Maher Marwan, the new governor of Damascus appointed by Syria’s de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Mohammed al-Golani), made a surprising statement calling on the United States to establish peace between Syria and Israel.
"There exists a people who want coexistence. They want peace. They don't want disputes. We want peace, and we cannot be an opponent to Israel or an opponent to anyone,” he said in an interview with U.S. public radio network NPR.
However, he acknowledged Israel’s concerns, saying, "It's natural for Israel to be worried about certain factions." He added, " Israel may have felt fear, so it advanced a little, bombed a little, etc. We have no fear towards Israel, and our problem is not with Israel. And we don't want to meddle in anything that will threaten Israel's security or any other country's security."
A U.S. official confirmed that the new Syrian administration's message was relayed to Israel but noted that the White House isn’t urging either side to take steps toward establishing relations at this time.
Direct dialogue between the U.S. and the Syrian rebels has been ongoing since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime, culminating in the removal of the $10 million bounty on al-Sharaa’s head due to his past jihadist activities.
Israeli officials have indicated that while the Americans understand Israel’s security needs and concerns, they believe Israel should give the new regime a chance. Conversely, Israel maintains a far more skeptical stance.
Maher Marwan meeting Damascus residents
Syria’s transitional government, led by al-Sharaa, recently announced several appointments, including new governors for the country’s provinces, one of whom is Maher Marwan. The governors will serve for three months in the timeframe allocated to form the new government.
According to reports in Arab media, Marwan was born in Damascus in 1979. He actively participated in the protests in Syria starting in 2011 and has lived in Saudi Arabia, Damascus the city of al-Qaryatayn in the Homs countryside and later in Idlib. He studied at Idlib University and held various positions under the Syrian opposition, which now controls the country.
Israeli officials appear unfazed by the governor's remarks. Sources in Jerusalem told Ynet earlier this week, "The burden of proof is on al-Sharaa and his people. We mustn’t forget their ideological foundations."
According to these sources, the "warm" messages from Damascus’s new leadership remain an enigma as no one knows which direction the new regime will take. While al-Sharaa and his team are saying the "right things," the post-October 7 mood in Israel is marked by skepticism and fears of a "charm offensive" meant to deceive the West.
Al-Sharaa isn’t affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS). He was once active in al-Qaeda but left the organization years ago, pivoting toward other jihadist yet more Syrian nationalist-oriented paths. In the past, he also led al-Nusra Front during its affiliation with al-Qaeda and the group itself maintained ties with Israel.
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Israel believes it’s too early to predict al-Sharaa’s intentions or his ability to maintain a unified and democratic Syria. Under Assad, Syria was united through brute force; al-Sharaa envisions a "different Syria," with parliamentary representation for all sects.
He claimed he seeks no confrontation — not with Israel, nor with the Druze, Alawites or Turks. For now, it’s clear that he and his team are working to calm tensions, whether out of genuine intent or as a calculated manipulation.