Syria and Lebanon's moves to centralize power leads to crackdowns on Palestinian factions

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Source: Associated Press

Syria and Lebanon’s moves to centralize power leads to crackdowns on Palestinian factions

By BASSEM MROUE and KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Updated 1:25 PM EDT, May 9, 2025

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon and Syria are cracking down on Palestinian factions that for decades have had an armed presence in both countries and which on some occasions were used to plan and launch attacks against Israel.

The crackdown comes as Syria’s new rulers under Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are pursuing officials of the former government under Bashar Assad, including those in the ousted president’s web of security agencies. Syria’s most prominent Palestinian factions were key allies of the Assad dynasty in both war and peace time and closely cooperated on security matters.

It also comes after Iran’s main regional ally, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, was weakened after over a year of war with Israel and as Lebanon’s new government vows to monopolize all arms under the government, including Hezbollah and Palestinian factions in Lebanon.

On Wednesday, Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa said his government is holding indirect talks with Israel through mediators, who he did not name. He said the aim of the indirect negotiations is to ease tensions after intense Israeli airstrikes on Syria.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/syria-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-iran-e36e5be8622bbd061e4b13f236748c65