The Syrian crisis has taken a turn that could allow Egypt to act as a mediator in reaching a political settlement in Syria. Several Syrian and regional players are focusing on the fight against terrorism rather than on settling their political conflicts with President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and its opposing forces.
The priority has shifted away from the war between revolutionary or Islamic movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood and a regime headed by a Shiite president who embodies “tyranny” for the opposition. Now at center stage is the conflict between Syria and the Islamic State (IS), whose growing influence threatens the Arab world and the Middle East.