Not Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Historical Commissions Are Crucial for Syria

The article argues that transitional justice in Syria must address historical injustices spanning decades, including under Ottoman/French rule and the Assad regimes, to prevent ongoing social divisions. It emphasizes the need for historical commissions to contextualize past atrocities like the 1982 Hama massacre and century-old land theft grievances, distinguishing them from truth commissions focused on recent crimes.