Syrian state media reduces anti-'Israel' focus under al-Sharaa: Study
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A new study finds that Syrian state media under al-Sharaa is significantly less focused on "Israel", suggesting a strategic shift in tone and regional alignment following the end of al-Assad’s rule.
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Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, listens during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 7, 2025. (AP)
A recent study by the al-Quds-based Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) revealed a significant decline in the amount of content related to "Israel" in Syrian state media since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2023. The research suggests a shift in the government’s media policy under President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
According to the report, published Monday by JPPI’s Diane and Guilford Glazer Information and Consulting Center, the number of "Israel"-related articles in major Syrian outlets has sharply decreased. Analysts reviewed hundreds of reports and opinion columns from the official state news agency SANA, as well as regime-aligned newspapers Al-Thawra and Al-Hurriya (formerly Tishreen). They compared the first five months of 2024 with the same period in 2023, when al-Assad was still in power.
Under al-Assad, references to "Israel" appeared in as much as 43% of SANA's reporting. That figure has fallen to just 7% under al-Shara’s administration.
The research team, led by Shlomi Bereznik and Eli Kannai, used AI-based tools to measure both frequency and tone in editorial content. Their findings indicate a drastic reduction in the volume of coverage, with only limited mentions of "Israel" in state media since January.
Changing editorial tone in Al-Thawra, Al-Hurriya
In Al-Thawra, roughly 25% of opinion columns during al-Assad’s final year in power addressed "Israel", with more than 95% described as "highly negative". In contrast, this year, only 5% of the paper’s commentaries have covered the topic. Of those, 65% remained strongly negative, but 18% were rated as “neutral”, a tone rarely observed previously.
Al-Hurriya showed similar trends in tone, though the intensity of criticism remained high. Approximately 78% of this year’s opinion pieces discussing "Israel" were still considered "highly negative", with the remainder split evenly between "negative" and "somewhat negative" classifications.
Decline in coverage, slight language moderation may signal a broader geopolitical realignment
Yaakov Katz, director of JPPI’s Glazer Center, noted that while the media tone remains largely hostile, the decline in coverage and slight moderation in language may signal a broader geopolitical realignment.
"The tone is still hostile, but the change in volume and nuance indicates something deeper," Katz said.
"The new Syrian government is clearly signaling its shift toward the West. Al-Sharaa’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in Riyadh, and the US decision to lift sanctions on Syria, are part of that trend."
He added that even small adjustments in rhetoric could have larger implications: "It’s not normalization yet, but it is an opening."
Under al-Assad, "Israel" was frequently portrayed in Syrian media as a colonial power seeking to dominate the region and undermine Syria’s sovereignty. Although some of that framing continues, researchers noted a reduction in conspiracy-laden narratives and a noticeable rise in content that omits "Israel" entirely.
The study also highlighted a regional comparison, noting that Syrian state media now ranks among the least focused on "Israel" in the Arab world. In contrast, a similar JPPI assessment of Egyptian media found that 30% of opinion columns still engage with the subject.
Read more: Al-Sharaa open to political settlement with 'Israel'
