprise of almost all — after the significant blows dealt to Hezbollah by Israel and with Russian troops having been diverted from Syria and mired in the war in Ukraine. Headed by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, which was once affiliated with Al-Qaeda, a diverse assembly of groups, including remnants of the Free Syrian Army, the Turkish-backed coalition of rebel groups, Islamist factions and more rebel groups in the south, took back the country in record time. In his victory speech at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, the head of HTS, Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, called on Syria’s people to “come together to rebuild our nation, free from tyranny and oppression,” while assuring all minorities that their rights would be protected in the new Syria.

This fresh and encouraging start, seeking to include all the Syrian people in a process of reconstruction and reconciliation, has assuaged the fears many countries had concerning the nature of the rebel coalition and its intentions. Even those countries that lost the most in the fall of the Assad regime, namely Iran and Russia, have sent messages of goodwill and cooperation to the powers that be in Syria. Al-Golani himself emphasized that “a new history has been written, not just for Syria, but for the entire region,” opening new paths for peace and stability across the region.

The almost universal response of goodwill and cautious optimism was renounced only by Israel

Hassan bin Youssef Yassin

The almost universal response of goodwill and cautious optimism was renounced only by Israel, which chose instead to occupy more Syrian territory and carry out more than 100 airstrikes around the country on Monday. The prospect of a pragmatic leadership in Damascus emphasizing peace and reconciliation should really be a reassurance to Israel, particularly with the dramatic further blow to Hezbollah’s capacities this represents.

Instead, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the 1974 peace deal with Syria null and void and he bombarded the country. Netanyahu simply cannot bear the thought of peace, of a prosperous and stable Arab world that would force Israel to clearly delineate its borders and allow the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. He has left us no doubt about his continually malicious intentions.

As the Arab world forges ahead, seizing opportunities for peace, growth and stability, the new American administration must make it clear to Israel that its best interests do not lie in seizing more land and crushing the Palestinian people, but rather in becoming a respected partner in making the Middle East a land of peace, progress and stability. Israel cannot be allowed to continue to sabotage every chance for peace and must be held firmly to the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, not only by the international community but specifically by the new US administration.

The fall of the Assad regime and the birth of a new Syria represent a tremendous opportunity for peace

Hassan bin Youssef Yassin

��������Ƶ’s response to the overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria was in stark contrast to that of Israel, as the Kingdom offered “to help (Syria) overcome the devastation endured by the brotherly Syrian people over many years.” It called for “concerted efforts to preserve the unity of Syria and the cohesion of its people.” The Foreign Ministry concluded that “the time has come for the brotherly Syrian people to enjoy the dignified life they deserve, to contribute with all their components to shaping a bright future marked by security, stability and prosperity, and for Syria to reclaim its rightful place in the Arab and Islamic worlds.”

When we look at the history of the Jewish people in the Middle East, we find that, for centuries, they lived as an integral component of Arab societies, in peace and mutual respect. Avi Shlaim, the Israeli historian of Iraqi origin, confirmed that “before Zionism, the Jewish communities of the Middle East and North Africa lived among their neighbors as part of the social fabric, sharing languages, music and culture.” And Iraqi Jewish writer Naim Kattan explained that, “in Baghdad, we all lived together as neighbors, Muslims and Jews. We shared our joys, our griefs and our lives in peace.”

The fall of the Assad regime and the birth of a new Syria represent a critical juncture and a tremendous opportunity for peace, prosperity and stability, not only in Syria but throughout the Middle East. The occasion is too big for Israel to disregard. But to turn Abba Eban’s words around, Israel has recently proven that it never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity for peace. It is time for the world and the new US administration to make it clear to the Israelis that they cannot afford to stand against or aside from this new hope and effort for peace and stability in the region.

• Hassan bin Youssef Yassin worked closely with Saudi petroleum ministers Abdullah Tariki and Ahmed Zaki Yamani from 1959 to 1967. He headed the Saudi Information Office in Washington from 1972 to 1981 and served with the Arab League observer delegation to the UN from 1981 to 1983.