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Top GOP senator says Syria ceasefire welcome but actions must match words
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The Syrian army’s rapid-fire conquest of important areas and towns previously controlled by the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), culminated on Sunday in a fragile ceasefire agreement with a stern warning from a powerful U.S. Senator and experts about the reported crimes of forces controlled by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Jim Risch, R-Idaho., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Fox News Digital, «The Syrian government’s decree to respect Kurdish rights is a good sign, but the conduct of its forces on the ground must match. Division and violence in Syria between U.S. partners only benefit bad actors like ISIS and Iran who exploit Syria to use as a breeding ground for international terrorism, including against the U.S. I welcome the announcement of a ceasefire and will be watching its implementation closely.»
Al-Sharaa, a former U.S.-designated terrorist who was a member of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, greenlighted an incursion into territory ruled peacefully by the SDF for over a decade.
Amid Risch’s warning, reports coming out of Syria claim skirmishes between the Syrian army and SDF are continuing.
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Some locals welcome the Syrian army following the withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Tabqa, Syria, Jan. 18, 2026. (Karam al-Masri/Reuters)
The news organization, Kurdistan 24, showed alleged footage of al-Sharaa’s forces releasing Islamic State prisoners. According to the report, «The Syrian Arab Army releases ISIS prisoners in al-Tabqah city.»
The footage has been widely posted on social media. Fox News Digital could not independently verify the video.
Jim Risch, R-Idaho., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Fox News Digital, «The Syrian government’s decree to respect Kurdish rights is a good sign, but the conduct of its forces on the ground must match.» (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
The State Department referred Fox News Digital to an X post from the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who also serves as the Special Envoy for Syria. Barrack wrote on X about the deal between SDF General Mazloum Abdi and al-Sharra.
«Two great Syrian leaders, driven by the shared vision of liberating their country and people from tyranny, have now come together to forge a brighter future for all Syrians. This agreement and ceasefire represent a pivotal inflection point, where former adversaries embrace partnership over division.»
TRUMP HOLDS KEY TO SAVING SYRIA’S VANISHING CHRISTIANS IN CRUCIAL WHITE HOUSE MEETING
Soldiers of the Syrian army in the entrance of Sheik Maksoud neighborhood during continuing fighting between the Syrian forces and the SDF on Jan. 10, 2026 in Aleppo, Syria. A ceasefire announced yesterday did not take hold as fighting continued between the Syrian army and Kurdish fighters in the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods of Aleppo. Overnight, the army announced that it had completed a security sweep of the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood. (Adri Salido/Getty Image)
Barrack added, «President al-Sharaa has affirmed that the Kurds are an integral part of Syria, and the United States looks forward to the seamless integration of our historic partner in the fight against ISIS with the Global Coalition’s newest member, as we press forward in the enduring battle against terrorism.»
However, the People’s Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo — a Syrian organization that is part of the SDF — said on the Saturday meeting between U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Kurdish officials produced no roadmap to a ceasefire. He denied Syria’s Kurds wanted to secede or create an independent state and said their future was in Syria.
«Our greatest hope is that there will be a tangible outcome, especially from the coalition and the United States, meaning that they will intervene more forcefully in the existing problems than what they are currently doing,» Hamo said.
The head of the main Kurdish forces told Reuters that the U.S. should intervene more forcefully to end a Syrian offensive that has gained key territory from Kurdish fighters in recent days.
U.S. forces provide military training to members of the SDF in the Qamisli district in the Al-Hasakah province, Syria on Aug. 18, 2023. (Photo by Hedil Amir/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
DEADLY STRIKE ON US TROOPS TESTS TRUMP’S COUNTER-ISIS PLAN — AND HIS TRUST IN SYRIA’S NEW LEADER
Government troops launched an offensive on Saturday into territory run for the last decade by semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities in the northeast of Syria, capturing towns on both sides of the Euphrates River and the country’s largest oil and gas field, officials and security sources said.
But given Kurdish «concerns about the changes taking place,» the U.S. should offer assurances of protection to them.
