Israeli FM: Jihadi group seized power in Syria
Shafaq News/ Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, described Syria’s new leadership as a “jihadi terrorist group”, during a meeting with European Union foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday as part of the EU-Israel Association Council.
During the 13th session of the council, Sa’ar stated, “Everyone knows who [Syrian transitional president] Ahmed Al-Sharaa is. They are taking revenge on the Alawites and harming the Kurds. We will not compromise on our border security.”
He also claimed that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad were operating in Syria to establish another front against Israel.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that Israel would not tolerate the presence of Syrian government forces in southern Syria, calling for “complete demilitarization” of the area, declaring that Israeli forces would remain in Syria to protect settlements and prevent militant infiltration.
He also warned against threats to the Druze community in southern Syria, prompting protests in Sweida, where demonstrators condemned his remarks.
In December 2024, Israel’s government has approved plans to expand settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, citing security concerns following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Israeli forces moved into a UN buffer zone, declaring previous ceasefire arrangements void.
