\u201cIsrael\u2026 tries to run away from the horrifying massacres committed in Gaza, and it does so by attempting to export crises,\u201d Sharaa said during an onstage interview.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsrael has become a country that is in a fight against ghosts,\u201d he claimed, saying that Israel uses the guise of\u00a0security concerns and the need to prevent another October 7 massacre to justify every action it takes, even though no such correlation exists.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince we arrived in Damascus, we sent positive messages regarding regional peace and stability\u2026 and that we are not interested in being a country that exports conflict, including to Israel,\u201d Sharaa continued, referring to his jihadist group\u2019s toppling of the Assad regime last year.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tGet The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
\n\t\t\tby email and never miss our top stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBut in return, Israel has met us with extreme violence,\u201d Sharaa said, highlighting the deadly Israeli raid on terrorists in the southern Syrian town of Beit Jinn last month.<\/p>\n \u201cSyria has suffered massive violations of our airspace, and we\u2019ve been victim of over 1000 airstrikes and over 400 incursions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \t Sharaa reiterated his call for Israel to withdraw from the Golan territories in southern Syria that it has occupied since December, after Assad fled, with Jerusalem wary of the new Syrian leader\u2019s past as an al-Qaeda commander and citing fears the area would fall into the wrong hands.<\/p>\n He expressed his support for the 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel, adding that tampering with it \u201cand seeking other agreements such as a demilitarized zone\u2026 could lead us to a dangerous place.\u201d<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s actions in the country recently drew stern comments from US President Donald Trump, who warned earlier in the week against destabilizing Syria and its new leadership, days after IDF soldiers battled gunmen in the country\u2019s south.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria\u2019s evolution into a prosperous State,\u201d Trump said, adding that he is \u201cvery satisfied\u201d with the country\u2019s performance under Sharaa.<\/p>\n Turning to issues within his own country, Sharaa acknowledged \u201catrocities\u201d that have been committed against minorities in the Sweida region but insisted that Syria is a country governed by the rule of law, which will hold those responsible accountable.<\/p>\n \t Some of Israel\u2019s military intervention in Syria has been with the declared aim of protecting members of the Druze minority, notably during the violence in Sweida this summer that pitted Sunni Muslim Bedouin fighters and government forces against Druze fighters.<\/p>\n Along with the violence in Sweida, which a war monitor reported left over 2,000 dead, including hundreds of Druze civilians, some government forces or their allies have been implicated in other outbreaks of sectarian violence, including the Alawite community massacres in March that are estimated to have killed more than 1,700 people.<\/p>\n Agencies and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.<\/p>\n
In this season of DocuNation, you can stream five outstanding Israeli documentaries with English subtitles and then join a live online discussion with the filmmakers. The selected films show Israel beyond the conflict: a place of storytellers and musicians, of dreamers, makers, and communities rooted in meaning and trust.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t When you watch DocuNation, you\u2019re also supporting Israeli creators at a time when it\u2019s increasingly difficult for them to share their work globally.<\/p>\n To learn more about DocuNation: The Heart of Israel, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t
\t\t\t
\t\t\tAlready a member? Sign in to stop seeing this<\/a><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.<\/p>\n Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.<\/p>\n So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing\u00a0exclusive content\u00a0available only to Times of Israel Community members.<\/p>\n Thank you, \t\t\t
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ff97d0ed-c915-41b8-bef8-2b1a1c79ca67-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n\t\tTroops of the 55th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade detain a suspect in the southern Syrian village of Beit Jinn, early November 28, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25273482211117-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n\t\tA man waves an Israeli flag over a picture of Sheikh Muafak Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze in Israel, during a weekly rally in Sweida, southern Syria, on September 20, 2025. (AP Photo\/Fahd Kiwan)<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tWatch DocuNation Season 3: The Heart of Israel\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\twhen you join the ToI Community\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n![\"Featured](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SHHOTING-IN-THE-CANADIAN-HIGH-ARCTIC-2015.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tSupport ToI and get DocuNation\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tSupport ToI and get DocuNation\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tYou appreciate our journalism\t\t\t<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DH-new-headshot-circular.png\" "\\"\\"\/")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tJoin Our Community\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n