Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses the Middle East Institute in New York ahead of his UN General Assembly speech. Image: Morocco World News.
(The Post News) – Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa warned Tuesday that the Middle East could face new turmoil unless Israel finalizes a security agreement with Damascus that recognizes Syrian sovereignty.
Al-Sharaa, a former jihadist whose forces ousted long-time leader Bashar al-Assad in December, had a landmark speaking role at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) today, his first as the first Syrian official to address the organization since 1967.
Al-Sharaa Blames Israel for Negotiation Delay
Addressing a gathering organized by the Middle East Institute in New York, al-Sharaa blamed Israel for procrastination in negotiations while carrying out airstrikes and border incursions. “We are not the ones causing trouble for Israel. We fear Israel, not the opposite,” he explained. “There are several risks with Israel procrastinating on the negotiations and demanding to enter our airspace and make border incursions.”
The Syrian president also rejected partition proposals, warning that partitioning Syria would destabilize the whole region. “Jordan is also on their backs, and any movement to partition Syria will hurt Iraq and will hurt Türkiye; that will bring us all back to square one,” he further added.
Syria-Israel Fragile De-Escalation Deal in Progress
Despite al-Sharaa’s tough threats, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack reported that negotiations with Israel were underway. He said this on the fringe of the UNGA, noting that both nations were closing in on a “de-escalation” agreement.
The agreement would have Israel stop its incursions and airstrikes while Syria agrees not to place heavy military equipment along the border with Israel. Barak described the pact as the “first step” toward an overall security agreement. “I believe everyone is approaching it in good faith,” Barrack said, though he suggested that the Rosh Hashanah holiday had pushed the timetable for an announcement back.
Israel and Syria have been longstanding adversaries with origins in the Arab-Israeli War of 1967 and Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights. Israel has made hundreds of raids inside Syria on the pretext of stopping terror attacks and defending the Druze minority since the ouster of Assad.
Al-Sharaa, however, accused Israel of having made more than 1,000 raids and 400 incursions since December that undermined Syria’s precarious transition. Although American officials had made the agreement “99% complete,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Sunday that “there is still a way to go,” signaling delays in finalizing the agreement.
Stability, Sanctions, and Refugee Return
Al-Sharaa stressed that Syria needs a security deal with Israel to reconstruct the country and enable millions of refugees to return home. “If we want stability, we need some form of security agreement with Israel. Success in this kind of agreement will pave the way for perhaps an agreement on a higher level, where peace will dominate the region,” he said.
The Syrian leader also urged Washington to relax sanctions that have made Syria’s reconstruction poor. He met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, while Israel lobbied American lawmakers to continue imposing sanctions.
Al-Sharaa’s visit to the UNGA marks a sudden change in Syria’s international status. Whether his transitional government can translate initial Israel negotiations into a more entrenched peace is one of the most pressing questions for this year’s General Assembly.
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