Syria permits group to restore Jewish property

DAMASCUS

Syrian authorities Thursday granted a licence to a Jewish-Syrian organization that plans to work to return properties confiscated under previous governments, one of its founders said.

Since a rebel alliance toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December last year after nearly 14 years of civil war, the country's dwindling Jewish community has begun welcoming back Syrian Jews who had emigrated and the new authorities have made overtures towards the minority group.

Hind Kabawat, Syria's social affairs and labour minister, told AFP the government had granted a licence to the Jewish Heritage in Syria Foundation, the first Jewish organization to be allowed to operate under the new authorities.

"This is a strong message from the Syrian state that we do not discriminate between one religion and another... Syria helps all Syrian men and women of every religion and sect who want to build our new state," she said.

Henry Hamra, one of the organization's founders, said it will "work on making an inventory of Jewish properties and returning those confiscated during the previous regime."

Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday voted to advance a defense spending bill that includes a repeal of the Caesar Act sanctions — the most restrictive measures imposed on Syria during the Assad rule.