Syrian Leader Answered Questions on the Agenda, From the Security Agreement With Israel to Rumors of Military Intervention

In his interview with Al Jazeera, the Syrian leader answered questions on the agenda, from the security agreement with Israel to rumors of military intervention in Lebanon. It is now possible to follow the agenda on BBC Turkish on WhatsApp. President of the transitional administration in Syria, Ahmed Shara, said that his country is actively working to reach a security agreement with Israel.

In an interview broadcast in Arabic on the Al Jazeera channel on the evening of February 26, the Syrian leader stated that many countries contributed to an agreement that would encourage a more balanced Israeli policy towards his country. According to Syria's state-owned Sana news agency, Shara said that a possible agreement would not mean compromising Syria's rights over the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1973. Stating that Syria avoids any conflict with Israel, Shara stated that a security arrangement could pave the way for a broader and more comprehensive solution to the crisis. His statements came at a time when Israel's attacks on southern Syria continued.

One day after Shara came to power in November 2024, Israel announced that it had "temporarily" taken control of the buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli army hit hundreds of points across Syria from the air. According to BBC Monitoring news monitoring unit, Damascus-based Enab Baladi news site pointed out that Shara's statements coincided with the visit of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Damascus on July 25. The site reported that on the same day, Israeli forces responded to Guterres' visit from the front and carried out ground operations in the southern countryside of Daraa and Quneitra.

The news stated that the army targeted agricultural areas in Quneitra with artillery fire. According to Enab Baladi, the Governor of Quneitra discussed the detention of Syrians by Israeli forces and "violations against civilians" during his meeting with Guterres. Enab Baladi also stated in a news article published on July 25 that the role of the United Nations Truce Supervision Force (UNDOF) is currently being discussed, and that calls for the United Nations to take a more active role against Israel's border violations and detentions are increasing.

According to Al Jazeera English broadcast, Shara said in the interview that Syria has no intention of engaging in any military intervention in its neighbor Lebanon. In his statement after his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the NATO Summit in Ankara on July 8, he said that Syria could also help with Hezbollah and Lebanon.