Wary Israel 'not fooled' by new Syria leaders, minister says

Ethan Bronner and Francine Lacqua, Bloomberg News on Dec 18, 2024

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Israel’s deputy foreign minister said Syria’s new leaders are “wolves in clothes of sheep,” who are trying to persuade the world they are not radical Islamists — but her government isn’t convinced.

“We’re not fooled by many of the conversations and interviews of those rebel groups who are, in fact, terrorist groups,” Sharren Haskel said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Wednesday.

She was responding to a question about Syria’s de-facto leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who said Israel’s military should reverse its recent advance into the buffer zone with Syria because his forces pose no threat to the country. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the former al-Qaeda affiliate headed by Al-Sharaa, is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and other countries, though Washington has held direct talks with the group since it toppled President Bashar Assad earlier this month.

“We are very aware of what they are saying,” Haskel said. “But the fact is we are going to look at their actions, and that’s going to dictate how we react. We are not fooled by nice talk.”

Haskel, 40, said Israel won’t make the same mistake it made with Hamas, the Palestinian group that indicated support for coexistence before launching the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attacks that triggered the war in Gaza.

Israel has sent troops into the buffer zone between its northeast border and Syria since HTS overthrew Assad, a move that Haskel described as “temporary and obviously limited.” Israeli warplanes have also struck weapons depots and other military sites in Syria to prevent equipment falling into the hands of extremist groups hostile to Israel. The offensive has been criticized by Middle East countries including Egypt, which condemned the systematic targeting of infrastructure.

Haskel said Israel is concerned about the rights of minority groups in Syria, particularly the Druze and Kurds, with whom the Jewish state has good relations. There is a Druze community in Israel with close relatives across the Syrian border whose lives could be threatened, she said.

Asked if the Israeli government is in touch with the new Syrian leadership, she said only via the U.S. Haskel said Israel is deeply concerned about Turkey’s actions against the Kurds, who have fought against Islamic State in Syria in recent years.

Gaza ceasefire

Asked about optimism that an Israel-Hamas ceasefire could be imminent after more than 14 months of fighting, Haskel said: “Personally, I try to stay pessimistic.”

Hamas has rejected offers in the past, she said, while reiterating that Israel is “doing everything in our capability to bring back” the 100 hostages still held by the Iran-backed group in Gaza. Hamas has accused Israel of chopping and changing its demands.

Robust statements by President-elect Donald Trump have been important in creating a breakthrough, Haskel said. The winner of last month’s U.S. election has said the hostages should be returned by the time he takes office on Jan. 20 or there will be “hell to pay.” Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by Washington and others.

Under the terms of a deal still being discussed with mediators Qatar and Egypt, hostages would be returned in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a huge boost in humanitarian aid could be delivered to the coastal strip.