Sharaa says 7 October must not shape Israel policy on Syria

Syria’s interim President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, addressed relations between Israel and Syria, arguing that they could achieve peace through “security arrangements”.

Speaking at an event organised by the Atlantic Council in New York, where he travelled for the UN General Assembly, Sharaa answered a question regarding relations with Israel.

Sharaa stated that the two countries had held direct talks over the past year. He then said that Israel must first withdraw from the areas in southern Syria that it occupied following the fall of the Assad administration.

Sharaa continued:

“Then we can begin negotiations on security arrangements. If these arrangements succeed, we can reach a lasting peace. The Golan Heights is Syrian territory recognised by the United Nations… Therefore, there is no debate on this matter.”

He was then asked whether he understood the concerns of Israelis following the Al-Aqsa Flood operation carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023, and what kind of message he had for the Israeli people.

In response, Sharaa said, “I understand what happened to some innocent people on 7 October, but at the same time, it is not possible to base all policies on a single event. At the same time, we must also understand what is happening in Gaza; more than 70,000 people have lost their lives there.”

“It is not appropriate for what happened on 7 October to determine policy towards Syria,” added the former HTS leader, saying, “Israel must change its policy because it is creating problems around itself.”

Recalling that they have established very good relations with the US, the United Kingdom, and Lebanon, Sharaa said, “I believe the problem lies with Israel, not Syria,” and asserted that Tel Aviv’s actions do not bring greater security to Israeli citizens.

While acknowledging that Israel has “legitimate security concerns”, Sharaa rejected the notion that these concerns could justify every action taken by Israel. On the other hand, according to Sharaa, a “historic moment that could be beneficial for all parties” is currently taking place.

The former HTS leader recounted that when President Donald Trump told him that the Golan Heights belonged to Israel, he responded:

“Why do you not give New Jersey to the Israelis? The Golan Heights are not yours to give away, but New Jersey is yours.”

Sharaa then elaborated slightly on this joke, saying:

“I think New Jersey is full of Democrats and they do not vote for Trump, so giving it to the Israelis would be good. At least it is your property. Trump has no ownership over the Golan Heights.”

The discussion then turned to Sharaa’s past, particularly his time with Al-Qaeda.

When asked whether he now explicitly renounced his allegiance to this organisation and the ideology behind it, he did not issue a direct renunciation, but claimed that at that time he was “at a different age and the conditions in the region were different”, explaining that his life experiences stemmed from taking part in the struggle against the Assad administration.

Asked specifically about the 11 September attacks, Sharaa immediately emphasised that he “had nothing to do with it”, stating that he was 13 years old at the time and adding, “I had no awareness of these matters at all.”