Monday, January 6, 2025

As European and Arab leaders rush to meet Syria’s new leader, Israel calls for caution


As Syria’s new government strives to gain international legitimacy after overthrowing the Bashar al-Assad regime, Western countries seem open to giving a chance to the government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group.

At the same time, Israel is focused on making sure its allies don’t give a free pass to a man who led a brutal jihadist organization. “It’s too early to believe this rebrand,” an Israeli official told The Times of Israel. On Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock became the most senior Western diplomats to visit the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Assad last month.   (Read More)