Syria is not interested in conflict with Israel, rebel leader suggests

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The head of Syria’s most powerful rebel faction has signaled his forces do not want new conflicts, despite a wave of Israeli attacks on the country since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani condemned what he described as Israel’s “weak” justifications for its airstrikes, but said the rebels should not be distracted. rebuilding the countrysaid in an interview published by the opposition Syria TV station.

Israel’s military campaign in Syria, which officials say has targeted the remnants of Assad’s military forces and infrastructure, has tested Jolani’s newfound strength as he faces the prospect of rebuilding a nation torn apart by a 13-year civil war.

Israel has also moved ground forces from the occupied Golan Heights to occupy areas within the previously demilitarized zone and beyond within Syria.

Jolani, who recently went by his birth name Ahmed al-Sharia, called on the international community to “urgently intervene” to secure Syria’s sovereignty. , Jolani said. An HTS official confirmed his comments to the Financial Times.

Israeli army chief of staff Herzi Halevi said on Saturday that Israel is acting to prevent the establishment of militant groups near the border and that Israel does not seek a permanent presence. Syria.

The country is littered with weapons caches and materials abandoned by conscripted Syrian soldiers who largely abandoned their positions as the rebels, led by HTS, advanced on Damascus.

“We do not interfere in what is happening in Syria. We have no intention to rule Syria,” Halevi said. “We are definitely interfering in what determines the safety of Israeli citizens here.”

But Jolani told Syria TV that Israel had crossed the lines of contact and threatened to escalate, adding that diplomatic solutions were the only way to security.

A resident of the southern border town of Jabah told the FT that Friday’s airstrike damaged the home of a family member, who was a civilian, but an abandoned Syrian tank was parked outside.

Israel’s moves also drew widespread international condemnation, with Jordan and Egypt issuing a statement on Saturday demanding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also unveiled a plan on Sunday to double Israel’s population in the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967, citing threats from Syria.

“Consolidating the Golan Heights strengthens the state of Israel and is particularly important at this time,” he said in a statement released by his office.

Other countries have begun working cautiously with HTS, which has appointed a transitional prime minister to lead Syria’s administration until March, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Saturday was in direct contact with HTSMeanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Sunday that the country also had “diplomatic contact” with the group.

But experts warn that the US’ one-time terrorist designation for al-Qaeda’s affiliate could limit its ability to engage with other countries, and Blinken hinted that the US could ease restrictions on HTS. “We appreciate some of the positive words we’ve heard in recent days,” he said. “But what really matters is action, and sustained action.”

The U.S. and others are also concerned that any chaos after Assad’s fall could allow IS to regroup. Turkish-backed rebel groups have in the past week attacked Kurdish militias in the east that Washington has been arming to fight the extremist group.

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler told reporters on Sunday that the Turkish military is ready to train and cooperate with the new government if the latter asks for support.

But Guler added that the Kurdish-led militias “must be destroyed” and insisted that the new government in Damascus has the same goal.

Ankara’s long-standing support for Syrian rebels has made it one of the most influential forces since the fall of Assad, which it sees as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a four-decade armed campaign for autonomy within Turkey.

Services have been slowly returning to Syria for the past week.On Sunday, the first day of the week, schools reopened in Damascus and buses connecting the various provinces resumed service.

To celebrate the ouster of the regime, officials also waived customs fees on cellphones and suspended passport renewal fees for six months.