The Syrian Interior Ministry has pointed fingers at elements linked to the former regime for standing behind the Umayyad protest, which sparked widespread popular and media controversy in Syrian and Egyptian circles.

The spokesperson for the Syrian Interior Ministry, Nour al-Din al-Baba, told “Syria TV” that “some exploited the tragedy of our people in Gaza and the just cause for them to hold protests that outwardly support the Palestinian cause but inwardly aim to harm Syria’s relations with Arab brothers.”

Al-Baba said: “The Interior Ministry is investigating the background of those responsible for this act, especially those directly involved in offending the Arab brothers, taking into account that their backgrounds are also linked to the former regime.”

The spokesperson added: “The protests that include insults to the Arab brothers aim to damage the relationship between Syria and its Arab brothers and also undermine Syria’s supportive stance for the rights of the Palestinian people, a position no one can distort or take out of its Arab context supporting the Palestinian cause.”

He emphasized that “not everyone who participated in a protest or supported the Palestinian cause is linked to the former regime.”

He continued: “There is no doubt that the entire Syrian people support the Palestinian cause and people, but here we distinguish between genuine support for a just cause and exploitation of this cause to harm the Arab brothers and Syria’s role in cooperation with them and its regained status.”

Al-Baba concluded: “Not everyone who participated in a protest or supported the natural and established rights of the Palestinian people is necessarily linked to the former regime, but some specific figures responsible for this confusion are historically known to be connected to the former regime, so their actions cannot be considered well-intentioned.”

Yesterday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the offensive chants against Egypt, chanted by some people during a solidarity stand with the Palestinian people in Gaza, in a swift diplomatic move.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry affirmed that “such reprehensible acts do not reflect at all the feelings of the Syrian people towards sisterly Egypt, leadership and people,” and that “they represent only those who performed them.”

This statement came after a widely circulated video on social media platforms showed a limited group in Damascus chanting slogans insulting Egypt and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, which sparked outrage in Cairo and calls for a Syrian boycott.