Hamo said that, «In the current situation and the chaos we are living in, the only ones who can offer guarantees are the United States or the coalition,» he added in a rare interview from Hasakeh province, which is still under Kurdish control.
«We believe that the responsibility for everything currently happening inside Syria lies with the Western countries, and especially the United States of America,» he said.
In this March 23, 2019, file photo, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters pose for a photo in Baghouz, Syria, after the SDF declared the area free of Islamic State militants. (Maya Alleruzzo/AP Photo)
«Of course, we consider Israel a powerful state in the region with its own agenda. We hope that the same stance taken by other countries in the region towards certain minorities in Syria will be extended to the Kurds as well,» Hamo said.
Asked if he was referring to Israel’s stance towards the Druze minority last summer — when Israel carried out air strikes on the defense ministry, near the presidential palace in Damascus and on Syrian troops advancing on Druze cities, Hamo said, «of course.»
ISRAEL AND SYRIA RESUME DIPLOMATIC DIALOGUE AFTER MONTHS OF SILENCE UNDER US MEDIATION
Tom Barrack met with the Syrian president on behalf of the United States on Saturday, Jan. 10. (@USAMBTurkiye via X)
Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, told Fox News Digital that, «President Trump has spoken about giving Syria and all its peoples a fresh opportunity to turn a new page. Yet, Ahmed al Sharaa’s actions appear to move against that intention, and many Kurds believe he is abusing the political space that was meant to support stability rather than deepen tensions. «
Civiroglu added that «I don’t think the U.S. is abandoning the Kurds, but President Trump’s good intention is being abused by Sharaa. Lawmakers in Washington have also expressed unease about the interim Syrian government’s treatment of minorities, which reflects broader questions about its commitment to inclusive governance.»
A group of civilians smashes a statue of a female Syrian Democratic Forces fighter in the city of Tabqa after the Syrian army took control of it, in Tabqa, Syria, Jan. 18, 2026. (Karam al-Masri/Reuters)
Civiroglu posted footage on his popular X account of al-Sharaa supporters toppling «a statue of a female Kurdish fighter after interim Syrian government forces seized Tabqa from the SDF. Kurdish fighters backed by the United States had liberated the town from ISIS in May 2017.»
Civiroglu said, «al-Sharaa’s confrontations with Kurdish forces, following earlier pressure on Alawite and Druze areas, reinforce doubts about the interim government’s legitimacy and its ability to represent Syria’s diverse population.
«The International community must remember that the Kurdish people have long fought alongside the United States, France and the West in the campaign against ISIS, and many are watching closely to see how these partners interpret the latest escalation,» he said.
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Max Abrahms, a leading expert on counter-terrorism and a professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Fox News Digital, «The YPG and then SDF were America’s primary counterterrorism forces against Islamic State in Syria during the war. Unlike the so-called «rebels,» our Kurdish warrior friends exhibited both capability and moderation. It’s not surprising that the jihadists, upon taking power in Damascus, would turn their guns on the Kurdish forces. Of course, we need to stand with them.»
syria,terrorism,middle east,al qaeda,isis,national security,foreign policy senate,politics
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Israel approves sweeping death penalty legislation targeting terrorism, EU condemns move
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JERUSALEM: Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, on Monday passed a law mandating the death penalty for Palestinian terrorists convicted of deadly acts of terrorism, sparking anger from European countries and an Israeli opposition leader.
Lawmakers voted 62-47 in favor of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s legislation to prescribe the death penalty by hanging. Ben Gvir and his party, Otzma Yehudit, proposed the measure.
Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Tzvika Foghel, who chairs the National Security Committee and advanced the bill through the committee under his leadership, told Fox News Digital that Israelis are fed up with policies of containment and compromise.
NETANYAHU URGES COURT TO REVOKE PALESTINIANS’ ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP AFTER CONVICTIONS FOR VIOLENT CRIMES
The opening assembly of the Knesset’s winter session on Monday evening. (Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS-IL)
«For too many years, we have tried to please the entire world, even when we were being murdered in our streets. Since October 7, we have shifted to an offensive approach so that we can dictate the reality in the future,» he said.
