The Israeli government on Sunday approved a plan to expand settlements on the occupied Golan Heights, saying it was acting “in light of the war and the new front facing Syria” as the country uses the power vacuum next door to consolidate security on its border and advance its aims of growing settlements.

“Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel, and it is especially important at this time. We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

Since Islamist rebels overthrew the decades-long Assad family regime on Dec. 8, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes across Syria and carried out a land incursion that stretches past the occupied Golan Heights into a previously demilitarized buffer zone. The Israeli army swiftly took abandoned army positions, and air attacks have decimated most of Syria’s military capabilities.

Syria’s de facto new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Saturday denounced what he described as Israel’s “uncalculated military adventures” since his rebel group took power last week, but said he was more interested in state-building than opening another conflict. “Syria’s war-weary condition, after years of conflict and war, does not allow for new confrontations. The priority at this stage is reconstruction and stability, not being drawn into disputes that could lead to further destruction,” he said in an interview on Syria TV.

His comments appeared to do little to placate Israel’s government, and more airstrikes were launched overnight. “Despite the so-called moderate appearance of rebel leaders, the defense budget must be increased to address the escalating threats,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday.

Here’s what else to know

Geir O. Pedersen, the U.N. envoy to Syria, said during a visit to Damascus, the Syrian capital, that the country’s political transition needs to be inclusive. “Change in itself creates great hopes, but we all know there are many challenges still ahead of us,” he said Sunday ahead of meetings planned with Syria’s caretaker government.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said Sunday that his country’s priority was to defeat Kurdish forces in Syria and that Turkey was prepared to provide military support to the new administration.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that U.S. officials have been in direct contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and that he hopes Syria’s interim leaders will adhere to a set of principles in exchange for support and recognition of a future Syrian government. Blinken is also pushing for the destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles.
Blinken said Saturday he “impressed upon everyone” during his visit the importance of finding missing American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted near Damascus 12 years ago.
The United States, Turkey and other Middle Eastern and Western powers issued a statement Saturday saying the transitional political process in Syria “must be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned” and “produce an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.”

Syria uninterested in conflict with Israel, cautious of provoking Russia, rebel leader says

Return to menu

Abbie Cheeseman avatar

Syria’s de facto new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, denounced Israel’s land incursion and airstrikes that have pounded the country since his rebel group took power last week, but he said he was more interested in state-building than opening another conflict.

“Israeli arguments have become weak and no longer justify their recent violations. The Israelis have clearly crossed the lines of engagement in Syria, which poses a threat of unwarranted escalation in the region,” Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), said in an interview Saturday with Syria TV.

Sharaa, who went by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani until a rebel coalition headed by his forces toppled President Bashar al-Assad’s regime last Sunday, called on the international community to support diplomatic solutions to Israel’s escalation.

Israeli officials have characterized the advance as a measure to prevent rebels or militias from using abandoned military equipment to attack Israel.

“Syria’s war-weary condition, after years of conflict and war, does not allow for new confrontations. The priority at this stage is reconstruction and stability, not being drawn into disputes that could lead to further destruction,” Sharaa said.

Vying for international legitimacy, he sought to temper concerns that his group of Islamist rebels, which was once affiliated with al-Qaeda and remains on the U.S. State Department’s terrorist list, will not allow pluralism in Syria. He described the efforts to overthrow the brutal Assad family dynasty as being shared by all Syrians.

The rebel leader added that he wants to avoid provoking Russia, which over the past decade propped up the Assad regime and dropped hundreds of thousands of bombs over the country in doing so.

“The current stage requires careful management of international relations,” he said, in a marked shift from his previous direct criticism of Moscow for its airstrikes on the breakaway province of Idlib that HTS governed.

The United States, Turkey and other Middle Eastern and Western powers issued a statement Saturday setting out their hopes for Syria’s future as they adjust to the country’s new leaders. “The transitional political process must be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned” and “produce an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government,” the countries said. They affirmed their “full support for Syria’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

Turkey, which previously supported HTS, has emerged as the outside power with the strongest hand in steering the country’s political transition.