Syria Support Movement solidarity with the Syrian people
The Syria Solidarity Movement® (SSM) congratulates the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), allied Palestinian militias, and the government of Syria on the liberation of Yarmouk, home to the largest number of Palestinian refugees in Syria. Most of these refugees were created by the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous people of historic Palestine, known as the “Nakba”, that accompanied the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.
The patience of the Syrian hosts in allowing the Palestinian refugee population to try to reconcile its differences and take the lead in expelling ISIS and al-Qaeda and their affiliates from Yarmouk since early in the conflict is especially remarkable. In the end, the SAA took over responsibility for eliminating these terrorist groups from neighboring Hajar al-Aswad, which allowed the Palestinian militias and their Syrian allies to remove the remainder from Yarmouk, the last remaining source of terror attacks on the civilian population in Damascus. We send our sincerest congratulations to all the people of Damascus and the surrounding metropolitan area for their liberation from fear of such attacks, which they endured for seven long years.
Syria’s handling of this delicate situation demonstrates its skill in respecting all parties. Since the first entry of the terrorist groups in Yarmouk, Syria played a supportive and cooperative role with the Palestinian groups. This is consistent with Syria’s respect for Palestinian rights in Syria, where Palestinian refugees are accorded all the rights of Syrian citizens except the right to vote, and where their aspirations to reclaim their homeland in Palestine are given recognition as part of a common struggle, equating the priority of returning all Zionist-occupied territory, both Syrian and Palestinian.
Syria also offered the terrorist fighters amnesty and safe passage to other occupied Syrian territory, in the end accepted by most of them. This echoes similar agreements in Homs, Aleppo and other communities throughout Syria, which have helped to restore good faith and reconciliation between Syrians throughout the country. These gestures will be important in fostering inclusiveness in the internal discussions about the future of Syria, as Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity is reasserted upon all of Syria.
The Syria Solidarity Movement® supports these efforts to defend Syrian national rights and to resist illegal foreign intervention, which are in the interest of peace through justice for all concerned parties and especially the victims on all sides that are making sacrifices for imperialism and Zionism, which are highly destructive to their societies, both the aggressors and the defenders. We hope that reason and good sense may win the day and allow us all to enjoy the fruits of peace and justice.