Foghel said the death penalty for terrorists is part of a broader shift in Israel, driven by the recognition that no other country faces a reality in confronting radical Islamic terrorism in Gaza, Lebanon, Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), as well as in Yemen and Iran.
«The death penalty for terrorists who burned, raped, mutilated and abused children and parents is the same punishment we established for the Nazis,» he said.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said, «The EU has a principled position against the death penalty in all cases and in all circumstances. Israel had long upheld a de facto moratorium on both executions and capital punishment sentencing, thereby leading by example in the region despite a complex security environment.»
She added, «The approval of the Death Penalty Bill by the Israeli Parliament marks a grave regression from that practice and from Israel’s own commitments. We are deeply concerned about the de facto discriminatory character of the Bill.»
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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid speaks at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, on Oct. 13, 2025 in Jerusalem. ((Photo by Evelyn Hockstein – Pool/Getty Images))
Israel has applied the death penalty only once in the state’s history for the Nazi mass murderer Adolf Eichmann in 1962. The death penalty exists on the books in Israel, but Israeli courts have limited latitude to apply execution to cases beyond penalties for Nazi war criminals.
Former Prime Minister and current leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid said the legislation is fundamentally flawed because it does not apply to Hamas terrorists involved in the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre that killed 1,200 people.
«This law is not a show of force; it is a sign of panic. This law is more extreme than anything in the United States, and they know it will get struck down by the law. It isn’t a law for justice or for deterrence, it is a law for public relations,» he added.
Adolf Eichmann, in a bullet-proof cabin, puts on earphones to hear the reading of the act of accusation against him, Dec. 17, 1961. He was in charge of the extermination of Jews in Poland and then organized the deportation and extermination of Jews in 13 European countries. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
Likud lawmaker Dan Illouz, a supporter of the legislation, told Fox News Digital that the events of Oct. 7 underscored, in his view, the need to prevent terrorists from viewing the kidnapping of civilians as a viable means of securing the release of imprisoned militants.
«The death penalty shatters that equation. It serves as the ultimate deterrent, ensuring that terrorists know their actions lead only to their own demise, not a negotiated release. We are a life-loving nation, but to protect life, we must deal decisively with those who seek to destroy it,» he said.
«Prime Minister Netanyahu’s vote in favor was crucial. It projects an unmistakable message of strength and moral clarity from the very top of Israel’s leadership. By personally casting his vote, the Prime Minister showed our enemies, and the entire world, that our government is completely united and unyielding in our resolve to eradicate terrorism and defend our citizens,» he added.
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The Israeli Channel 12 political commentator, Amit Segal, wrote that he supports «executing terrorists who attempt to murder civilians — especially the monsters of October 7,» but was critical of Ben Gvir’s legislation.
He wrote in his newsletter, «The law defines terrorism as acts ‘to negate the existence of the state,’ a definition that could apply to groups such as extremist Haredi factions and violent members of the ‘Hilltop Youth’ (which Ben-Gvir supports.)
Hamas terrorists killed civilians, including women, children and the elderly, when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces via AP)
Segal said that «while Ben-Gvir’s law is essentially a campaign stunt, a more responsible law is making its way through the system. Proposed by MKs Simcha Rotman and Yulia Malinovsky, the law establishes the practical mechanisms — procedural and evidentiary — to secure convictions of Nukhba terrorists, after which the death penalty could be imposed.»
Another Likud lawmaker, Amit Halevi, told Fox News Digital that the central element of the legislation is the distinction between criminal offenses and crimes against the state or against humanity.
«A terrorist commits his crimes as part of an ideology aimed at killing, oppressing and controlling all Jews. These terrorists, if they could, would kill every one of us. They are ideological murderers, in a different category from ordinary criminals, and that is a critical point of the bill,» he said.
