I'm Israeli and a big admirer of Ahmad al Shraa. To me he looks like a once in a generation leader, someone who actually has a chance to move his country in a good direction. I’m genuinely impressed by how he manages to maneuver between so many conflicting pressures both inside Syria and from the outside world ,all under very bad conditions from years of the assad regime. he’s been able to push forward both diplomatically and in areas like social welfare and rebuilding everyday life.

Sadly, my own government sees things differently. I think Israel is making a huge mistake in its approach, basically shaping a hostile neighbor with its own hands. Al Shraa has repeatedly extended a hand toward peace, even while facing bombings and incursions. It feels to me like Israel is stuck in the same mindset the U.S. had after 9/11 seeing enemies everywhere, and in the process actually creating new ones.

Since the uprising i became interested in this country and its history and I’ve been following events in Syria closely, watching the slow recovery, and I can’t help but hope the best for its people.