Syrian Foreign Minister on Israeli Strikes and Regional Security Challenges

Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani, in an exclusive CNN interview recorded by Farid Zakaria for the Council on Foreign Relations, stated that Israeli strikes on Syria after the fall of Assad’s regime “shocked” the country and made discussions about normalizing relations with Israel more difficult.

In the interview, the minister spoke critically about Israel’s actions, which, he said, “hampered” the Syrian government during the rise of sectarian violence in the south of the country.

“A strong and united Syria will be beneficial for regional security, and this will benefit Israel.”

After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime – a key ally of Iran in its confrontation with Iran – in December last year Israel responded with strikes on Syrian military targets and moved ground forces both inside the demilitarized zone and beyond for the first time in five decades.

Israel said the strikes were aimed at preventing chemical weapons stockpiles and long-range missiles from reaching extremist formations.

However, the Syrian people, as al-Shibani noted, are “shocked” by these events, particularly because “the militias of Iran or Hezbollah, all these formations, remained with the last regime.”

“We do not pose a threat to anyone in the region, including Israel, but these new policies of cooperation and peace have met with threats and attacks.”

“So, talking about normalization and the Abraham Accords is a bit difficult.”

Despite the troubling situation, Israel reports that negotiations with Syria are ongoing and could lead to a security agreement between the two countries.

In the context of interconfessional tensions that flared since the summer, particularly in Latakia, hundreds were killed in March during purges of the Alawites, and in April clashes erupted between pro-government formations and friendly Bedouin-backed forces.

In July the situation intensified after intervention by government forces, prompting new Israeli air strikes – Israel cited its obligation to protect its friends.

“What Israel did during its intervention actually complicated matters and put its friends in a very difficult and shameful position.”

In the same interview, al-Shibani also noted that the Syrian people positively welcomed the lifting of some sanctions by the United States, stressing the importance of such a step for the country.

“The US stance on Syria since liberation has been very positive, and it has been supported by broad backing among the Syrian people, particularly through the lifting of sanctions.”

Earlier this week, the President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, spoke at the United Nations urging the full lifting of sanctions so that “they would no longer oppress the Syrian people.”

“We have endured injustice and deprivation and oppression,” – said Al-Sharaa to the diplomats, recalling the rule and fall of Assad’s regime. “Then we rose up to defend our dignity.”

The piece also mentions the names of journalists who took part in covering the events.