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrives for a cabinet meeting at the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem on Aug. 27, 2023. (MENAHEM KAHANA/Pool via REUTERS)
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Halevi added that further efforts are needed to clearly delineate crimes against the state, including what falls within that category and what does not.
«Generally speaking, this legislation is a step in the right direction. Much of the criticism I hear relates to ordinary criminals. People do not understand the enemy — who he is and what this war is about,» he said.
israel, terrorism, hamas, conflicts, benjamin netanyahu
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A progressive House candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is under fire for dodging in-person debates with her GOP opponent ahead of an April special election, prompting accusations that she is reluctant to defend her far-left platform before voters.
Republican candidate Joe Hathaway is ripping his Democratic opponent, Analilia Mejia, for agreeing to a virtual debate — after repeatedly declining a series of face-to-face opportunities. The candidates are scheduled to participate in a live virtual forum sponsored by the New Jersey Globe on Wednesday evening.
«Unfortunately, when my opponent dodges and lies about debates, it limits the opportunity for a head-to-head matchup with two weeks left in the election,» Hathaway said in a statement to Fox News Digital. «For now, she can hide behind a screen, but she cannot hide from her record.»
The special election winner will fill an open seat vacated by Gov. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., who resigned after winning the state’s 2025 governor’s race. The outcome will be closely watched for its potential impact on House Republicans’ razor-thin majority.
Analilia Mejia, then a progressive activist, speaks during a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol on April 19, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WHERE SANDERS AND AOC BACKED PROGRESSIVE CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE ANALILIA MEJIA STANDS ON KEY ISSUES
Hathaway’s blistering criticism comes after Mejia repeatedly declined debate opportunities with Hathaway that he accepted, the Hathaway campaign told Fox News Digital.
Proposed debates sponsored by Montclair High School, On New Jersey, Fairleigh Dickinson University and New Jersey Spotlight News ultimately fell through after Mejia did not accept the invites, according to the Hathaway campaign.
Mejia, who narrowly upset a crowded field of challengers in February’s Democratic primary, has also faced backlash for appearing to misrepresent her rationale for backing out of a separate debate opportunity with local chapters of the left-leaning League of Women Voters.
The New Jersey Democrat said she rejected the debate invite — co-sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Jersey — because the group was «unable to commit» to having a person of color as the moderator.
The woman-led group fired back in a statement accusing Mejia of lying, saying their intended moderator would have been a person of color. Mejia’s primary objection was not being able to control the selection process herself, according to the group.
Republican candidate Joe Hathaway has sharply criticized Democrat Analilia Mejia for dodging an in-person debate opportunity ahead of the April 16 special election. (Joe Hathaway Campaign; Heather Khalifa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
BALLOT BOX SHOCKER: PROGRESSIVE BACKED BY SANDERS, AOC ON VERGE OF UPSET IN DEM CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARY
«We were asked to provide a campaign with a list of potential moderators for approval,» Jennifer Howard, LWV president, said in a release. «This is a request that the League of Women Voters cannot accommodate. Our nonpartisan stance does not permit a candidate to influence the selection of the moderator.»
Hathaway, a Randolph Township councilmember who faces an uphill battle to win the Democratic-leaning district, slammed Mejia for backing out of the planned debate.
«If she is willing to lie about something as simple as a debate, what other lies can we expect to hear from her tomorrow?» Hathaway told Fox News Digital.
«We will show a clear contrast between the practical common-sense leadership that I am running on, and the dangerous, radical, and socialist policies of my opponent,» he added.
When asked to comment on Monday, a spokesperson for the Mejia campaign said, «All Joe Hathaway does is complain. We will see him tomorrow.»
Analilia Mejia has embraced the «Abolish ICE» movement during her run for Congress. (Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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The Mejia campaign previously told Fox News Digital that she accepted the New Jersey Globe debate because the outlet met her diversity requirements and was closely following the race.
Mejia, a staunch progressive who served in a senior role in Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is a vocal critic of Israel.
The winner of the special election will face voters again in November for a full two-year term.
democrats elections, new jersey, alexandria ocasio cortez, house of representatives, politics
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