Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Mohammed al-Golani), addressed Israel for the first time on Saturday and said that Syria will continue to adhere to the disengagement agreement signed in 1974 following the Yom Kippur War. He called on the international community to ensure that Israel remained committed to the agreement.
In a conversation he held on Monday with a small group of journalists, al-Sharaa sharply criticized Israel's "military advances" into Syrian territory beyond the Golan Heights and into the buffer zone declared by the UN under the agreement, which is considered disputed according to international consensus.
Israel described its advances into Syrian territory as defensive measures aimed at preventing armed groups from seizing positions near the border and ensuring the security of communities in the Golan Heights.
Al-Sharaa, who is seeking to rebrand himself from a terrorist to a political leader, responded to the claim, arguing that Israel no longer needs to maintain these positions as the threat from Hezbollah and other Iran-backed militias has been removed with the fall of Bashar Assad's regime.
"Syria's priority now should be building a state and creating public institutions that serve all Syrians," he said and declared he would run for president if he gains sufficient support. He urged countries such as the U.S. to remove his organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, from their lists of terrorist organizations, claiming that all restrictions on it should be lifted to enable Syria's reconstruction.
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Al-Shara also called for the removal of all sanctions imposed on Assad's regime, saying that they were imposed on "the executioner," referring to Bashar al-Assad, who is no longer in power. Regarding his designation as a "terrorist" by the U.S. and other nations, he added, "It doesn't matter much to me."